Emmett Naar returns to Illawarra Hawks

The Hawks have announced Emmett Naar as their first player signing for the 2020-21 Hungry Jack’s NBL Season.

Naar has been a key part of The Hawks’ roster over the past two seasons, playing 53 of a possible 56 games.

The point guard showcased his talent over a six-game span in December and January last season, amassing double digit scoring in five of those six appearances.

The 26-year-old represented Australia at the 2013 FIBA Under 19 World Championships and holds the Saint Mary’s school record for assists, dishing out 816 dimes across his four-year college career from 2014-2018.

Hawks Head Coach Brian Goorjian said: "We are thrilled to have Emmett return to The Hawks. He is a terrific young talent and it was no surprise that he was the subject of a lot of interest from other teams.

"Emmett’s decision to remain with The Hawks is a great endorsement of the club’s direction and we look forward to making more exciting announcements over the coming weeks."

Naar said: "I couldn’t be more excited about coming back and giving it another crack at The Hawks. I’m really pumped.

"Talking to Goorj a lot, and he would relay things onto me, and just what he had to say was super positive both about his vision for the team and the ownership groups.

"As soon as I started talking to him, I realised we could get something really good going and hopefully it will transition to some wins and a lot of success in the upcoming seasons."