2025–26 Illawarra Hawks season

2025–26 Illawarra Hawks season
2025–26 Illawarra Hawks season
Head coach	Justin Tatum
Co-captains	Sam Froling; Tyler Harvey
Arena	Wollongong Entertainment Centre
NBL results
Record	0–0
	Stats at NBL.com.au

The 2025–26 Illawarra Hawks season will be the 48th season of the franchise in the National Basketball League (NBL).

As reigning NBL champions, the Hawks will compete in the 2025 FIBA Intercontinental Cup, becoming the second team from Oceania to play in the FIBA Intercontinental Cup.^[1]

Roster

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Illawarra Hawks roster

Players

Coaches

Pos.	No.	Name	Ht.	Wt.
G	1	Harvey, Tyler (I & C)	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)	84 kg (185 lb)
G	6	Hickey, William	1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)	92 kg (203 lb)
G/F	9	Swaka Lo Buluk, Wani	1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)	88 kg (194 lb)
G	10	McDowell-White, Kobe (DP)	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
G/F	11	Grida, Daniel	1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)	93 kg (205 lb)
F/C	13	Froling, Sam (C)	2.13 m (7 ft 0 in)	109 kg (240 lb)
F/C	19	Yates, Luca (DP)	2.08 m (6 ft 10 in)	102 kg (225 lb)
F	21	Blanchfield, Todd	1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)	98 kg (216 lb)
F	22	Peatling, Mason	2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)	105 kg (231 lb)
F/C	30	Olbrich, Lachlan	2.08 m (6 ft 10 in)	107 kg (236 lb)
G		Ball, Jackson (DP)	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
F		Bolden, Jonah	2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)	106 kg (234 lb)
C		Froling, Harry (NRP)	2.10 m (6 ft 11 in)	123 kg (271 lb)
C		McGee, JaVale (I)	2.13 m (7 ft 0 in)	122 kg (269 lb)
G		Narkle, Johny (DP)	1.99 m (6 ft 6 in)	79 kg (174 lb)

Head coach

Justin Tatum

Assistant coach(es)

Tom Cranney
Matt Flinn
Sam Gruggen
Joel Khalu

Strength & conditioning coach(es)

Alex Moore

Legend

(C) Team captain
(DP) Development player
(I) Import player
(TP) Training player
(SRP) Special restricted player
(NS) Next Star player
Injured

Roster

Updated: 7 August 2025

Depth chart

Pos.	Starting 5	Bench 1	Development	Injured
PG		William Hickey	Kobe McDowell-White (DP)
SG	Tyler Harvey (I)		Jackson Ball (DP)
SF	Wani Swaka Lo Buluk	Daniel Grida
PF	Mason Peatling	Todd Blanchfield
C	JaVale McGee (I)	Harry Froling (NRP)	Luca Yates (DP)	Sam Froling

Game log

Pre-season

The 2025 NBL Blitz will run from 27 to 31 August 2025 with games being played at the AIS Arena, Canberra.^[2]^[3]

2025 NBL Blitz game log
Total: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)

August: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)

Game	Date	Team	Score	High points	High rebounds	High assists	Location Attendance	Record
1								–
2								–

Regular season

The regular season will begin on 18 September 2025.^[4] It will consist of 165 games (33 games each) spread across 22 rounds, with the final game being played on 20 February 2026.^[5]

2025–26 game log
Total: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)

September: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)

Game	Date	Team	Score	High points	High rebounds	High assists	Location Attendance	Record
								–

October: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)

Game	Date	Team	Score	High points	High rebounds	High assists	Location Attendance	Record
								–

November: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)

Game	Date	Team	Score	High points	High rebounds	High assists	Location Attendance	Record
								–

December: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)

Game	Date	Team	Score	High points	High rebounds	High assists	Location Attendance	Record
								–

January: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)

Game	Date	Team	Score	High points	High rebounds	High assists	Location Attendance	Record
								–

February: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)

Game	Date	Team	Score	High points	High rebounds	High assists	Location Attendance	Record
								–

2025–26 season schedule

Transactions

Free agency began on 4 April 2025.^[6]^[7]

Re-signed

Player	Date Signed	Contract	Ref.
Daniel Grida	1 April 2025	2-year deal	^[8]
Mason Peatling	1 April 2025	2-year deal	^[9]
Todd Blanchfield	7 April 2025	3-year deal	^[10]

Additions

Player	Date Signed	Contract	Former team	Ref.
Jackson Ball	28 July 2025	1-year deal	Hawke's Bay Hawks	^[11]
JaVale McGee	1 August 2025	1-year deal	Vaqueros de Bayamón	^[12]

Subtractions

Player	Reason left	Date Left	New team	Ref.

