Hawks tower up for title defence

With Sam Froling sidelined by a serious injury and Lachlan Olbrich heading to the NBA, the Illawarra Hawks’ frontcourt depth was suddenly looking stretched.

In the space of a week, the reigning Hungry Jack’s NBL Champions landed a former NBA star boasting three titles and nearly 1000 games’ experience, alongside a homegrown talent with impressive size and skill – JaVale McGee and Jonah Bolden.

Already one of the League’s more settled rosters, the group has now gained even more maturity. Only one import spot remains to round out an already formidable lineup.

“They’re going out there willing to spend money on this import point guard and JaVale McGee. If he comes in and has the impact we expect, he’s going to contend for Defensive Player of the Year, be a rim protector, finish on the other end,” Pete Hooley said on The Marketplace.

“JaVale McGee is huge … in the NBL, he’s an anomaly. But he has mobility. That’s the difference between him and other bigs,” ESPN’s Olgun Uluc continued.

“This guy here is going to average three blocks a game. At least. When people say he’s seven foot, that’s underselling it.”

McGee brings three NBA Championships to his name, while Bolden has consistently shown he can be a threat both in the paint and from the perimeter.

“It’s (Bolden) a really, really good signing … you think of the way they like to play under Justin Tatum, they’re going to shoot a lot of threes ... this is going to make them more potent offensively,” Hooley said.

“Jonah Bolden, just in a vacuum, is a big man who has NBA experience, can shoot the three ball, and can pass the ball. Now you put that next to JaVale McGee, you have so much size in that front court,” Uluc added.

“Not being able to pay up for Jack McVeigh meant they got someone like Jonah Bolden at half the price, and they can now spend more on a high-level import point guard.”

Fresh off ending a 24-year title drought last season, the Hawks have positioned themselves perfectly for another Championship push.

“We talk about chips on shoulders, they know the target’s on their back. And you just feel under Justin Tatum we keep talking about the vibe. The Illawarra Hawks, they want it that way. And they’re going to say, ‘We’ve got what everybody wants. Come and get it’,” Hooley said.

Illawarra has kept nine players from its title-winning roster, while bringing in ideal additions to strengthen the squad even further.

“All those other pieces start to answer the questions. And then we ask, what are the reasons they can’t win a title? If there aren’t many, they’re right in the mix,” Hooley added.

“The reigning champs have more than enough … it’s all there for Justin Tatum to sit back and say, ‘Let’s go get it again.’”