Agent 97 Takes on a New Mission

Friday, June 9, 2023

Jarrad Weeks was a player who had to fight for everything he achieved during his NBL career.

After starting his career with the Sydney Kings, he didn’t break through to a meaningful role until his third and fourth seasons. Even then, Weeks needed to go overseas to Germany for a year before finding another NBL opportunity after leaving the club.

But in NBL16, with the Illawarra Hawks as an injury replacement player, Weeks emerged as someone who could provide a spark and played a key role for then coach Rob Beveridge. Sporting the blood jersey with number 97 on it Weeks was dubbed ‘Agent 97’ – a nickname that has stuck with him ever since.

And in many ways he embraced that persona as someone who, initially, had a little mystery about his game. He would sneak up on unexpecting opponents but always found a way to have a positive impact on his teams.

Weeks’ NBL career took him from Wollongong to Cairns, to New Zealand then ultimately down to Tasmania where he joined the expansion JackJumpers. In the process, he ticked over more than 250 NBL games and became the type of player that everyone loved having on their team.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">After a memorable NBL career across five clubs, 11 seasons and a total of 254 games, Jarrad Weeks has announced his retirement from professional basketball.<br><br>Thank you, 'Agent 97'. <a href="https://t.co/tp7laxGFHC">pic.twitter.com/tp7laxGFHC</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1665163227741945857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

This past week he announced his decision to leave the court and move to the sidelines, but he won’t be moving too far. Weeks, his wife Michelle and their young and soon to be expanding family will remain in Hobart where he will join Scott Roth’s coaching staff with the JackJumpers.

Agent 97, who is currently in New Zealand playing for Auckland Tuatara in the NZNBL, now has a new mission, and he was kind enough to chat with NBL Media on Wednesday to reflect on his playing career and discuss his new coaching opportunity.

Weeksy, firstly congratulations on a fantastic career and also on the new coaching gig. Why was it the right time to hang up the boots for you?
It just felt like the right time. Everything going on with life and where we are for our situation, it just seemed like the perfect time.

I know you wanted to stay involved with the JackJumpers in some capacity, but how did the opportunity to join Scott Roth’s staff come about?
I was always looking to stay involved in the club. We love the JackJumpers and what the brand’s all about and what it’s done for the state of Tasmania, so to be able to stay involved was something we were really excited to be able to do.

And then obviously Jacob Chance moved on with his new opportunity and Scott called me up. I’d been working with the assistant coaches over the last couple of seasons to prepare myself for what was next after basketball, and Scott gave me a call and basically said ‘We’d love to have you on board if you’re open to it’, and I jumped right at it.

I went through the process, speaking with Joz [Jorrick Chivers], the GM of the club and Scott, talking over a few different things and it just seemed like the perfect fit. I’m really excited to jump into this other side of basketball.

You mentioned you’d spent some time with the assistants the last couple of years to start preparing for coaching, but when did you start thinking about moving into coaching as a possible next step post your playing career?
I’ve been thinking about it for the last couple of years to be honest with you. I’ve been involved with the leadership group, so I really enjoy the tactical side of the game. I see the game from that kind of point of view.

Like I said, working with the assistants over the last two years in what we called ‘the brain’s trust’, trying to help me develop my philosophy around basketball, my defensive strategies, what I value most in a club and how I would go about things if I were a coach, so I think that’s put me in good stead to continue on into this role.

What have you discussed with Scott about what your role will be and what your focus will be on his staff in your first year?

Basically, going into that third assistant role means a lot of skill development with the development players, especially when the team goes on the road. Staying behind and working with those guys or any injured players at the time – hopefully none, and obviously developing scouts and getting involved with scouting different teams and strategies of that nature. And then, focusing on our side more on the offensive end with Jack Fleming as well.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">New season, new mission for Agent 97!<br>Fresh from announcing his retirement from a decorated 254-game career, Jarrad Weeks will continue his journey in the NBL, appointed the JackJumpers’ newest Assistant Coach.<br><br>Join us in congratulating Weeksy! ? <a href="https://t.co/G8bIIOcgpd">pic.twitter.com/G8bIIOcgpd</a></p>— Tasmania JackJumpers ? (@JackJumpers) <a href="https://twitter.com/JackJumpers/status/1665856144907309057?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Turning back to your playing career, you spent a lot of time early on proving yourself to the doubters, showing that you belonged. When you finally broke through with the Kings in NBL13 and NBL14 to play more regularly, did you think it would lead to a career for the next decade?
No. Absolutely not. Obviously with how my career started, as a young kid not making any state teams, being a development player with the Sydney Kings and then not getting that roster spot, and then going on to an injury replacement [role] I knew I had to work my ass off to prove myself and get to where I wanted to go.

I was able to take some opportunities, but I said when I hit the 200-game mark that I never thought that would happen, and then to tick over the 250 game mark was something I was very proud of. When I reflected on it at the time and then after announcing my retirement in the last couple of days, getting into this new role, it’s definitely something I’ll cherish going on.

Even after your time with the Kings, you again had to fight your way back as an injury replacement player with the Hawks before securing a longer deal with Cairns. What was it about that run with the Hawks that you think finally got people to take notice of you in this league – besides the great new nickname of course? But seriously, what was it about that time that finally solidified your place as a legit NBL player.
Great question. I don’t think I ever felt like I was solidified in this league. Probably something I kept working on throughout my career. But just being able to talk with Bevo [Rob Beveridge] and Flinny [Matthew Flinn] and Cooky [Eric Cooks] throughout the year. Bevo had my back as did those guys through that whole time. They put a lot of confidence in me.