Awards

Club awards

Club MVP:
Members Choice award:
Player's Player award:
Defensive Player:
Most Improved Player:
Community award:
Club Person of the Year:
Phil Driscoll OAM Volunteer of the Year Award:

References

^ "Line-up for the FIBA Intercontinental Cup 2025 in Singapore is set as ticket sales start today". FIBA Basketball. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
^ "Blitz heads to Canberra". NBL.com.au. 27 June 2025. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
^ "Canberra back on NBL agenda with hosting of Blitz". CanberraTimes.com.au. 27 June 2025. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
^ Uluc, Olgun (20 June 2025). "Storylines everywhere as NBL releases schedule for 2025-26 season". ESPN Australia. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
^ Jackson, Andrew (20 June 2025). "'Personal' rivalries as 'hurt' US star, five-time MVP face former teams: NBL and WNBL Schedule". Fox Sports. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
^ "Free agency begins April 4". NBL.com.au. 19 March 2025. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
^ "NBL26 Roster Tracker: Every signing, extension and departure". NBL.com.au. 22 June 2025. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
^ "Illawarra Hawks are excited to announce the re-signing of Dan Grida on two-year deal". Illawarra Hawks | Official NBL Website. 1 April 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
^ "Illawarra Hawks are excited to announce the re-signing of Mason Peatling on two-year deal". Illawarra Hawks | Official NBL Website. 1 April 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
^ "Hawks lock in veteran presence". NBL.com.au. 7 April 2025. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
^ "Hawks ink rising star for NBL26". NBL.com.au. 28 July 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
^ Uluc, Olgun (1 August 2025). "Illawarra Hawks sign three-time NBA champion JaVale McGee". ESPN Australia. Retrieved 2 August 2025.

External links

Official Website

[1] "Line-up for the FIBA Intercontinental Cup 2025 in Singapore is set as ticket sales start today". FIBA Basketball. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.

[2] "Blitz heads to Canberra". NBL.com.au. 27 June 2025. Retrieved 13 July 2025.

[3] "Canberra back on NBL agenda with hosting of Blitz". CanberraTimes.com.au. 27 June 2025. Retrieved 13 July 2025.

[4] Uluc, Olgun (20 June 2025). "Storylines everywhere as NBL releases schedule for 2025-26 season". ESPN Australia. Retrieved 13 July 2025.

[5] Jackson, Andrew (20 June 2025). "'Personal' rivalries as 'hurt' US star, five-time MVP face former teams: NBL and WNBL Schedule". Fox Sports. Retrieved 13 July 2025.

[6] "Free agency begins April 4". NBL.com.au. 19 March 2025. Retrieved 13 July 2025.

[7] "NBL26 Roster Tracker: Every signing, extension and departure". NBL.com.au. 22 June 2025. Retrieved 13 July 2025.

[8] "Illawarra Hawks are excited to announce the re-signing of Dan Grida on two-year deal". Illawarra Hawks | Official NBL Website. 1 April 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.

[9] "Illawarra Hawks are excited to announce the re-signing of Mason Peatling on two-year deal". Illawarra Hawks | Official NBL Website. 1 April 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.

[10] "Hawks lock in veteran presence". NBL.com.au. 7 April 2025. Retrieved 7 April 2025.

[11] "Hawks ink rising star for NBL26". NBL.com.au. 28 July 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.

[12] Uluc, Olgun (1 August 2025). "Illawarra Hawks sign three-time NBA champion JaVale McGee". ESPN Australia. Retrieved 2 August 2025.

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