Hawks Confirm NBL24 Coaching Roster

The Illawarra Hawks have announced their coaching structure for the upcoming Hungry Jack’s NBL24 season, with Head Coach Jacob Jackomas leading a new-look Hawks roster for a second season.

Under the guidance of Jackomas, Shaun Roger will continue to support in his assistant role for a fourth season, while Paul Mellett and Lachie Lonergan return for their second campaign with the Hawks. 

At the same time, the club is delighted to welcome Justin Tatum to the sidelines in a player development and assistant coaching capacity.

The new assistant coaching structure will provide a more holistic approach to skill development, high performance, and team dynamics.

After a challenging NBL23 campaign, an annual review of the club’s high performance and basketball operations delivered several key recommendations to support the club’s rise up the ladder and establish a sustained model of success.

The key findings reinforced a need for stability across the club’s coaching department, the addition of a player development and pathways resource, and additional support in the sports psychology and mindset space.

Hawks GM of Basketball Mat Campbell shared his thoughts on the club’s coaching structure for the new season.

“We acknowledged that the NBL23 season was challenging for the club, especially for a new coaching team in their first season as a collective. While the win-loss record was far below the standards we set ourselves, one thing that we were encouraged by was the connection and spirit our team played with. A lot of that credit sits with Jacob and the coaching staff on their approach and commitment to the obstacles that continued to present the program,” Campbell said.

“We are in a high-performance environment and are constantly reviewing all aspects of our basketball and business operations, and NBL23 was no different. The overwhelming feedback from those in the inner sanctum was their affinity and connection to Jacob. It was important for us to show our commitment to him throughout this process.”

“Shaun, Paul, and Lachie have developed a strong bond with our playing group, and we are excited to see their growth into a second season. The addition of Justin Tatum, a coach with significant experience in the skill development and pathway space, is the perfect addition to the existing staff and rounding out our support for our young and developing group.”

Fresh off a one-year contract extension, which will see him lead the Hawks through the NBL26 season, Jackomas is confident the off-court structure is in place to support his lofty goals for the new season.

“As a new coaching group, we have benefited from some great learnings from the NBL23 season. I have great belief in Paul, Shaun and Lachie and look forward to adding Justin to the mix in the coming months,” Jackomas said.

“The confidence that ownership, the front office, and the playing group have shown is not lost on me. I am committed to providing a stable, supportive, and progressive environment for the playing squad leading into the new season.”

“We are a proud group and a proud club, and I can assure our members, fans, and partners that we are working hard to deliver them a much-improved performance in NBL24.”

The Hawks will officially begin pre-season on August 1 in preparation for the club’s opening night blockbuster against the Sydney Kings on Saturday, September 30.