Coaching fire remains for Goorjian

One of the NBL’s greatest ever coaches, Brian Goorjian, is set to continue his coaching career in 2023, but the 68-year-old remains tight-lipped as to where he might land next.

Goorjian announced on Wednesday he’d decided against taking up his third-year option with the Illawarra Hawks, instead handing the reins to long-time assistant coach, Jacob Jackomas.

After coaching more than 800 NBL games, Goorjian will remain as the Hawks' special advisor for basketball operations in the interim, but admits he will “definitely be coaching next year”.

“A lot of things were said afterwards about ‘I'm tired, I'm old’. My engine’s at 100 miles an hour and I will be coaching next year,” he said during a press conference on Thursday.

A six-time NBL championship winner, Goorjian spent the last two seasons as the Hawks’ head coach, leading them to successive semi-finals appearances.

Illawarra won 19 games in the 2021/22 season to boast a 67 per cent winning record.

“There’s a lot of emotion running through the veins,” Goorjian said.

“Just knowing towards the end that the time was right for change, and also just the emotion of in the locker room afterwards of not being with the group again and not winning the chip … I know all of us felt like we had a great opportunity to win.

“There was some disappointment there, but also reflection for me personally, on what a great two years I've had.

“I’m thanking just a tremendous group of guys to coach, a tremendous staff, I enjoyed the office, absolutely love the community and the ownership.

“Everything here I feel blessed and enjoyed the hell out of.”

Goorjian backed Jackomas to take the Hawks to their first championship since 2001.

“It's really important to me, this program and where it goes,” he said.

“The plan in my mind was always this; get some bases in place, come back to Australia, be a part of something exciting and great and then set that table for somebody that is like a son to me (Jackomas) and somebody I have the utmost respect for.

"I’m so excited about him in this opportunity.

“We put a great team together. The organisation did a great job the first year, we made the adjustments (for the second year) and my mindset was always, ‘this is the year’, but I have no regrets.

“I know it’s there. This thing’s going to knock on the door for a while. Jacob will take it to another level and the team will keep in that (finals) four for a long period of time.

“Someday soon, they're going to break through and win this thing, and nobody will be happier than me.”

Goorjian said wherever he ends up as a coach, he’s committed to helping the Hawks win that elusive next championship.

“I will be coaching and I will be spending time here (Illawarra) whenever I’m not.”