An official start date hasn't been confirmed for the 2020/21 NBL season, but the Hawks are hard at work training at the Snakepit. And Goorjian likes what he sees.

"We've got a situation where two of our imports aren't here yet, but you look and you go 'we've got some nice young pieces'," he said.

"Not only is it a new time for Illawarra basketball, the exciting part about is that this group will be here for a while. It's not that we've pieced together a bunch of older guys for an entry, we've put something together long term.

"I like the blend of some experienced and young guys who were here before, and a group of new ones. And there's an athletic element to it. I don't know if they've had a group like this in that form. You've had those good, hard working guys and good teams, but this team is different athletically. You've got a lot of high wire acts, a lot of depth and a lot of youth.

"And with the new ownership and a new team, hopefully the thing that links it together is getting the Illawarra back and excited about it."

Read more: Reinstating the Illawarra name is a 'must' for Hawks, Goorjian says

It's been a big few days for Goorjian who, on Friday in Wollongong, was confirmed as the Boomers head coach.

Goorjian will juggle his Hawks and national duties, which is something he has done before. He guided the Boomers to the 2004 and 2008 Olympics while also coaching the Sydney Kings.

"If I wasn't involved in coaching right now, I wouldn't have taken this job," he said.

"I always felt, when I left the NBL, that it's a strong competition and I was under pressure in the play-offs, but I came into the Boomers [feeling] game sharp. Then, definitely when I came out of international competition and came back to the NBL, I felt sharp.

"But it's like any task or any profession. If you're not coaching, and you're sitting on the sideline evaluating and watching things, you lose touch. So I think the NBL competition is going to be very good for me in preparation for the Boomers."