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THE Hawks may have occupied the NBL bomb shelter in 2014-15 but officially securing Kevin Lisch today is a huge further step back into the spotlight for Illawarra.

Lisch, the league MVP in 2012 and Larry Sengstock Medallist in 2010 as his then-Perth team beat Wollongong in the championship series, is a major coup for Illawarra, on top of signing centre A.J. Ogilvy.

Add the already retained core players – Rhys Martin, Oscar Forman, Tyson Demos – and the soon-to-be-announced retained additional mainstays in Tim Coenraad and Larry Davidson, and the Hawks have seven solid faces locked away.

Coenraad is coming off a career-season and was voted the Hawks' MVP.

That leaves the team great flexibility in regards to the second import and two additional Aussies.

“I’ve got three trains of thought,” new coach Rob Beveridge said of his thinkling on the import to partner Lisch.

“I could go for a 4/3 who could defend against the likes of a Worthington, Petrie, Redhage, Wagstaff ... or a guard.

“And then again, we could go for someone who can just flat-out play.

“If that’s a guard, I’d be happy to go with a guard.

“I’ve got some people in the (United) States look at 4-3s.

“There’s still a few good Australian players out in the market too.”

Lisch spent four years playing for Beveridge at the Wildcats and left two years ago for France and Spain, at the same time “Bevo” took a hiatus from NBL coaching.

The twin signings of Lisch and Beveridge mark the first time in NBL history a league MVP and his coach of that year have re-united at a rival club.

“I’ve had so much to do with Kev and (his wife) Rachel,” Beveridge said.

“We’re very close.

“This a great opportunity for Rachel to be near her parents and family (in Sydney).”

The couple have two children under two, making the move back to Australia additionally attractive.

“I love Wollongong,” Beveridge said.

“It’s a great, fighting, spirited town that’s come back from the ashes a few times.

“I love that spirit.”

Illawarra’s player announcement signings (such as pictured below), strongly suggest a more aggressive and focused club.

So too the Sydney Kings, who also have been delivering quality campaigns and marketing behind their signings, such as below.

The NBL is heading for a tight year with Melbourne United, Illawarra and Sydney already improved – on paper – and Grand Finallists New Zealand and Cairns retaining the core of their successful groups.

The Taipans are retaining the bulk of their team from last season – Scottie Wilbekin already retained and fellow import Torrey Craig now coming off an NZ-NBL MVP season – and have added former Hawks mentor Gordie McLeod to their coaching staff assisting Aaron Fearne.

McLeod will be a major asset to the Cairns program.

There’s more to come from far north Queensland yet, Townsville looking as if it has lured bench guard Corey Maynard from the Taipans to the Swamp.