Justin Tatum on his meteoric rise to Illawarra Hawks head coach and declaration his team is among the top two in the NBL

When Justin Tatum landed at Illawarra, he was just looking to build his coaching resume. Nine games later, he was the Hawks’ coach. Now, he says his squad is among the top two in the NBL.

Justin Tatum arrived in the ‘Gong last year straight out of the USA just hoping to pad his resume as an NBL assistant in the hope of landing a coaching job in college hoops.

Nine games in, the father of NBA superstar Jayson Tatum was the head coach of the Illawarra Hawks.

The easy-to-love 45-year-old took charge on a then-interim basis of a team that had won just two games and parted ways with Jacob Jackomas.

Pulling the team out of the doldrums, Tatum led the Hawks on a stunning 12-7 resurgence and an unlikely fourth-place finish, before pushing ladder leader Melbourne United to three games in the semi finals.

“It was in my mind to coach in the league, but not to, like, take over the Hawks in the middle of the season,” Tatum, asked if his swift rise to the top job came as a surprise, said.

“It was basically building my resume up so I could have some credibility if I decided to go back to do a college coaching job in the states.

“The opportunity presented itself and, unfortunately, somebody had to lose their job for me to gain it, but, at the end of day, it was a blessing for me to be able to see what my potential was as a coach.

“I was able to thrive a little bit last year and get the guys that played for me together and I hope we have the same success this year.”

Justin Tatum has brought a new level to Illawarra. Picture: Getty Images

TOP-TWO: JT’S BIG HAWKS CALL

Tatum believes his settled Hawks’ squad is better than last season, returning nine players and adding high-level imports in guard Trey Kell and boom power forward Darius Days — leading to a rise in the now-permanent coach’s expectations.

“That fourth-place last year is only our pass mark, we feel that we are a top-two team in this league because we are bringing everybody back and our continuity should be a couple of notches better than everybody else and allow us to build off that fourth spot,” Tatum told Code Sports ahead of the Hawks’ Friday night home opener against Brisbane.

“The league has got so much tougher. Clearly, Sydney, on paper and in person, is unbelievable. Perth is exceptionally good, Melbourne is a machine and Tassie is going to get back together.

“Even though I said the top two — and I still feel that — we’ve got a task.”

On the eve of last season’s semi final series, Tatum expressed frustration to Code Sports that the Hawks were yet to table a full-time coaching contract, given the team’s improvement and his imminent return to the US to watch his son in the NBA playoffs.

Three days later, the deal was done.

“You know, that was cutting close,” a candid Tatum said.

“They knew that (he wanted a deal done before he returned to the US), they just had to make sure that it was something that I wanted to do.

“They knew I was pursuing a college job initially when I came in, so me and my owner (Jared Novelly) had talks in depth about that.

“I told him, ‘you put me in this professional place with these athletes in this great league, then I feel this is what I need to be able to do’.

“I didn’t need to go to college and the NIL stuff and chase college kids ask them how much money they want, I want guys who know what they’re here for.”

New Hawks import Darius Days is generating plenty of early hype in the ‘Gong. Picture: Getty Images

HUNGRY TO LEARN

Tatum’s bolt from the blue is something of an anomaly in professional basketball — his only prior experience as a leading man came at Soldan High School, then Christian Brothers College in his hometown St Louis.

He’s green and he knows it, more than happy to lean into experienced new assistants Sam Gruggen (from Cairns) and Matt Flinn — a man part of the furniture in Illawarra for decades.

“I’m definitely not one of those guys who knows it all,” Tatum said.

“I tell Flinny and Sam all the time I love hearing you guys talk about the game, they teach me the lingo Australians use talking about basketball and when they speak in the scout films I’m listening just like one of our players.

“I’m learning from them, and they learn from me as well, the way I communicate with players.”

He’s just about mastered that intimate art of connection and leadership and it’s that aspect of Tatum’s persona that is his biggest asset. The ‘Gong has fallen in love with the 201cm gentle giant on the sidelines and the players have become his disciples.

“There were experiences that I went through with some of my coaches who were able to be transparent with me and (some who weren’t),” Tatum said.

“I talk specifically to my players and don’t leave them wondering. ‘Hey, you might not be needed for this game’, or ‘you’re not working towards what we need, so keep working harder and here’s what we need you to do for the team to succeed’.

