"A game-changer for the NBL"

The Illawarra Hawks’ off-season plans received a huge boost on Monday when US-born guard Tyler Harvey had Australian citizenship approved.

Once his induction ceremony takes place, which ESPN’s Olgun Uluc reports will be prior to the start of the Hungry Jack’s NBL27 Season, Harvey will be allowed to be classified as a non-restricted/local player for next season, rather than an import.

This means the Hawks will still be able to add three imports to their core, which also features Sam Froling, Will Hickey and Wani Swaka Lo Buluk.

‍”Tyler Harvey becoming an Australian very soon is a game-changer for the Hawks front office, and a game-changer for the NBL,” Uluc said on The Marketplace, presented by Paywise.

“All of a sudden, the Illawarra Hawks have a another really high-level local player that they can start and then they can go and pursue three imports. It changes everything.

“Obviously, his contract is now marqueeable, which means that you can pay him a certain amount. You can pay him his contract, and it'll be a lower fixed price on their cap.

“But [the real benefit is] the flexibility they have with the imports now.”

Harvey's current deal runs until the end of the NBL28 season, which will extend his tenure in Wollongong to eight years.

When it’s all said and done and the California-born guard decides to hang up his shoes, Uluc expects Harvey’s number to be retired and his name to be added to the rafters, alongside Hawks legends Chuck Harmison, Geordie McLeod, Melvin Thomas, Glen Saville and Mat Campbell.

”I'm around Wollongong a lot, and after a game I might stay the night and do breakfast around the Gong,” Uluc said. “Tyler Harvey is always out and about. Him and his family are really well liked among the community.

“He was among the guys who led them to a championship a couple of years ago, after being there for their lowest point with the worst winning record we’d seen in some time.

“He’s stuck with them [through it all], and I imagine his name will be in the rafters when it's all said and done.

“That's the impact that Tyler Harvey has left there.”

The Hawks, who have Harvey, Froling, Hickey, Swaka Lo Buluk, Todd Blanchfield, Dan Grida, Kobe McDowell-White, Johny Narkle, Mason Peatling and Amarco Doyle all signed, will open their 2026-27 campaign on Sunday, September 20 against the New Zealand Breakers at Spark Arena.

Read more >> Hawks 'in talks' with high-profile imports