ILLAWARRA / WOLLONGONG
Jim Slacke #11 - #12 - #42
HAWKS ID: 2
Debut Season: 1979
Games Played: 143
When you talk about the greats to wear the red and white of the Illawarra Hawks, Jim Slacke’s name must be in the conversation. One of the original imports, Slacke landed in the Illawarra in 1979 as the National Basketball League was just taking its first steps.
Slacke didn’t just play for the Hawks—he helped define what it meant to be a Hawk. Across 143 games, he averaged a sharp 17.5 points per game while shooting a clinical 50% from the field and an ice-cold 86.1% from the free-throw line—placing him among the NBL’s elite marksmen of the era. In a league where early shooting could be erratic, Slacke was surgical.
His first two seasons were electric: 23.8 points per game in 1979, 22.6 in 1980. Those numbers weren’t just impressive—they were elite, anchoring the Hawks’ offence during their formative years. He remained a consistent scorer throughout his career, capped by a swansong 1985 season where he averaged nearly 20 points a night—his best output since the inaugural years—despite battling chronic knee issues.
And oh, those knees. Slacke was often described as playing on “rickety knees,” yet he never let that stop him. If anything, it made his excellence even more impressive. He didn’t have the razzle-dazzle of some imports, nor did he light up the league with dunks or bravado. What he brought was substance. Craft. Grit.
Photo gallery - scroll through or click image to full size - Images: Roy C. Arneman
While his numbers were strong, his influence ran deeper. Slacke was the calming veteran presence every coach dreams of—a player who understood the rhythm of the game, knew when to slow it down, when to push, and most importantly, how to lead. By the time he finished his career as a naturalised Australian, he was woven into the fabric of the club and the region.
In 2018, that legacy was cemented when Slacke was named one of the 12 Greatest Hawks of All Time, a recognition not just of his stats, but of his standing as a true foundational pillar of the club. Long before championships, jersey retirements or full stadiums at WIN Entertainment Centre, there was Slacke— at Beaton Park, helping build a club from scratch.
He may not have been the loudest, or the most explosive. But for those who watched him play, Jim Slacke was greatness personified—a humble, gifted baller whose contributions helped shape the identity of Illawarra basketball.