ILLAWARRA / WOLLONGONG
Mat Campbell #32
HAWKS ID: 85
Debut Season: 1996
Games Played: 524 (2nd All-time)
Mat Campbell’s career with the Illawarra Hawks is more than just the story of a player — it’s the living, breathing essence of what it means to be a Hawk. From his debut in 1996 as a fresh-faced kid out of Bendigo to his pivotal role in shaping the Hawks’ 2024/25 Championship run from the front office, Campbell’s journey has been one of rare loyalty, resilience, and relentless drive.
Mat Campbell’s career with the Illawarra Hawks is more than just the story of a player — it’s the living, breathing essence of what it means to be a Hawk. From his debut in 1996 as a fresh-faced kid out of Bendigo to his pivotal role in shaping the Hawks’ 2024/25 Championship run from the front office, Campbell’s journey has been one of rare loyalty, resilience, and relentless drive.
Arriving in Illawarra in the mid-’90s, Campbell didn’t just bring shooting range and defensive tenacity — he brought with him a bond with Glen Saville, his fellow Bendigo junior and soon-to-be running mate for over a decade. Together, Campbell and Saville became the bedrock of a Hawks era built on heart as much as talent. Where Saville soared and slashed, Campbell patrolled the perimeter, knocking down big threes and blanketing opposition stars with defensive grit.
Years before “3-and-D” became basketball vernacular, Campbell was that player — the prototype long before the label existed. His calling cards were unselfishness, team-first basketball, and a willingness to do the dirty work. But every now and then, he’d rise up and throw down a dunk that would leave the WIN Entertainment Centre crowd roaring — none more famous than his unforgettable poster dunk over Sydney’s Acie Earl, a moment frozen in Illawarra sporting folklore.
And yet, Campbell’s greatest play came not with a basketball in hand, but with his club on life support.
In 2009, as the Hawks teetered on the brink of extinction amidst financial turmoil, it was Campbell — the captain — who refused to let Illawarra lose its team. Spearheading the “Save the Hawks” campaign, Campbell rallied sponsors, fans, and the wider community, doing everything short of selling tickets door-to-door to keep the franchise alive. It worked. The Hawks survived. And Campbell’s standing as a club legend was forever cemented.
On the floor, Campbell captained the Hawks through their greatest triumph — the 2000/01 NBL Championship — a title built not on superstar egos but on collective grit. It was vintage Campbell: steady, composed, relentless.
By the time Campbell hung up his sneakers in 2012, he’d played 524 NBL games — second only to Saville in club history — one of just five Hawks to have his jersey retired. No. 32 now hangs in the rafters, forever a symbol of leadership and loyalty.
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But Mat Campbell’s Hawks story wasn’t finished.
Transitioning seamlessly to the front office, Campbell applied the same principles off the court that he did on it: integrity, perseverance, and a tireless work ethic. As General Manager of Basketball Operations, Campbell played an instrumental role in recruiting, building, and guiding the Hawks back to the top of Australian basketball.
Mat Campbell celebrates 2024/25 Championship with Dan Grida | Photo by Joel Armstrong
His crowning achievement? The 2024/25 season — when the Hawks, under his stewardship, recaptured the NBL Championship, a long-awaited second title that reconnected a new generation of fans to the glory of 2001.
In every corner of the WIN Entertainment Centre, from the championship banners to the echoes of standing ovations, Mat Campbell’s fingerprints are everywhere. His legacy is not just etched in statistics or highlights — it’s written in the culture, the resilience, and the very soul of the Illawarra Hawks.
Mat Campbell didn’t just play for the Hawks. He is the Hawks.