Jordan Hawkins Ready To Turn Up With Cousin And Fellow Champ Angel Reese: “Cookout Gon’ Be Lit”

Jordan Hawkins is now an NCAA Basketball Champion—and he’s looking forward to celebrating with his cousin, Angel Reese.

After the UCONN Huskies beat the San Diego State Aztecs 76-59 on Monday (April 3), Hawkins spoke to the media about his new hardware and showed love to Reese, who had recently become a champion with LSU on Sunday (April 2).

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“This is for all the kids from Gaithersburg, Maryland, that didn’t think they could do it. I did it. Now you can do it, man,” Hawkins said. “Me and Angel paved the way. We did it.”

He explained that he spoke with the college superstar before his big game, and now that they’re both champions, they plan to celebrate their accomplishments. “I wished her luck. I’m going to see her in Maryland soon. The cookout gone be lit.”

“It’s absolutely amazing, showing that kids that were our age at the time, we were dreaming about the same thing, and we saw that it’s possible,” the 20-year-old athlete said. “We saw that as amazing that we both get this opportunity, and I mean the family reunion is going to be great so that’s all I know.”

Aside from the family’s planned festivities, Hawkins was also asked about Reese being criticized for taunting Iowa’s Caitlin Clark. No. 24 defended the world champion, explaining that nothing being said about her would negatively impact her.

“Angel, she has the heart of a lion. She’s not worried about any of that. She’s going to play her game. She’s from the dirty streets of Baltimore so she’s the toughest of the toughest, so that’s nothing to her.”

Before UCONN and LSU’s NCAA Championships, the “Bayou Barbie” sent a video to Hawkins encouraging the star player.

“Hey Jordan, it’s Angel here, and I just wanna wish you good luck in the tournament. I’m super happy for you, I’m super excited for you,” she said. “This the only weekend I’m cheering for the Huskies, but good luck. Go get that natty. Do it for the DMV. You know we family first.”

Jordan responded to the clip expressing his gratitude for No. 10, explaining how wild it is for them to be in the Final Four simultaneously.

“To see we’re both in the Final Four is amazing,” he reacted. “I love her to death, love her family to death. She gotta win it for us man. Win it for Maryland, win it for the DMV.”

Jordan and Angel grew up as a pair of competitive cousins in the DMV area. They’re related by way of Hawkins’ mom being Reese’s dad’s sister.

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