“I don’t just not talk to you, not tell you what’s going on, because you show up to work every day, I want you to enjoy it and know what you’re working towards.”

Justin Tatum is a smash hit among Hawks fans. Picture: Getty Images

FOOT ON THE PEDAL AGAINST WOUNDED BULLETS

Tatum is wary of the challenge posed by a Brisbane side that was labelled “pathetic” by its coach Justin Schueller following a horror season-opening loss to New Zealand at Hoops Fest.

The Hawks smacked Cairns by 27 but Tatum says his team must lift another cog to see off the response he’s expecting from the Bullets — who went undefeated at the NBL Blitz and have beaten the Hawks in five of their last six clashes.

“We are not taking them lightly at all from how they’ve been building from the pre-season and the Blitz — that game (against the Breakers) definitely didn’t define what they’ve been working on,” he said.

The last time the Hawks hit the WIN Entertainment Centre floor, they saw off Melbourne United to extend their series to three games — on the back of 31 points and 14 rebounds from Gary Clark.

The Hawks couldn’t lure Clark back for a second season but they’ll return to a likely sold out WEC with a younger import four-man who is just as exciting in Days.

“We were on a role on that court last season so it’s definitely been a five-plus-month journey out of the WEC and we’re excited to get it back rocking,” Tatum said.

“We’ve had a good week since Cairns where we were blessed not to have any injuries, besides just tired and bruised up bodies, and we took a lot of positivity out of what we’ve been working on defensively.

“The vision for our team is we want everybody to enjoy the success we’re able to work for and have, we don’t want guys working every day and hard in practice and not get a chance to get on the court and show what they can do.

“So it means a lot when guys play for each other like they did against Cairns.”

The Hawks are eyeing a 2-0 start to the NBL25. Picture: Getty Images

NEVER A DULL MOMENT FOR THE TATUMS

Tatum’s other title is ‘dad’ to three talented athletes, the most famous Boston Celtic Jayson, 26, while second son Jaycob, 21, is at Southern University smashing quarterbacks as a defensive end, and Kayden, 10, is the baby who has chosen volleyball.

It gives dad plenty of variety when following his kids’ pursuits.

“Jaycob just came up with shoulder surgery, so he’s trying to get back and he’s a sophomore this year. He likes hitting. One day I’m going to get him out here, hopefully play rugby because he’ll love it,” Justin Tatum said.

“Kayden’s 10 and she hates basketball because of all the attention her brother gets from it so she wanted to do her own thing, which I’m very supportive of.

“She’s very tall and she loves the sport so hopefully we can keep encouraging her and see where she can take it.

“I just don’t want to pay for college — I’m 2-0 so far with that (Jayson and Jaycob both have athletic scholarships), now one more to go.”

It hasn’t really been an off-season — a busy travel schedule with Jayson winning the NBA championship and Olympic gold in Paris put paid to any hopes of a long rest.

“I rented out a place in St Louis, and I only probably stayed in that bed for 30 days in about four months,” Justin Tatum said.

“Just stayed in a hotel room most of the time but it was great to see the family and they were excited back home about how I was able to turn the season around and do what I love to do and have some success.”

Jayson Tatum lifts the Larry O’Brien Trophy after leading Boston to a 4-1 win over Dallas in the 2024 NBA Finals. Picture: Getty Images/AFP

Jayson Tatum was part of the Team USA squad that stormed to Olympic gold in Paris. Getty Images

GIVE MY SON HIS FLOWERS

Jayson Tatum is just entering his prime and he’s already an NBA champion, five-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA First-Teamer but, oddly, he has a legion of detractors, keen to tear down his achievements.

Dad, like many, doesn’t get it.

“It’s insane he’s just not pumped up like a lot of other guys and I think it’s because you can’t find nothing wrong with him,” Justin Tatum said.

“So they won’t give him that love and respect that he’s worked for and deserved because of that but, long as he keeps doing what he’s doing, he’s always going to be top five — No.1 in my eyes — and he’s really, actually proven it.

“He’s just won a chip at the age of 26. I’m really proud of what he’s done this summer, you know, being able to get that monkey of their back and hopefully he can win two-three-four, more.”

Originally published as Justin Tatum on his meteoric rise to Illawarra Hawks head coach and declaration his team is among the top two in the NBL