On Saturday, the Illawarra Hawks defeated Melbourne United in Game 5 of the 2025 NBL Finals. Coached by Justin Tatum, the father of Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, they’ve now secured their first title since 2001. A former star at Saint Louis University and in the Dutch Basketball League, the elder Tatum is a close friend of former NBA standout Larry Hughes.
And-1: After the back-and-forth series, United point guard Matthew Dellavedova, was named the NBL Finals MVP. A nine-year NBA veteran, Dellavedova rose to fame during his tenure with the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers, with whom he won a championship. Hughes and James were teammates from 2005-06 to 2007-08.
Will Justin Tatum Coach In NBA After NBL Finals Win?
The Tatum family isn’t Illawarra’s only connection to the United States.
The Hawks became popular stateside after Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball chose to bypass college, eventually heading Down Under. In 12 games, the Ball family’s best baller put up 17.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 1.6 steals per contest. However the team as a whole wasn’t good, going 5-23 in 2019-20.
Fast-forward to 2024-25 and the difference is night and day. Some of it is simply that their roster has been healthy for the most part. Much of that has to do with the elder Tatum, who now has a regular season record of 32-16 since taking over for former head coach Jacob Jackomas.
Initially, he joined Illawarra as a North American scout and special advisor in 2023. His connection with Hawks owner Jared Novelly, a St. Louis native himself, may have contributed to the hiring. He’s won three state championships as a high school head coach. However, the highlight of his coaching career was arguably the role he played in his son’s development.
Still, his first foray into coaching at the professional level was more about facilitating the messages between Jackomas and the team’s American imports. After the Hawks relieved Jackomas of his duties, Tatum’s playing and coaching experience stood out more. He was promoted to the first chair, learning the ins and outs of the league on the fly.
What About The Celtics?
All Tatum has done since being named Illawarra’s head coach is enhance the offense and fortify the defense. Oh, he’s won a championship too. For someone that’s eyeing an NBA coaching gig, he’s likely on the right path.
“The NBL is a place where I’ve put my stamp on, but at the end of the day I have aspirations of wanting to get on an NBA level to see how far I can push myself as a coach,” Tatum tells Newscorp (h/t NBL.com).
“I’ve just finished up my first season of a three-year contract, so we’ll see what happens.”
It’s unclear whether Tatum’s contract has a clause that would allow him to leave the NBL if he’s offered a role within the NBA. However, it’s not uncommon for coaches to switch leagues or levels, especially in-between seasons.
If Tatum does make that jump, the Celtics will be considered as a potential suitor just based on the family ties. Given his connection to Hughes, whose best years came with the Washington Wizards, there could be interest there. The Dallas Mavericks will have to find a replacement for Alex Jensen, who is now the Utah Utes head coach.
That’s not even diving into the teams that could look to replace their current head coach.
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