{"id":558975,"date":"2026-03-23T12:04:24","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T12:04:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/558975\/"},"modified":"2026-03-23T12:04:24","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T12:04:24","slug":"whats-next-for-the-reigning-champions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/558975\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s next for the reigning champions?"},"content":{"rendered":"

12 months is a long time in basketball, just ask the Illawarra Hawks.<\/p>\n

This time last year, they were celebrating their second NBL championship, defeating Melbourne in five games.<\/p>\n

Now, the Hawks are sitting on the sidelines watching the NBL Finals, enjoying their last moments as defending champions.<\/p>\n

But as their eyes shift to next season, Illawarra sits in a strong position.<\/p>\n

As it stands, Sam Froling, Dan Grida, Will Hickey, Mason Peatling, Todd Blanchfield, Tyler Harvey (club option), Harry Froling (club option), Johny Narkle (club option), Biwali Bayles (club option) and Kobe McDowell-White (club option) are on Justin Tatum\u2019s squad for next season.<\/p>\n

On the latest episode of The Marketplace, presented by Paywise, ESPN\u2019s Olgun Uluc anticipated the Hawks will pick up their club option on wing Wani Swaka Lo Buluk, which will see him join the NBL25 championship core.<\/p>\n

But Uluc said their priority has to be adding a bigger guard next to Harvey in the backcourt.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know the recipe of success is there [in Illawarra with their core],\u201d Uluc said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe key for that, though, is getting a bigger guard, who can organise the team and has some creation juice, like Trey Kell III had when they won the championship. It also doesn\u2019t hurt them defensively, like having a smaller guard this year did.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Fellow panellist Pete Hooley agrees the Hawks need to bring in an import guard, which would allow them to have Australian Boomer Will Hickey come off the bench once again.<\/p>\n

\u201cDavo Hickey is a guy who\u2019s a triple-double threat, and who you can throw in there and play the 30 minutes, potentially even more every single game, regardless of starting or not,\u201d Hooley said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf a point guard goes out, can he jump into the starting five and hold it down? Yes. But I think the way they showed that success when they had Trey Kell was there, and he [Hickey] was the backup.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can play all three [Harvey, Hickey and the import guard] together, because Hickey can and go down and guard a three-man.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat’s something that they should be looking forward to executing this year as long as they nail it.\u201d<\/p>\n

>> Championship Series schedule, tickets & how to watch<\/a><\/p>\n

The other main question mark surrounding Illawarra is the future of three-time NBA champion JaVale McGee, who averaged 19.3 points, 10 rebounds and 1.8 blocks this season.<\/p>\n

\u201cBased on this season, the answer [on if Illawarra will bring McGee back] is no,\u201d Hooley said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a clunky season, especially when Sam Froling came back. You can\u2019t play those two alongside one another if you want to win games.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith them wanting to maximise their local core and play Froling 30 minutes a game, [I\u2019d be surprised in McGee came back].\u201d<\/p>\n

Uluc also expects Harvey to play next season as an import, before being counted as a \u2018local\u2019 in NBL28.<\/p>\n

The NBL26 Championship Series, between Sydney and Adelaide, continues on Friday from 7.23pm AEDT on Friday, live on ESPN and 10 Drama.<\/p>\n

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