Tasmania JackJumpers' inaugural coach Scott Roth is ready to be in the state for the long haul and is eager to appeal to all Tasmanians.
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A former NBA player with Utah Jazz, San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves before transitioning into a coaching career as an assistant at several NBA teams including the Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons, Roth likened the JackJumpers' situation to that of the Jazz.
A state-based side, the Jazz's home court is in Salt Lake City but Roth said the whole state rally around them.
"I really believe at the end of the day this is a state team," he said.
"We are in Hobart and the community there is hugely important but we need to have reaching arms to go around the whole state and making sure that we are incorporating everything - the youth, the boys and girls, basketball clinics and camps, developing the next great Tassie players.
JACKJUMPER FEVER
"So we need to make sure we are out and about in all areas and rallying the state around this team.
"It's very unusual to be a state team as opposed to just a local team within a city, it's a big opportunity for all of us to rally around that and I think it's going to be exciting times there."
Working with the likes of Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki and Steph Curry during his NBA stints, the 57-year-old spent last season as an assistant to Trevor Gleeson at NBL championship-winning side Perth Wildcats.
Finishing up with the reigning premiers in the coming weeks, Roth is hoping to emulate the side's success but is under no illusions regarding how long it might take.
"I want to win a championship and from day one that's going to be our goal - that's what we are shooting for and that's what we are going to build towards.
"In professional sports, if you are not in it to do that, I don't know why you are actually coaching or what to be involved in it," he said.
ELSEWHERE IN SPORT
"I thought South East [Phoenix] did a good job last year [in their first year] but it can also be very humbling, I think they lost 17 of their last 19 games.
"It's not easy, the league's not easy, there's great coaches and great players.
"This first year is about building a house, it's about putting your foundation in and having strong values and culture and starting to build your new bloodline."
While Roth's first contract is set for two years with the option of a third, JackJumpers chief executive Simon Brookhouse is hoping to get more out of his inaugural coach as the pair begin the build from the ground up.
"We are going to have a big net and we are going to go through that process and there are some very good players," Roth said.
"My goal at the end of the day is hopefully we can find three or four foundational players right off the bat that can hopefully be in Hobart for five, six, seven, eight years and build the core with those guys."
Brookhouse described Thursday as an "extremely important day" with Roth's announcement putting an end to an "exhausting process".
"From our point of view, with Scott's background, his vast NBA background, his international coaching background and his experience in winning culture with Perth, it's a terrific appointment for us," he said.