They were the team who broke what felt like the never-ending 24-year drought in NBL25.
But the Illawarra Hawks squad who will witness the much-awaited championship banner drop on Saturday night will look completely different to the team which won game five of the championship series against Melbourne back in March.
It won’t matter much to those in the arena though, because the Illawarra region is about to see something they haven’t seen in 24 years – their team with the ‘champions’ tag next to them.
Hawks legend Damon Lowery, who was part of the last team to see a banner drop in Wollongong, says it’s like a blur being on the court when it happens.
“I can’t remember who we played (on banner drop night), but I do distinctly remember looking up on the banner”, Lowery said.
“Your chest is still poking out with pride, but you quickly realise that there’s another nine teams in the league who don’t give a damn and they’re ready, and now you got a massive target on your back.”
In fact, eight players, are new for Illawarra in NBL26. The Hawks farewelled the NBL25 all NBL first-team’s Trey Kell (Japan), youngster Lachlan Olbrich (drafted to Chicago Bulls), Hyung-Jung Lee (Japan) and Darius Days (Japan), just to name a few.
However, Illawarra still have their core championship-winning group with them. The likes of Tyler Harvey, Will Hickey, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk, Mason Peatling, Todd Blanchfield, Daniel Grida, Kobe McDowell-White and Luca Yates are back for another tilt.
Star big man Sam Froling is still recovering from an Achilles injury suffered in the Championship series win, expected back in the side later this season.
But it’s the new recruits who have former champion Lowery confident in this team.
“I think they actually have a better roster than last season”, Lowery said.
“So Trey (Kell III) was first team all NBL last year averaging 17 points a game. He leaves, big loss – but that just means Davo (Will) Hickey now gets to start. So we get more ‘Davo’, and the new import Jaquori McLaughlin. He can just come in off the bench.
“Now you lose Lachy (Olbrich) to Chicago Bulls – six-foot-eleven athlete and can rebound. We replaced him with Harry Froling and Jonah Bolden, two six-foot-eleven dudes that can rebound, block shots and shoot three-pointers – so that’s a tick.
“We lose HJ Lee, the Korean sniper – but that just means you get more of Toddy Blanchfield, and now Daniel Grida gets more minutes.
“I feel the roster that Justin Tatum and Matt Campbell has put together is better, now they just have to go out there and execute.”
The biggest recruit is three-time NBA champion and Olympic gold medalist Javale Mcgee – who has played 909 NBA regular season games.
To rattle off a few random names in the world of basketball – Lebron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, and Jayson Tatum. They’re all players Mcgee has played and won trophies with.
The last name on the list looks familiar, doesn’t it? Well, it’s because he’s the NBA champion son of Illawarra Hawks coach Justin.
Mcgee’s towering height of 213 centimetres is sure to bolster the Hawks even further.
“I’m really excited to see Javale Mcgee,” Lowery said.
“A seven-foot-six wingspan, and international FIBA rules say you could knock the ball off the rim. I just can’t see him not averaging at least 2 to 3 blocks game.
“He’s not going to let anyone shoot on him, he’s going to get a lot of shots that he won’t get a stat for, but he’s changed the shot.
“There’s depth to the (Hawks) big man department so he doesn’t have to be on the floor a long time, but what he’s going to have to adjust to is how to defend pick and rolls”
Lowery originally thought former NBA sixth man of the year Montrezl Harrell was the best import the NBL has seen, but 38-year-old Mcgee has changed his mind.
“I think he’s the most high profile”, Lowery said.
“(He’s) 38 years old, which is long in the tooth for normal people, but I feel like Javale is going to play younger than his years.
“The NBL doesn’t have the same wear and tear, (or) the same grind as obviously a long NBA season has. So hopefully Javale is ready to jump out of his skin because I’ve got him pencilled in for defensive player of the year”
Standing in the way of the Hawks on Saturday night are the Tasmania Jackjumpers, who won the championship in NBL24. A treat for those in Wollongong, who see the last two clubs to win Australia’s premier basketball competition go at it in the season opener.
It’ll be Tasmania’s third game of the season though, heading into this contest with a win and a loss after losing their opener to Melbourne United 88-84, before getting over the line 75-72 against the Wildcats in Perth.
Bryce Hamilton starred last time out for the Jackjumpers, sinking 26 points, notching up six rebounds, and five assists.
“They’ve got to watch off everybody, but mostly Bryce Hamilton”, Lowery said
“An elite scorer. He makes these little nice floaters, can shoot the three ball extremely well
“They also have David Johnson, the other import, who’s got one of the sweetest strokes I’ve ever laid eyes on
“Their starting five is rock solid. When they go to the bench is when they might be a little bit exposed
“But they play a good brand of team defence, they’re going to press you from start to finish so if the Hawks can withstand that pressure, they should be okay”
Illawarra’s campaign against Tasmania gets underway at 8pm on Saturday night in Wollongong.
Wollongong council will present the keys to the city to the team, and the club’s championship banner drop will take place before tip off. Those formalities get underway at 7:45pm.
