BIO: Max Darling was born in Nelson (New Zealand).

NBL EXPERIENCE

Max Darling made his NBL debut with the Illawarra Hawks at 20 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

In April 2020, the Hawks’ season began under significant adversity, as the team entered voluntary administration. One month later, creditors voted to liquidate the Hawks, leaving the NBL to step in and ensure the club’s survival. On 17 June 2020, the NBL announced that Dorry Kordahi, Bryan Colangelo, and Michael Proctor had secured the license for the team.

Under the new ownership, the club rebranded as The Hawks in an effort to broaden its appeal across New South Wales. Shortly after, Brian Goorjian, a legendary Australian basketball coach, was announced as head coach.

As part of the restructuring, all player contracts had to be renewed. Sam Froling and Emmett Naar were the only full-time roster members retained. The team began rebuilding by signing Deng Adel, who had recently completed a stint with the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, and Cam Bairstow, returning to Australia after a season in Lithuania cut short by COVID-19. Both were members of the Australian Boomers squad. Additionally, Justinian Jessup joined under the NBL Next Star Program on a two-year deal, while imports Tyler Harvey and Justin Simon were brought in to lead the team’s offense and defense, respectively.

Off-court drama surrounded the team’s early season. Fan-favorite players AJ Ogilvy and Tim Coenraad were initially omitted from the roster, though both were later added as injury replacements. A campaign by fans to reinstate the ‘Illawarra’ name also gained traction. This culminated in the NBL reinstating the Illawarra name ahead of the club’s first home game, following increased membership and corporate support.

On the court, Illawarra faced challenges throughout the season. Cam Bairstow, after missing nine games with a hip issue, was ruled out for the remainder of the season. Daniel Grida ruptured his ACL while playing in the state league, further depleting the roster. Deng Adel (5.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.0 assists) struggled to make an impact in the NBL and requested a mid-season release to preserve his NBA prospects.

Max Darling contributed as a development player, appearing in 14 games and averaging 0.7 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.2 assists. Despite limited opportunities, Darling gained valuable experience under Goorjian’s system.

From Round 16, the Hawks surged to win eight of their final 10 games, securing their first playoff berth since 2017. Offensively, the team struggled, averaging 81.5 points per game—the lowest in the league. Key contributors included Tyler Harvey (20.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.4 steals), Justinian Jessup (13.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.2 steals), Cam Bairstow (11.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists), and Sam Froling (11.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks). However, Illawarra posted the worst field goal percentage in the NBL (42.5%), with free-throw shooting at 69.4%.

The Hawks entered the playoffs in third place (20-16) but were defeated in a three-game semifinal series by defending champions Perth.

Max Darling currently plays for the New Zealand Breakers and has played 58 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 3.1 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.4 assists since entering the league in 2021.