Few come as respected and loved as Kevin White.
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Over the years the Illawarra Hawks captain has proven himself as a fierce on-court warrior, adored by the Hawkheads and despised/secretly admired by opposition fans.
No-one knows this like the Adelaide 36ers.
White's clashes with then Adelaide 36ers point guard Jerome Randle a couple of seasons ago became legendary and led to Randle to declare the Hawks as "dirty".
They weren't. They were just tough.
Yet, White's dogged defence and no-nonsense approach would have undoubtedly endeared him to Adelaide 36er coach Joey Wright, who himself is a hard taskmaster and straight shooter.
Wright would know exactly what he is getting when he signed White for two seasons start with the 2020-21 NBL season later this year. A tough, uncompromising leader on and off the court.
Losing their captain will be a tough one for the Hawks fans to swallow.
In previous seasons Hawks fans have managed to boo "the world's nicest bloke" and former club MVP Kevin Lisch when he donned the purple filth of arch rival, the Sydney Kings.
They've booed Nick Kay and Mitch Norton after their defection to Perth.
Yet you will be hard pressed to find a Hawks fan boo "Captain Kev", especially when the Hawks made the call on his time themselves.
The Hawks are undergoing a "changing of the guard" under new coach Matt Flinn and no-one should begrudge White from getting a fresh start to finish his career.
The Hawks are grooming the next generation and are putting a lot of responsibility on young shoulders to carry the burden left behind by the likes of White.
The NBL is a tough league. Tough decisions are made. Kevin White is a tough player and will relish the new challenge. Yet, Hawkheads will always have a soft spot for Kevin White.
Good luck on your new journey champion and your home will always be waiting for you and your little family when you are done.