William Hickey

Has had to bang down the door to make it, but is now a genuine star of Australian basketball on the back of leading the Illawarra Hawks to the NBL25 championship.

The 26-year-old is now 95 games into an NBL career that has included stints with the South East Melbourne Phoenix, Melbourne United and now the Hawks.

After growing up in the regional NSW town of Cowra and a development player season at South East Melbourne for NBL20, had a standout 2021 NBL1 South season at the Ballarat Miners before another development player chance with United.

Continued to play well in NBL1 South, this time at Casey Cavaliers in 2022, before arriving at the Hawks for the first time for NBL23.

Then after staying in the 'Gong for an NBL1 East season, earned a role when Justin Tatum took over as coach the rest of the NBL24.

Backed that up with a brilliant NBL1 East season for the Albury-Wodonga Bandits and then everything came together for him where he was Illawarra's best player in their NBL25 championship triumph.