Despite significant and consistent change and occasional turmoil at the Hawks over the past 11 years, there has been one constant — Tim Coenraad.
Key points:
- Hawks veteran Tim Coenraad has announced his retirement from professional basketball
- The 35-year-old retires as the third most capped Hawk, with 310 games
- Coenraad represented Australia with both the Boomers and the 3×3 national team
The 35-year-old from Brisbane was a rookie in 2009–10 when the Hawks lost to Perth in the grand final.
He was the go-to player representative for local media several years later during periods when the club was placed into voluntary administration, speaking with clarity and passion.
He joked today he holds the record for going through the most amount of voluntary administrations of any Hawks player.
On the court, he is still regarded as one of the finest three-point shooters in the league, particularly when playing at home in the WIN Entertainment Centre in front of a crowd invariably full of #22 Coenraad jerseys.
But after more than a decade as a one-club player and holding the record as the third-most capped Hawks player of all time, he has announced his retirement.
“My original plans were that I still had something to give, but if I’m going to move forward playing professional basketball, I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to give something, I think it’s appropriate to give everything.
“Other things have crept into my playing career, so the decision is purely based on this is where my life’s headed now and it’s not out of a lack of love for the game because I’ve still got a great love for the game.”
Retiring with more to offer
There are a number of common retirement scenarios in professional sport, but Coenraad does not fit into any of them.
There is the injury-forced retirement, waning passion for the game, form, family reasons, age or, if you are lucky, a fairy tale ending with a championship like Perth’s Damian Martin did last season.
Up until a few weeks ago, Coenraad was training with The Hawks as an uncontracted player as well as continuing in his job as a private basketball coach.
Earlier this year, The Hawks slowly filled their roster for the coming season with new, young talent.
As the team took shape under new owner Dorry Kordahi and coach Brian Goorjian, it became clear Coenraad would not be offered a spot.
“He’s definitely a crowd favourite and someone who holds his head up high.
“Not many players can have an 11-year career in one club and that’s a testament to himself and his love for the community.”
Fans assumed he would stay match fit, and being settled in Wollongong, be available as an injury-replacement player for the coming season.
However, for job security and a secure income, Coenraad has been developing his own business career.
“When I started training with the guys [recently], I thought these guys are pretty impressive,” he said.
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His 11-year career at a glance
Coenraad retires from the game with 2,580 points and a 39 per cent three-point shooting average.
In 2019 he represented Australia in World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Iran, as well as playing for Australia in the new 3×3 format.
In December 2019 he became only the third Hawk to play 300 NBL games for the club, finishing with a record of 310.
While the #22 jersey will no longer be seen on court, Coenraad will continue his career with The Hawks as its newly-appointed Community Engagement and Player Welfare Officer.
“The Illawarra community is what I’m faithful to and the club is moving is an exciting direction and the Illawarra community is the one that allowed me to fulfil my dreams of playing professional basketball. the community has been the strong point for me that’s been around since I’ve been here.”
