At 26, Naar is a 'veteran' in the back court alongside import Tyler Harvey (27), with Justin Simon, Justinian Jessup and Deng Adel and Isaac White all 24 or younger.

The talent ensures scoring won't be an issue, while Simon has made no secret of his desire to be the league's best defensive stopper.

The only pure point-guard of the bunch, Naar shapes as a key piece for coach Brian Goorjian. Having shown flashes of his prodigious play-making ability in his first two seasons in Wollongong, the St. Marys all-time assists leader plans to step it up in year three, whether it's part of the first or second unit.

"I think everyone would love to start and that's [always] the goal," Naar said.

"You've got to push to do that but, at the end of the day, it's not my decision. The main thing for me is to help the team whichever way I can, if I'm starting, if I'm coming off the bench.

"I think the way the team is it'll probably change game to game. We've got some pretty talented players and we're pretty versatile as well so there's a lot of different line-ups we can go with, whether it's playing smaller or playing Tyler and I together.

"It's not that I haven't played with talented players here before, but we've got some pretty elite guys on the team this season so it's pretty exciting."

Goorjian's team has gone 1-2 through the preseason but, with two games in Perth ahead of gruelling final leg in Sydney, the deck was stacked against them. Naar, who had 12 points and three assists against the Kings, saw plenty to like despite the the two defeats.

"Just playing against opposition, and not playing against ourselves, we learned a fair bit about where we're at and where we need to improve," Naar said.

"We weren't necessarily looking at the results at the end of the day, it was more how we played. It felt good to go and play agains teams that don't know what you're going to do every play down [the floor], I think we've got something to work with now."

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While he's at astronomical odds to lead the Hawks in three-point shooting this season, Naar can expect the ball in his hands if they need a Hail Mary from the logo after furthering his reputation as the king of the half-court heave in Perth; though he insists he never practices from that deep.

"I think I've earned the right to throw it up," Naar said, with tongue somewhat in cheek.

"There's no real pressure on them when you have to just heave it up like that. It makes it a bit easier, you don't have to think, you've just got to launch them. I'd say there's a good bit of luck involved."