Jim Slacke
July 23, 2020
Jim Williams
- Nationality: AUS
- Date of Birth: 1/05/57
- Place of Birth:
- Position: GRD
- Height (CM): 188
- Weight (KG): #N/A
- Junior Assoc: NSW - Illawarra
- College: None
- NBL DEBUT: 3/03/79
- AGE AT DEBUT: 21
- LAST NBL GAME: 18/06/83
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 26
- NBL History: Illawarra 1980-83
- Championships: 0
- None
NBL EXPERIENCE
Jim Williams made his NBL debut with the Illawarra Hawks at 21 years of age. He scored 15 points in his first game.
When the NBL was launched in 1979, Illawarra entered the competition with a roster primarily made up of players local to Wollongong, including Williams (7.3 ppg), as well as US import Jim Slacke (23.8 ppg), who led the Hawks in scoring. The team also featured talented point guard Gordie McLeod (10.1 ppg) and Bob Kubbinga (8.1 ppg) was appointed as the Hawk’s first team captain. Illawarra managed 5 wins, 13 losses during the inaugural season of the NBL, finishing eighth out of ten team’s.
To crown the first champions of the national league, the first and second team’s would play off in a single game Grand Final clash. This saw St Kilda (1st) defeating Canberra (2nd), 94–93, to become the league’s first champions.
1980
In 1980, Adrian Hurley took over from Joe Farrugia as head coach of the Hawks and Gordie McLeod (13.0 ppg), who also played with the Boomers at the Moscow Olympics this year, would take over from Bob Kubbinga (4.7 ppg) as team captain. Williams (5.4 ppg) played a key role in the Hawks rotation, as the Hawks went 13-9 after going 5-13 the year before, recording their first winning season and finishing in sixth place. US born star Jim Slacke (22.6 ppg) would lead the team in scoring for the second year in a row, as well as record the league’s highest free-throw shooting percentage (68/78).
1981
In 1981 the Hawks moved venues and began playing out of Beaton Park Stadium, commonly known as ‘The Snakepit’. Illawarra also recruited two new import players for the season, Michael Jones (30.5 ppg), who led the Hawks in scoring and was named NBL Most Valuable Player that season, and Benny Lewis (20.5 ppg). Williams (5.4 ppg) appeared in 21 games, alongside Hawks veterans Jim Slacke (12.7 ppg) and team captain Gordie McLeod (7.5 ppg) as the team finished with a record of 9-13.
1982
In 1982, Illawarra returned with much of their roster intact, missing only import Benny Lewis and Alan Yates. The Hawks added import Alonzo Weatherly to replace Lewis and were able to retain last season’s MVP, Michael Jones.
The Hawks faced a season of inconsistency. They performed strongly at home, posting an 8-5 record at Beaton Park Stadium, showcasing their ability to defend their home court effectively. Their season opener was a highlight, securing a victory over Launceston Casino City (98-91). However, road games proved to be a stumbling block, as they managed only three wins from thirteen matches away. The lack of consistency on the road, combined with narrow defeats such as the loss to Adelaide City (87-88), highlighted their struggles to close out tight contests.
The Hawks were led by team captain Gordie McLeod (10.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.5 assists) on the court, while U.S. talent Michael Jones (23.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists), Alonzo Weatherly (23.7 points and 9.2 rebounds) and Jim Slacke (16.8 points and 5.0 rebounds) provided the offensive firepower.
Throughout the season, the Hawks experienced both promising moments and challenging stretches. They had notable home victories, demonstrating their potential as a competitive team, but also faced tough losses, including a defeat to Brisbane (99-105). These mixed results were emblematic of the team’s difficulties in maintaining momentum, especially when playing away from home.
Ultimately, the Hawks concluded the season in ninth place with an 11-15 record.
Jim Williams (1.4 points and 0.8 rebounds) appeared in 8 games this season. Despite his limited playing time, Williams’ contributions added depth and support to the Hawks during their transitional campaign.
1983
The Hawks’ season began on a challenging note, with the departure of team captain Gordie McLeod to the Sydney Supersonics and import Alonzo Weatherly returning to the USA.
