Jackomas landed the position after Goorjian announced on Wednesday that he was stepping down from the role after two years at the helm. During that time, the six-times NBL championship winner took Illawarra to successive semi-finals.

It's big shoes to fill, but Goorjian's long-time assistant has been developing his craft under the master coach for more than a decade. Their journey together has taken them to several franchises in the NBL and China, before returning to Australian shores in 2020 to take over the coaching reins in the Illawarra.

Now, Jackomas is ready to jump into the Hawks' hot seat, with Goorjian to remain involved with the club in an advisory role.

"Obviously I started with Goorj at a young age, and now it's 15 or something years later,'' Jackomas said.

"But it's the right time for me to start something new with the Hawks. Being in a small community, I think it suits me but it will be different for the first couple of practices. Usually I yap and run away, but now when I yap, everyone will be looking at me, so that's going to be a difference I'll have to deal with.

"There's been two things I've learned over that time which have been wow factors. The first is Goorj's unbelievable will to win. I remember one game in Sichuan where guys got thrown out and there was craziness, and Goorj said 'I'm not losing this'. That made me say 'whoa', and that was eight or nine years into what we were doing. I learned a lot from that. And there was another time where we had another bad run, in China I think, and he just told me 'I don't quit'.

"Those two things provided a special learning curve that no one else, I feel, has been able to get. I've had this personal apprenticeship and that's something you learn with time. And hopefully I don't make some early-bird mistakes because I've learned so much off him."

Read more: Hawks legend backs Jackomas to stand tall as Illawarra coach

Jackomas enters the position with an already perfect coaching record at the Hawks, having guided the side to a 96-90 win over Melbourne United in March while Goorjian was in COVID isolation.

It gave Hawkheads a glimpse of what to expect in the future and Goorjian has no doubts that his apprentice will do a great job.

''I've been associated with Jacob since I was young, so it's been a long time. And I knew when I took this job, it wasn't going to be forever,'' Goorjian said.

''Timing is everything and it's really important to me to see where this program goes. And the plan in my mind was always this ... to be part of something exciting and great, and set that table for somebody is like a son to me and I have the upmost respect for.

"I'm excited about him and this opportunity. And I know the players and community are too. The timing is right, which I'm really happy about. I think Jacob will take this thing to another level."

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