From returning to the NBL after more than a decade away, to rebuilding the Hawks franchise after it was razed to the ground, to continuing a personal streak of 22 straight years in the post-season.

That's before you consider his achievements on returning to the national team head-coaching role, taking the Boomers to a first-ever appearance on the Olympic medal podium.

He even brought highly-sought big-man Duop Reath back to Wollongong with him. A year of nothing but net right?

Wrong, according to the mastercoach himself.

"If you ask 'what's the biggest mistake you made over the course of the year' it was my concept and my decision on Tim Coenraad before I gave it a chance," Goorjian said.

"He came in underdone at the end of the year and made a huge difference for us. When you talk about shooting, and the additions we've made, he's still probably the best shooter in the gym right now.

"He's aged really well and he's in great shape. I just did the wrong thing last year."

In fairness, there weren't too many who questioned the call at the time. It wasn't until marquee pair Deng Adel and Cam Bairstow were let go mid-campaign that it became apparent.

Coenraad came in and seemingly couldn't miss from three-point range, with his ability to space the floor helping break the Hawks out of a mid-season slump and put them on the path to the playoffs.

Goorjian's frank admission is why, even with six championships and a breakthrough Olympic bronze medal to his name, the 68-year-old insists he's still learning.

"If it gets to the point when you're not it's time to quit," Goorjian said.

"Coming in last year, I hadn't been in the NBL for 12 years. There were things over the year, strategies, the way we played certain situations, I realised 'I really have been away 12 years'.

"I learned a lot that helped me here, but also I learned a lot during the season and some of those things I applied to the Boomers. Then when I got to the Boomers [camp], I learned a tonne.

"Playing in that environment, coaching in that environment, you're around guys that have been in the NBA their whole careers. I learned from Patty [Mills], I learned from Joe [Ingles].

"They'd say 'hey coach, I wouldn't do like that, I'd do it like this and here's why'. The fact, even at my age, you are still learning is really big."

The Hawks faithful will be hoping the 'gold vibes only mentality' will carry over to his second campaign in Wollongong, with Goorjian still sporting a rosy glow from the rose-gold moment.

"I look at last year and I think, personally, what a great year I had as far as enjoyment goes," he said.

"Being a part of what happened here last year, and being part of that national team that medalled, the other part of it is the love and energy.

"With that medal, and what went on here last year, how it ended and where the team got, you really fall in love with the game.

"When I walk into the gym and see everybody, I'm excited again. That's the sign for me, I'm energised, I'm excited about it, I'm learning, and that's what last year was for me."

Read more: All roads lead to NBL championship for Hawks recruit Reath

Hawks fans are excited too, with every reason, but Goorjian says the true measure of whether the franchise has really turned a corner will come in its performance this season.

"We had a great season last year but, you look at the history of the Hawks, they've had better," Goorjian said.

"They've had some great years. What's been an issue for this organisation is to be a Perth and be Melbourne where you follow it up again and again.

"A huge part of that is personnel. The winning is in the picking, it's the people you attract to this thing so, after last season, keeping Tyler Harvey... that's an issue that this organisation's always faced.

"He had a great season, First-Team All League, import [he'd be] gone. We've kept him, signed him for three years.

"The other aspect is, if you look at the success of the national team, there's not many NBL players left in it. To have one of those on our team in signing Duop Reath is just huge as far as credibility goes.

"For our community, they know 'hey, they're coming back'."

As for that lesson on Tim Coenraad, the proof is the recruitment pudding.

With the addition of Reath and Harry Froling, floor spacing will not be an issue for the Hawks this time around.

"We needed that stretch four position, it's such a huge position in basketball" Goorjian said.

"You look at us last year and we were right there, Melbourne and ourselves, as the best in all the defensive categories. On the offensive end, we were on the bottom.

"We were bottom for three-point shooting [percentage], we were bad from the foul-line, points per possession we were the lowest in the league, but we made the playoffs off our defence and off our energy and transition.

"Sam [Froling] isn't a knock-down shooter and it's not what AJ [Ogilvy] does. We've brought Reath in, we've brought in Harry Froling, and that also enables us to stretch the floor.

"When you ask what's the difference between this group to the last group my answer is simple, we've got better perimeter shooting."

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