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Justin Tatum has signed a three-year deal to remain head coach of the Illawarra Hawks, the team announced on Thursday evening. The new contract keeps Tatum at the helm of the Hawks through the 2026-27 NBL season; the final year of the deal contains a mutual option, sources told ESPN. Tatum - the father of the Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum - took over as interim head coach of the Hawks after the team's 2-7 start to the season led to a parting of ways with Jacob Jackomas. Under the American, the Hawks went 12-7 to end the regular season, earning fourth place on the NBL ladder and a spot in the play-in. The long-term deal comes after Tatum finished second in this NBL season's Coach of the Year voting, falling just a few votes short of Melbourne United's Dean Vickerman.  "I am grateful to the team, my assistant coaches and the management at the Illawarra Hawks who have trusted in me since I took over in November," Tatum said. It's a testament to the guys who stayed locked in. We have some strong momentum now that we will carry into the Finals, and I am just happy that all the people of the Illawarra will have the opportunity to support their team in a [Finals Series]. "I've grown to love this place in a very short space of time. The whole team is so proud to represent this region, and we want to continue to bring the winning feeling back to the Illawarra." During the time range in which Tatum has been interim head coach, the Hawks have posted a top-four offence (118.0 Offensive Rating) and top-two defence (109.6 Defensive Rating); a stark turnaround from their poor start to the season. "We are excited to recognise Justin's success this year by elevating him permanently to the role of Head Coach," Hawks' General Manager of Basketball, Mat Campbell, said. "He has earned the respect of his team, the coaching staff and the fans in a relatively short period of time, so I am looking forward to seeing what he is able to achieve in the long term." The Hawks' season continues on February 28, when they face the Tasmania JackJumpers in a three-vs-four play-in game. The winner of that contest will face the Perth Wildcats in a semi-finals series. The Hawks have the bulk of their local roster signed for the 2024-25 season, with Lachlan Olbrich, Dan Grida, Sam Froling, Will Hickey (team option), Todd Blanchfield, Hyunjung Lee, and Mason Peatling all contracted.
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