Saving a foundation force: The major challenge facing the under-fire Illawarra Hawks
Another title-winning NBL coach has rejected the struggling Illawarra Hawks, who are officially in crisis mode. But as coaches across the league knock them back, where can they turn next?
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Championship-winning NBL mentor Joey Wright is the latest coach to knock back the struggling Illawarra Hawks.
Code Sports can reveal Hawks officials contacted Wright about his interest in the club’s coaching position, but he promptly said no.
It’s understood the former title-winner with Brisbane in 2007 has no desire to coach in the NBL again.
Wright’s rejection comes as Brian Goorjian and other experienced coaches have also shown no interest in coaching Illawarra after the franchise sacked Jacob Jackomas following a horror two-year stretch.
Five-time championship-winner Trevor Gleeson could be in the mix, however it’s also understood he isn’t convinced on the role.
Former South East Melbourne Phoenix and New Zealand Breakers assistant Judd Flavell is the first coach to publicly put his hand up for the Illawarra job.
Flavell, who led the Canterbury Rams to the 2023 NZNBL championship, is keen to take the next step and become a head coach in the NBL.
Illawarra has appointed Justin Tatum – the father of Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum – as the club’s interim coach and could keep him in the role for the remainder of the season before signing a new coach.
League legend Shane Heal doesn’t agree with this mindset – and has urged the Hawks to secure and sign a new coach for the rest of NBL24 instead of waiting.
“It’s mistake,” Heal said on this week’s Basketball Show.
“I think a coach needs to come in this season to start building momentum into next season.
“They’ve got an opportunity to be able to assess players and they need to do it now to work out who they might want to build with moving forward and start implementing some of the culture changes.
“We’ve seen what Justin Schueller has done at Brisbane in a short period of time. He has been fantastic – and that’s what they (Illawarra) need to do.”
A FOUNDATION CLUB IN CRISIS
The Illawarra Hawks may be a foundation club but the franchise is in crisis and it’s unclear who will step up and become their saviour.
Boomers and former Hawks coach Brian Goorjian has already turned the club down.
It’s understood five-time championship-winning coach Trevor Gleeson also isn’t sold on coming to Illawarra’s rescue.
The transformation of the Hawks to become a force again is a considerable job, on-and-off the court, which has made a host of proven NBL coaches hesitant to put their hands up for the position.
Former New Zealand Breakers, South East Melbourne Phoenix and New Zealand national assistant Judd Flavell is one man keen to put his name in the mix for Illawarra’s coaching job.
Flavell’s agent Jye Watson confirmed his client’s interest in the Hawks after Jacob Jackomas was sacked this week following the worst two-year period in the club’s history.
“We will be most definitely putting Judd’s name in for a conversation about the head coach role at Illawarra,” Watson said about Flavell, who led the Canterbury Rams to the 2023 NZNBL championship.
“We feel he’s a great fit, been around championship teams, on some himself and a great culture piece.
“He fits the model of what they need well in development and is a quality coach like Fordy (Adam Forde) and Schueller (Justin Schueller) at Cairns and Brisbane.”
Even if Flavell is the man, Illawarra requires firm leadership at the top to secure the club’s long-term future.
Previous coach Jackomas won just five games in two seasons, and while his coaching staff lacked experience, the Hawks can’t just blame him for its current woes.
Illawarra doesn’t have a major sponsor while it’s struggling to attract corporate support compared to the successful two-year stint under coach Brian Goorjian and president Dorry Kordahi between 2020 and 2022.
Goorjian and Kordahi transformed the Hawks into a force, helping the franchise reach the semi-finals for two seasons straight. The duo also sparked local commercial interest and crowds, despite being in the middle of the Covid pandemic.
The Hawks have since slipped, on-and-off the court, which will make it difficult for the club to secure its desired experienced coach.
Illawarra officials have reached out to Gleeson, but he is yet to receive an offer at the time of print.
The club has appointed Justin Tatum – the father of Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum – as the club’s interim coach and could keep him in the role for the remainder of the season and start fresh in the off-season with a new coach.
Three-time WNBL Coach of the Year Shannon Seebohm was floated as a left-field option to revitalise the Hawks.
Seebohm, who currently coaches the reigning WNBL champion Townsville Fire, is widely seen as the best coach in the league.
But while Seebohm, who signed an extension with the Fire in the off-season, does have future NBL ambitions, said he hadn’t heard from the Hawks and was committed to seeing out the next three years in Townsville, guiding the likes of Alice Kunek, Sami Whitcomb and Steph Reid.
Flavell has completed a thorough apprenticeship – and would be a great fit for Illawarra – but the club still requires a collective approach to help the Hawks fly again.
And it starts from the top with owner Jared Novelly and general manager Mat Campbell, who also need to take on responsibility for the club’s slide – on-and-off the court.
The NBL wants Illawarra to succeed as the only remaining team to have competed in every season since the league’s inception in 1979, but vast improvements are required to secure the club’s future.
-Additional reporting Michael Randall
NBL’S FRENCH NEXT STAR FLAVOUR:
The NBL’s long-running – and successful – love affair with French Next Stars could continue as the league sets its sights on a rising guard hailed the best prospect since NBA champion Tony Parker.
The Logue Down column understands 17-year-old guard Nolan Traore, who trained with the Perth Wildcats over the off-season, remains on the NBL’s radar as a potential Next Star for the 2024-2025 season.
Traore is currently excelling for Pole France, averaging 16.1 points, 6 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 2.8 steals, prompting some experts to suggest he could be the finest emerging player since Parker, a San Antonio Spurs legend who won four titles and made six All-Star appearances.
The gifted teen is averaging higher numbers than former French NBL Next Stars Rayan Rupert and Ousmane Dieng did at the same age.
