On the face of it, it was a player announcing the club he wanted to play at.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
However, it was so much more than that.
LaMelo Ball announcing his intention to come and play for our Illawarra Hawks in the 2019-20 National Basketball League was one of the biggest sporting stories around the globe on Tuesday.
This is one of America's brightest teenage prospects announcing he was going to move to Australia to play a season in a professional league.
Yet for the Illawarra Hawks, this is an opportunity.
An opportunity for the NBL's only remaining foundation club to put itself on the international map and push towards a more secure future.
The extraordinary significance of this opportunity was not lost on Hawks general manager and club great Mat Campbell.
Mr Campbell said the signing would help ensure the growth of the club into the future.
"We're the only national sporting team based here in the Illawarra and we want to make sure we continue to do that long term," Campbell told the Illawarra Mercury.
"It's about trying to be sustainable in the long term for us.
"I want to see the Hawks here for at least 40 more years and people have to get off their bums and be members."
The opportunity was not lost on Destination Wollongong general manager Mark Sleigh either.
Mr Sleigh said it was a unique opportunity to promote the region.
"It's really important Wollongong comes together as a community to make the most of this," he said.
"The Hawks and NBL have done an incredible job to create this opportunity, so let's not waste it."
The arrival of LaMelo Ball is big enough.
Add in an NBA veteran the quality of Aaron Brooks and the already signed star centre Josh Boone and you have among the biggest international names to ever grace the history-laden training court at the Snakepit.
Get on board now.
