The Illawarra Hawks are making moves — JaQuori McLaughlin is locked in as an import guard, JaVale McGee is bringing his championship DNA to the Gong, and Coach Justin Tatum isn’t holding back after a heated scrimmage with the Sydney Kings.

We dive into:

• McLaughlin’s journey from Washington high school star to the NBL.
• How Tatum plans to unleash JaVale as a defensive anchor and culture-setter.
• The controversy over “non-basketball plays” and protecting marquee imports.
• Bryce Cotton finally becoming an Aussie — what it means for Perth and Adelaide.
• The Hawks’ looming showdowns with Flamengo and a stacked G League United squad.

Hot takes, player deep dives, and all the NBL storylines that matter — live from the Gong.

The Hawks got smacked by Adelaide, then turned around and torched Perth in the Blitz. McLaughlin lit it up like an import on trial, Griscti had the flop to end all flops, and we size up Illawarra’s first crack at the Intercontinental Cup in Singapore.

We break down the games, hand out our Player of the Match picks, dish out the Chris Goulding Flop Award, and ask the big question: should the Hawks lock in Jroc now or keep shopping?

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook @ScreechAndRoll for more Hawks banter, clips, and chaos.

The Hawks rumour mill is heating up — has JRoc been spotted at training? We break down what it could mean for Illawarra’s roster and where the holes still are. Mad Dog takes us through the NBL over/under futures market, and we dive into the brand-new NBL Ignite Cup — how it works, why it matters, and what it means for the Hawks this season. Plus, the return of our favourite stat that proves Davo Hickey is officially better than Michael Jordan (well… kind of).

Follow Screech & Roll on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook for more Hawks takes and NBL banter.

Chibbsy and Mad Dog (from 1001 Songs That Make You Want To Die) break down the Hawks roster, from McGee to Blanchfield, the Davo Hickey hype, who fills the last spot, NBL Blitz matchups, and the first Chris Goulding Flop Award.

If you love the NBL and the Illawarra Hawks, make sure you’re also tuning into these incredible podcasts that do amazing work covering the game:

Hawks Hangout (The Basketball Fix)

Hooked On Hoops

Love Of The Game

NBL Now

The NBL Pocket Podcast

Scoreboard

Aussie Hoopla