Basketball: Hawks re-sign Tall Black Hyrum Harris for 2022 NBL

Hyrum Harris, seen here in action for the Adelaide 36ers, is thrilled to be back in Hawke's Bay for a third campaign. Photo / Getty Images

For 1.98m forward Hyrum Harris, a return to the Taylor Hawks for the 2022 National Basketball League season was never really in question.

The 26-year-old's re-signing was announced by the club this week and Harris said he is thrilled to be back in Hawke's Bay for a third campaign.

"We're well looked after there so it was going to be hard to say no to that," he said of new coach and general manager Mick Downer's recruitment pitch.

"Me and my partner love it in Napier, we've even talked about setting up shop once I'm done with basketball."

Born in Auckland and raised in Hamilton, Harris spent his first year as a professional with the Bay Hawks in 2018 and returned in 2021 after stints at the Southland Sharks and Manawatu Jets.

"I just love it in Hawke's Bay, I can't seem to get away from Hawke's Bay," the Tall Black said.

"The place, the people, plus we're putting together a pretty good squad so hopefully we can take it that next step further."

Harris and his teammates fell at the last hurdle in 2021, losing 77-75 to the Wellington Saints in the NBL grand final.

Ethan Rusbatch, Derone Raukawa, Jordan Hunt and Everard Bartlett are all back on board this year too.

"I think we've got the right pieces, we've got the right team support," Harris said.

"It's really just up to us and how we perform. With these win or go home tournament games, it's just whoever shows up better on the day will win."

Harris helped give the Hawks the NBL's second-best defence last year, finishing second in the league in steals per game and at the top of SpatialJam's defensive Box Plus Minus statistic which estimates a player's performance relative to league average.

Combined with an efficient offensive game and innate ability to get to the free-throw line, he was probably Hawke's Bay's most consistent performer across a star-studded roster.

Harris said his versatility is probably his biggest strength and he will be happy to do whatever Downer asks of him.

Harris' play in 2021 earned him an Australian NBL contract with the Adelaide 36ers, whose season will finish at the end of the month.

He will miss the Hawks' first two games on May 1 and 5, arriving in Napier on May 9 after a little recovery time.