Both Rupert and Dieng are now contracted in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers and the OKC Thunder respectively.
If the NBL can secure Traore it will add to the league’s run of French players.
Rupert and Dieng used stints with the New Zealand Breakers to reach the NBA draft as No.11 and 43 picks, while Perth’s current Next Star Alex Sarr is a projected top three pick in next year’s NBA draft.
Sydney Kings coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah, who was an NBA assistant with the Houston Rockets last season, believes the NBL’s Next Stars program is among the finest in world basketball.
“I can see why a lot of the guys would want to come here and play as a Next Star, because I truly believe that it prepares you for the NBA,” said Abdelfattah, who is working with rising Australian Next Star Alex Toohey at the Kings.
“I respect what the NBL is trying to do with the growth of the league through the Next Stars.
“You are playing against guys who have been pros for 10 to 15 years, including former NBA players, and they are grown men.”
WILEY DEFIES BUG:
A shout out and sincere apology is owed to Adelaide 36ers forward Jacob Wiley after he battled through a serious bout of gastro to play the past two games.
This column, unknowingly, called out his round 6 performance against Perth after he had just one point, four rebounds and one assist in 13 minutes on the court.
However, Wiley pushed through a severe gastro bug, which caused him to vomit during the Wildcats’ clash. He also got taken off the team’s flight home because he was so dehydrated.
Wiley spent time in a Perth hospital and only returned to training on the Thursday prior to last Saturday’s home clash against the Tasmania JackJumpers.
The good news is he has recovered and has returned to training ahead of Friday’s home clash against South East Melbourne.
HOGG’S HIGH NBA PRAISE:
Sydney Kings marquee signing DJ Hogg possess all the traits – and is making the right progress – for another shot at the NBA.
That’s the opinion of Kings coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah, who has revealed his challenge to Hogg to make changes to his game in a bid to reach the world’s best league.
Sydney’s import forward is yet to play an NBA game, despite multiple appearances at the Summer League and in the G League, including a championship with the Lakeland Magic in 2021.
Hogg has joined the Kings from Cairns this season in a bid to take his game to another level- and so far he has excelled after missing the start of the campaign with a shoulder injury.
The 27-year-old American has showcased his class, averaging 15 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists in just four games thus far.
Abdelfattah believes Hogg has the ability to make the NBA.
“One of the things I kept harping on with DJ, given his size and versatility, is for him to be able to guard multiple positions and rebound,” Abdelfattah said about Hogg, who went undrafted in the 2018 NBA draft.
“He has brought into that and I think he has done a great job.
“He is one of the best scorers in the league, just with the versatility that he brings.
“I’ve been able to play him in multiple positions, on offence and defence, so I’m glad to have him.”
Former King, Xavier Cooks has signed with the Chiba Jets in Japan’s B League, just weeks after being waived by the Washington Wizards.
Exclusive: Former Sydney Kings star and NBL MVP @xaviercooks10 has signed a deal in Japan, just weeks after being waived by the Washington Wizards. @codebballauhttps://t.co/5ix93lrpms
— Matt Logue (@mattlogue7) November 14, 2023
Boomers coach Brian Goorjian has endorsed Cooks’ Japanese move.
“Japan basketball is on a high, it’s highly organised, they practice well and there is a lot of energy around the competition, so I’m glad (Xavier) is going there,” Goorjian said.
“It’s a good place for him (Xavier) and it’s a good place for us at the Boomers to have him there.”
Cooks also has fond memories of Japan.
He was brilliant for the Boomers at this year’s World Cup, especially in the group game against the Japanese when he dominated with 24 points, 16 rebounds and two blocks.
Goorjian expects Cooks to be a fan favourite after his dominate group stage Cup game against Japan.
“He had the game of his life,” he said.
“As soon as I heard he had signed, my first thought was: Japan is going to be all over Xavier.”
BULLETS’ GENERATIONAL TALENT AND GLUE GUY:
Brisbane Bullets Next Star teen Rocco Zikarsky is still a baby in professional basketball terms, but he is already a ‘glue guy’ holding the rebuilding Bullets’ locker room together.
Bullets coach Justin Schueller has revealed how influential the seven-foot-three 17-year-old Zikarsky has been in his first NBL season.
“He (Rocco) can be the most fun and serious kid all at once,” Schueller said about Zikarsky, who has showcased his size and skill in his 11 games to date.
“There are some guys 20 years older than him in the locker room, but he is still our glue guy within the locker room which speaks volumes of who he is as a person that he can connect with anyone in our group.
“We had a really honest conversation yesterday about him continuing to challenge me.
“He isn’t a kid anymore, he is a professional athlete and he is starting to carry himself that way and demand more and more of me.
“I think he can become a generational talent.”
NBL ROUND 8: (All games on ESPN and Kayo)
Thursday, November 16:
Tasmania JackJumpers vs New Zealand Breakers at Silverdome from 7.30pm (AEDT)
Perth Wildcats vs Cairns Taipans at RAC Arena from 9.30pm (AEDT)
Friday, November 17:
Adelaide 36ers vs South East Melbourne Phoenix at Adelaide Entertainment Centre from 7.30pm (AEDT)
Saturday, November 18:
Cairns Taipans vs Tasmania JackJumpers at Cairns Convention Centre from 5.30pm (AEDT)
Brisbane Bullets vs Perth Wildcats at Nissan Arena from 8pm (AEDT)
Sunday, November 19:
New Zealand Breakers vs Illawarra Hawks at Spark Arena from 2pm (AEDT)
Melbourne United vs Sydney Kings at John Cain Arena from 4pm (AEDT)
Originally published as Saving a foundation force: The major challenge facing the under-fire Illawarra Hawks
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