Kelan Martin joins Hawks after Harvey's citizenship frees spot

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Illawarra have signed American forward Kelan Martin for NBL27, filling the import place Tyler Harvey's Australian citizenship opened up on Saturday and completing a roster the Hawks have been holding open all off-season.

Martin, 31, is a 198cm forward from Louisville, who arrives in Wollongong from UCAM Murcia in Spain.

Before that he played in the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers, with stints in the NBA G League and in Turkey with Pinar Karsiyaka and Besiktas either side.

Hawks general manager of basketball operations Mat Campbell said: "Kelan is a proven competitor who plays with intent and physicality.

"His experience at the highest levels of the game will be a major asset to our group."

The signing only became possible on Saturday.

Harvey, 33, became an Australian citizen in Wollongong and now plays NBL27 as a local, which released one of the three import places Illawarra had been carrying alongside Milton Doyle and Darius Days. Martin takes it, and the NBL describes him as the club's third import.

He also fills the last of Illawarra's eleven contracted places, and the starting power forward slot the club had left open. That completes a roster under Justin Tatum that already holds Sam Froling, Will Hickey, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk, Todd Blanchfield and Lamar Patterson.

Martin spent four seasons at Butler, finishing with 21.2 points and 6.3 rebounds a game as a senior, and turned 31 earlier this month.

The Hawks open their Blitz campaign against Adelaide on Thursday, September 3 in Bendigo, then face Melbourne United on Sunday, September 6. Their NBL27 season starts against New Zealand at Spark Arena on Sunday, September 20.