Neftchi basketball team's American signing Elijah Hawkins has outlined his ambitions for the new season and expressed confidence in the club's prospects in European competition.
As reported by İdman.Biz, Hawkins told AZERTAC that Neftchi's main objective is to compete at a high level in every tournament.
"The main goal is to compete at a high level in every competition we take part in and represent Neftchi in the best possible way. We want to win as many games as possible, challenge for the top positions in the championship and make a successful run in the FIBA Europe Cup," Hawkins said.
Speaking about his personal ambitions, the American added that he wants to establish himself as one of the team's leaders.
"My personal goal is to be one of the leaders of the team, help my teammates play better and contribute to winning games," he noted.
Hawkins joined Neftchi after receiving the offer through his agent. According to the player, learning more about the club and the opportunities available convinced him that moving to Azerbaijan was the right step for his career.
"I knew a little about Azerbaijan and Neftchi before coming here, but I have learned much more since arriving. I am very happy with my decision and excited to be part of this club," he said.
Neftchi recently took part in the Ege Cup 2026 pre-season tournament in Izmir, organised by Turkish club Aliaga Petkimspor. Hawkins believes the competition provided an important test ahead of the new campaign.
"It was a really useful pre-season tournament for us. We had the opportunity to compete against strong teams and see where we are as a team before the season starts. For me personally, it was also a good chance to get used to my teammates, improve our chemistry on the court and better understand how we want to play," he explained.
Neftchi will face Estonia's Parnu in the FIBA Europe Cup, and Hawkins is optimistic about the Azerbaijani side's chances.
"I think our chances are very high. We respect Parnu and know they are a good team, but we also have full confidence in ourselves. If we compete collectively on defence and execute our game plan precisely, I believe we will win the tie. We will approach it one game at a time and fight only for victory," he said.
The American basketball player also shared his first impressions of Baku, revealing that he has already had an opportunity to explore the Azerbaijani capital.
"I really like the atmosphere, the architecture and especially the area around the seaside boulevard. I am still discovering new places, but Baku has made a very positive impression on me so far. I am looking forward to getting to know the city better during the season," Hawkins concluded.