McLeod’s exit marked the loss of a long-serving and pivotal figure whose leadership had been a cornerstone for the team.
To fill the gap, the Hawks brought in import Jerry Steurer (23.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.7 steals) to pair with veteran forward Jim Slacke (11.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.7 assists).
They also had the services of Michael Jones (32.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists), the former NBL MVP, who returned to the club after a season’s absence and went on to lead both the team and the league in scoring.
Despite the impressive contributions of Jones and the addition of Steurer, McLeod’s absence was sorely felt.
The Illawarra Hawks opened their season with a loss to the Newcastle Falcons (95-113), marking the beginning of an eight-game losing streak.
They finally broke the streak with a narrow victory against Devonport (102-100) in Round 8, which stood as their only road win of the season.
Local talent such as Tim Morrissey (7.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game), Simon Cottrell (7.6 points, 3.9 rebounds), and Brett Flanigan (3.5 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists) stepped up their production, but despite these efforts, the Hawks struggled to find cohesion and consistency.
Throughout the season, the team faced several more losing streaks, including a significant stretch where they dropped six consecutive games from March 5 to April 23.
Even with Jones’ league-leading scoring performance, the Hawks could not overcome the challenges on and off the court.
The absence of McLeod’s leadership and playmaking left a void that the team could not fill, resulting in the worst finish in club history.
The Hawks managed only four wins from 22 games, concluding the season with a disappointing 4-18 record.
Jim Williams (2.2 points, 1.0 rebound, 1.0 assists) saw limited playing time this season but managed to appear in all 22 games.
While his numbers were modest, his consistent effort and defensive presence added depth for the Hawks during a challenging season.
Jim Williams played five seasons the Illawarra Hawks. He averaged 4.6 points, 0.3 rebounds, and 0.2 assists in 90 NBL games.
Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 26 | Illawarra | 4-18 (14) | 22 | 0.0 | 49 | 22 | 22 | 8 | 14 | 16 | 2 | 33 | 39 | 22 | 50 | 44% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 5 | 6 | 83% | 46% | 44% | 8 |
| 1982 | 25 | Illawarra | 11-15 (9) | 8 | 0.0 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 5 | 21 | 24% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 1 | 1 | 100% | 26% | 24% | 3 |
| 1981 | 24 | Illawarra | 9-13 (8) | 21 | 0.0 | 114 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 53 | 106 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 8 | 11 | 73% | 51% | 50% | 14 |
| 1980 | 23 | Illawarra | 13-9 (6) | 21 | 0.0 | 113 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 50 | 100 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 13 | 17 | 76% | 52% | 50% | 13 |
| 1979 | 22 | Illawarra | 5-13 (8) | 18 | 0 | 131 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 52 | 104 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 27 | 35 | 77% | 54% | 50% | 18 | Totals | 90 | 0 | 418 | 28 | 24 | 9 | 19 | 16 | 2 | 37 | 178 | 182 | 381 | 47.8% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 54 | 70 | 77.1% | 51% | 48% | 18 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 26 | Illawarra | 4-18 (14) | 22 | 0.0 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 44% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0.2 | 0.3 | 83% | 46% | 44% | 8 |
| 1982 | 25 | Illawarra | 11-15 (9) | 8 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 2.6 | 24% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0.1 | 0.1 | 100% | 25.6% | 24% | 3 |
| 1981 | 24 | Illawarra | 9-13 (8) | 21 | 0.0 | 5.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 5.0 | 50% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0.4 | 0.5 | 73% | 51.2% | 50% | 14 |
| 1980 | 23 | Illawarra | 13-9 (6) | 21 | 0.0 | 5.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 4.8 | 50% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0.6 | 0.8 | 76% | 52.3% | 50% | 13 |
| 1979 | 22 | Illawarra | 5-13 (8) | 18 | 0.0 | 7.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 5.8 | 50% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 1.5 | 1.9 | 77% | 54.3% | 50% | 18 | Total | 90 | 0.0 | 4.6 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 4.2 | 47.8% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0% | 77.1% | 51% | 48% | 18 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 18 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
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