Former Illawarra coach Jacob Jackomas opens up on his departure from the Hawks, future plans

Jacob Jackomas has quickly made peace in the aftermath of his axing as Illawarra coach, as he opens up on his plans for the future.

Jacob Jackomas has an unwavering belief in his coaching ability but that doesn’t mean he’s bitter about Illawarra’s decision to axe him nine games into the new NBL season.

Jackomas, who was last week dumped as head coach after a 2-7 start, admitted he’d “dealt with demons” in the immediate aftermath of the club’s decision, but he’s quickly made his peace, viewing his experience in the ‘Gong as a positive step in his coaching career.

“I know people want that (negative) story and you can either go real bitter with this and sit on it and blame this person and that person,” Jackomas told Code Sports in a wide-ranging interview.

“But being negative or bitter makes me look like a sook and just trying to handball responsibility — I’m not into doing that at all and, If I did that, I don’t think I’d be employable and I still believe and have a desire to work in the industry.

“I’m good and the club’s been good to me on the way out, which is the way it should be.

“This is the biggest down and out I’ve had but I’ve been ruled out before, man. I’m a small guy that never played, so this isn’t my first rodeo, this is firing me up.

Jacob Jackomas was sacked nine games into the NBL season. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

“I’ll be back,” he said, channelling the iconic Arnold Schwarzenegger line in The Terminator.

Jackomas, after an injury-ravaged NBL23 where the Hawks won just three games, believes the club should have given him more time.

“You’ve got to still have belief in yourself — I’m not going to say I think it was the right decision (to part ways), but I also get it, they’re doing what they see as the right thing for the team,” he said.

“Now, do I think they should have been a bit patient? Yeah man, last year was hard, but it was also hard to recover from.

“If I did something really wrong, I probably took for granted the fact that people are human, myself included, and it’s really hard to get that winning spirit back.

“We really tried and the players tried and it just didn’t work out.”

Jackomas says he still has belief in his coaching ability. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

Throughout a difficult time, Jackomas has had the good fortune of long-time mentors Brian Goorjian and Billy Tomlinson to lean on. Boomers coach Goorjian and Tomlinson are close friends, having worked together over an extended period in the NBL and China, and are among the most-respected voices in the game.

Jackomas is irked by the narrative he was hamstrung the moment he took over the Hawks job from the coaching GOAT.

“I don’t want to know about that, I was the coach, I decided to take the job, I did it, but it wasn’t good enough,” he said.

“I’m lucky. I got a good opportunity, they can’t take away that I was an NBL head coach and I was able to manage something that was difficult.

“Isn’t that what you want when you’re a competitor? You want a challenge.

“If it was easy to be an NBL coach, everyone would be doing it.”

Illawarra isn’t in a rush to hire a new coach following Jackomas’ departure. It’s understood the Hawks have told potential suitors the club plans to give interim coach Justin Tatum the opportunity to improve the team’s results.

Former South East Melbourne assistant Judd Flavell, through his management last week, expressed interest in the job but Code Sports has been told the Hawks have not made a formal offer.

Jackomas says he was proud the Hawks won in their first match after his sacking. Picture: Emily Barker/Getty Images

Tatum, meanwhile, started his NBL head coaching tenure in style on Saturday, guiding the Hawks to a 69-65 win over the Breakers in New Zealand.

Jackomas said he watched with joy on Sunday as the Hawks won their first game under Tatum — his use of “we won” an indicator there’s still a care and investment in the club and its players.

“I’m so glad that we won … well, I’m glad they won, because they needed it, they are good guys and we’ve been together for many years,” he said.

“Last week they were my people and they still are — I don’t turn on people like that.”

Jackomas, who has Greek heritage, said there were silver linings to a forced break from the NBL coaching bubble.

In the process of a move back to Sydney, he will have more time to support partner and Flames scoring machine Lauren Nicholson — who had been commuting to fulfil her WNBL commitments — and a chance to be closer to family and friends, who are largely based in the Kensington and Kingsford areas.

“I’ll take a bit of a break — I haven’t stopped — and then start again,” he said.

“I’m thinking family first right now, I’ve got my nephews, I’m going to enjoy that for a period of time.

“Now is just relaxing and trying to be a great friend, a great family member and a great boyfriend.”

And then?

“The world’s my oyster, it could be anything in basketball, I’m not limiting myself to anything,” he said.

“I’m doing a lot of self reflection and not bulls***ting myself, not blaming but just being honest about what went well, what didn’t, and why.

“Eventually, I’ll lock back into basketball, I’ll start to do a couple of hours a day of learning, pick the phone up, speak to people from different fields of the industry and then just figure out what’s next.”

Originally published as Former Illawarra coach Jacob Jackomas opens up on his departure from the Hawks, future plans