NBL’s Hawks Sign Teen Rising Star Max Darling

Australian professional basketball team The Hawks has added one of New Zealand’s top young players for the 2020-21 NBL season, signing forward Max Darling to a three-year deal, Olgun Uluc reports for ESPN.

Like every Hawks player who signed before him, the high-flyer cited the presence of six-time NBL Coach of the Year Brian Goorjian has a significant reason behind his decision to sign with the NSW-based team.

Darling had offers from teams in France and Spain over the off-season – and was close to signing with a French club – but the Hawks’ hiring of Goorjian led to a change of heart for the teenager, sources told ESPN.

“Max is one of the top prospects coming out of New Zealand,” Goorjian, a six-time NBL champion, said.

“Max has aspirations of making the NBA in the future and believes The Hawks will help him on that journey, which is a great endorsement of the club and its exciting new direction.”

Original article by Olgun Uluc, ESPN, August 5, 2020.