I remember in the first quarter of the first game up in Cairns, Flinny came up to me and said, ‘Just be ready because everyone goes in in the first quarter,’ and to have that confidence of me, a guy who came in late, and then to play that overtime as well in that game. We ended up losing but to be able to play those big minutes down the stretch into overtime is something I hold dear.

I had some things going on with contracts back then and some difficulties when I went off the injury replacement onto a full-time roster spot and Bevo had my back the whole way. Obviously, a relationship that I’ve developed and one that I’ve kept going with Bevo. He’s been a big part of my career as have many coaches throughout my journey and that’s something I really put down to the start of my NBL career.

You’ve had some great coaches in this league. Hammer, Bevo, Fearney, Shamir and Roth. Which coach or coaches had the most profound impact on your belief, your development and your game?
I think they’ve all had spots in my development. I think that’s what players that stick around in the league do; they take what they can from every coach. It doesn’t matter where they are or which part of their career they are in.

Another one was Kevin Braswell in my first year with the Breakers. He pretty much gave me the reins to that team and put a lot of confidence in me and I had my best offensive output year that year which propelled me to going onto the Boomers squad.

So, to be able to have such a wide range of coaches, they all have their different styles of management, how they view the game, x’s and o’s strategy, so to be able to piece all of that together is something that I’ve kind of been compiling over the last couple of years to put into my coaching career. Again, I think it’s put me on a good path to understand the pieces that I’ve liked and the other things that I don’t like, I’ve tried to leave behind.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="qme" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Agent97?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Agent97</a> <a href="https://t.co/LyEn0guBTc">pic.twitter.com/LyEn0guBTc</a></p>— Illawarra Hawks Basketball (@illawarrahawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/illawarrahawks/status/658184362509209601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Which of those coaches will you draw on and in what ways as you begin your own coaching career?
I think it’s just strategies and the way they go about things. They were all very different-natured, but like I said, just being able to compile the things that I hold true.

Most of them were very big on culture. Obviously Scott Roth, being the most recent one, is so culture driven, as was Fearney. I think I’ve drawn a lot of success from that. That’s how I view the game. I see that as an integral part of a successful club and that’s something I’m pushing forward and something that I’m excited to continue to build with the JackJumpers.

When I signed, not many players or staff in general get the opportunity to start a new franchise from scratch and to lay the groundwork, so I’m excited to continue to build that and to take it as far as we can take it.

You mentioned the 250 games as an unbelievable milestone and something you’re super proud of. You were never lucky enough to be part of an NBL championship team, but you made the Finals with multiple teams, and had that famous run to the Championship Series in NBL22 with the JackJumpers. What would be the most memorable moment of your NBL playing career?
Yeah. I’d have to say that Jackies run was something special. Absolutely as a new franchise to get all the way to the Grand Final. We knew we were just win away from really gaining some confidence to really give the Kings a shot. We just unfortunately couldn’t get that one, which led to the three-nil series. But beating Melbourne in Melbourne of Game 3 in that semi-final and then to be involved in the locker room after that was something incredible. It was a great bunch of lads and something that I’ll probably hold as one of the greater memories on court.

And then off court is just the relationships I’ve built over the years. Being able to play in so many teams in so many states and two countries, to get messages of congratulations on retirement and the new job from all over the world has been something really, really special and to be able to have all those people that you’ve met over the years, to have flashbacks and all the memories come flooding back when you start talking to these people, that’s something I cherish most.

You’ve told me in the past how much you love it in Hobart and obviously you and your wife Michelle have now made the decision to stay there a bit longer with your young and soon to be growing family. What is it about Tasmania and what the JackJumpers have been building that resonates with you so much?
It’s just the culture of the club and the way that all of Tasmania has gotten behind the team. We get out in the community a lot and they’ve just jumped right on board. Everywhere you go there’s green shirts and jerseys and hats and car stickers and memberships and people saying hi. It’s a really family-based town.

We live in a great area down there and it’s just all-inclusive. It’s a slower town, it’s not the hustle and bustle and the bumping shoulders as you walk past people in the city. It’s a really caring state and it just really fits our lifestyle. It’s a lot of fun and we’re excited to get back down there after this New Zealand season.

Agent 97 as a player was initially about surprising people with sneaky hops, lightning speed and then added the improved shooting and playmaking over the years, but developed into one of the most selfless, team-first guys going around the NBL these last few seasons. What part of that Agent 97 persona will you take with you into this next journey on the sidelines?
I think all of it. I’ve had a few coaches reach out saying that, not so much the persona, but the hard work ethic is something that should be transferrable into the coaching world. So, to bring that determination and hard work onto the other side of the floor is something I’m excited to do.

And just to pass on my knowledge and how I made my journey successful through the values and characteristics that I hold dear. Like you said, I’ve always been a big team-first guy. That can be somewhat harder as a young man trying to find your way into the league, but I heard a quote recently – ‘sometimes you, sometimes me, always us’ and that’s something I held going through my playing career because when the team succeeds, you succeed.

And to not put that pressure on yourself to always go out and be at the top of your game offensively, there are plenty of ways to influence a game or your team.

So, to be able to lead these guys from the front, try to bring energy off the bench, interacting with the crowd and having my towel waive was some of the best memories I’ve had as well.

So, are we going to see a bit of Assistant Coach Mody Maor on the sidelines out of you?
I was actually talking to [Jacob] Chance yesterday about what my demeanour was going to be like on the bench because as you know, the third assistants don’t get too much leeway with inputting their opinion onto the floor, directed at some of the individuals out there, so I’m going to try to keep it as quiet as I can, but I think once I get into the game, I may have to hold myself back at times!