Why the Hawks will never be a fairy tale team to skipper Tyler Harvey

The Hawks seeming rise from the ashes under interim coach Justin Tatum was the feel-good story of last NBL season, and certainly captured the imagination of the Illawarra faithful that flocked back to the WEC in droves to witness their team's finals run.

It was a steep rise from the low of a 5-32 run under Tatum's predecessor Jacob Jackomas, but the suggestion the Hawks had long been in the doldrums was more a case of perception that reality.

In terms of the latter, Harvey's been to three final fours in four seasons in Wollongong.

While he was more than happy to see disengaged fans to jump on board a comeback story, the 30-year-old says a post-season run has been par for the course through his time with the franchise.

"Our motto throughout the whole run was 'we're not a fairy tale team'," Harvey said.

"When you're in the middle of [the tough run], it can feel like a lot of chaos, but being in the top four three out of the last four years is nothing to scoff at.

"We knew what we were capable of doing and I think we just kept focusing on what we needed to do as a team to win. That doesn't change.

"I don't like to fall into the narratives, and I don't like reading into what the narratives are, but it'll be nice to have a full season under JT."

Harvey has freshly inked a three-year contract extension, one that aligns with the three-year deal the club signed Tatum to ahead of the playoffs last season.

Having inherited a team at 2-7, the transformation Tatum oversaw gave the club little choice but to lock him down long-term.

Expectations will be much higher on the back of a full preseason with which to truly put his stamp on the club and roster, but Harvey says that prospect brings nothing but excitement.

"What JT was able to do in such a short amount of time was remarkable," Harvey said.

"It'll be nice to now have a full season. With preseason, training camp, going into the Blitz, you can implement a lot more than you can midway through the year.

"We have a bunch of guys that have played with each other now for three to four years. We have Sam (Froling) still back here, (Dan) Grida is still back here, Wani (Swaka Lo Buluk) still back here.

"We have the core of guys coming back, the Davos (Will Hickey) and the (Hyunjung) Lees. I think that's something unique.

"In order to win in this league you have to have experience and you have to have a core group that have played with each other for a while.

"When you look at the teams that have won it over the last couple of years, their rosters, they've been with each other for an extended amount of time. You look at (NBL champions) Tassie last year.

"You just keep chipping away, keep chipping away, and eventually it'll fall for you. I think that's what we're trying to do here."

Alongside Harvey, there's no bigger piece to that end than All-NBL First Team big Gary Clark. Fans are desperate to see the multi-tool former NBA big-man return to Wollongong - a city he's regularly expressed deep affection for.

There are no shortage of suitors for his services in Europe and Asia. Long-running amicable talks continue to move at a slow pace.

Like the rest of the Hawks faithful, Harvey would love to see Clark return, but he's not about to play recruiter.

"I'll never push and call a guy," Harvey said.

"I know me, as a player, you don't want to feel the pressure from many different people to come back. I love Gary, but at the end of the day, Gary has to do what's best for him.

"I know he enjoyed it here, but that's Mat (Campbell) and JT's job, to find the pieces to help keep this team on an upward trajectory.

"In this basketball world, there's so many different factors that come into play, but it was an honour playing with Gary last year and of course I'd love to have Gary back."