‘100 calls a week’: NBL retains Australian talent despite strong US college interest

The head of the National Basketball League has declared Australia’s newest NBA prospect is proof the Boomers’ next generation don’t need to go to US college, ahead of the launch of the Australian domestic season on Thursday night.

Two of Australian basketball’s brightest hopes, Brisbane’s Rocco Zikarsky and Sydney’s Alex Toohey, are set to feature heavily in the season which runs until March.

Zikarsky, who stands at 7ft 3in, is a first round prospect for NBA teams in next year’s draft and has already been selected for the Boomers. The national team are in need of regeneration with the looming retirements of Patty Mills and Joe Ingles.

NBL chief executive David Stevenson said the 18-year-old’s “remarkable” improvement over the past year shows the local league has the developmental edge over American colleges thanks to its Next Stars program, which also provided the launchpad for this year’s No 2 NBA draft pick Alex Sarr.

Rocco Zikarksy (Brisbane Bullets) is a 7’3” monster with a 7’6” wingspan and his size really pops on film. He an interior force that does a great job at protecting the rim at an elite level. He’s a high impact defender that can change the game on that end of the floor.… pic.twitter.com/yFmTDAqujP — Global Scouting (@GlobalScouting_) September 17, 2024

Next Stars offers a slot to each NBL team outside the salary cap for a top teenager from around the world, and the contract is paid for by head office, which also helps match each club’s location, fit and opportunity with the desires of the young player.

Zikarsky signed a two-year deal in Brisbane and enters this season primed to break out. He has a goal to enter the NBA draft next year, when some say he could be the highest-ranked centre.

Stevenson said the NBL worked with Zikarsky and Brisbane to prioritise his skill development, rather than on-court minutes, in his first year, comparing the player’s NBL experience with what he would face in the results-driven US college system.

“He plays under a coach that he knows very well, Justin Schueller, in a system that he can learn off a legend in a game in Aron Baynes [the Boomers centre who was a teammate at Brisbane last season], that gives him the opportunity to develop his skills and his game, while he doesn’t have the pressure of having to single-handedly win games for his team,” Stevenson said.

Zikarsky’s pathway resembles that of Boomers point guard Josh Giddey, who played a single year as a Next Star before being taken at No 6 in the 2021 NBA draft.

View image in fullscreen Boomers star Josh Giddey has blazed a trail for young Australian talent. Photograph: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

The season-launching Hoopsfest begins with a grand final rematch between Melbourne United and champions Tasmania on Thursday, and also includes every men’s and women’s team in a concept similar to Magic or Gather rounds in the football codes.

Nineteen-year-old Alex Toohey, a forward with the athleticism, size and shot to compete for an NBA roster spot, is another expected to impress in his second Next Stars season with Sydney. Stevenson said more than 20 NBA scouts watched Toohey in two pre-season games this month where he shot six-from-eight from the three-point line.

skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to From the Pocket: AFL Weekly Free weekly newsletter Jonathan Horn brings expert analysis on the week's biggest AFL stories Enter your email address Sign up Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion

“To be in the NBA, he’s got to be a good shooter, and so they’ve seen a noticeable step up in his shooting,” Stevenson said. “It’s only early days, but that gives us a lot of confidence that he’s going to continue on that development journey.”

Former Boomers centre Luc Longley, who is a part owner of the Kings, said the Next Stars program has a vital role in the success of the national team. “It’s super important to have guys like Alex Toohey and Rocco coming through, and there’s a bunch of others we could name, that show our domestic pathway is so strong,” he said. “I get 100 calls a week from college teams looking for Aussies.”

Stevenson acknowledged there is ongoing competition from the college system for young talent. The latest Australian taken in the NBA draft, Johnny Furphy, chose to play for Kansas rather than take up a Next Stars offer.

And he noted finding the best outcomes for teenagers can be a challenge. Highly-touted 18-year-old Roman Siulepa agreed to part ways with Tasmania last month, and is currently talking with prospective teams.

All eyes on Roman Siulepa 👀

NBL and NBA representatives were seen at a high-school basketball tournament to get their look at the rising star ✨

Where will he land? ✍️ pic.twitter.com/sVoV4C9cS1 — NBL Next Stars (@NBLNextStars) September 12, 2024

“Some of those players, they’re looking to be in a more challenging environment, for some it’s all about how many minutes they’re going to play, others, it’s all about the coach,” Stevenson said.

“So part of our job at the NBL is to work very closely with those Next Stars on what’s important for that individual athlete at that time, and then try and match it strongly with the team.”

Click here to read article