They hoped Kevin Lisch’s relationship with coach Rob Beveridge, after winning an NBL MVP with the Hawks this year, would be enough to keep him in Wollongong.

But late on Friday afternoon, in a statement released by Illawarra general manager Kim Welch, the bombshell dropped.

Shocked Hawks fans speculated it might be a late April fools joke, after the club had played up to the occasion earlier in the day by ‘revealing’ false brown playing singlets for next season.

Instead, Beveridge and Welch must now chase another guard.

“Naturally you are disappointed and of course it hurts but Kevin has made his decision and we’ll move on,” Welch said. 

“I can assure you that we will recruit well, and retain as many key players as possible so that we can continue to deliver the style of basketball we all so thoroughly enjoyed last season.”

It is believed the Sydney Kings will announce a new coach as early as Saturday –  rumoured on Friday night to be NBL legend Andrew Gaze – and possibly Lisch as a marquee player.

Perth and Melbourne also have the finances to secure Lisch, but the Mercury revealed last month the Kings were preparing a huge offer for Beveridge before he re-signed with the Hawks for four more years. The NBL is poised for a frantic period of player signings after they announced the new salary cap terms to lure more marquee talent to Australia next season.

The US-born Lisch is the most sought after player in the NBL after becoming an Australian citizen.

Not only does holding an Australian passport allow him to play at the Rio Olympics for the Boomers later this year, it also means clubs can chase three imports, as well as Lisch. 

The star guard was injured in game one of the Hawks semi-final series loss to his former NBL club and eventual champions Perth, before playing through the pain as Illawarra lost the deciding game.