Inside look at Aussie, Next Star NBA Draft prospects

• The 2025 NBA Draft will be on June 26 and 27 (Australian time) at the Barklays Center, Brooklyn
• Alex Condon is currently the highest ranked Aussie on the ESPN draft board at No.26
• Australian Dash Daniels and NBL Next Star Karim Lopez are both prospects for the 2026 draft

The NBL and college seasons are reaching a crescendo and we’re only two months away from another NBA Draft.

With countless Next Stars and Aussies prospects both here and abroad populating draft boards, let’s take a look at where their stock sits for both the 2025 and 2026 drafts.

ALEX CONDON – FLORIDA GATORS

ESPN Big Board: #26

Playing for one of the biggest college programs in the US, Alex Condon has emerged as a vital cornerstone to the Gator’s roster this season, which has built his hype as one of the better big men available in the2025 NBA Draft.

Condon’s stock has recently surged due to a strong stretch of play, including a breakout 27-point, 10 rebound performance against Alabama, which was followed by 17 points and 15 rebounds against Ole Miss in his most recent outing.

Incredibly well-rounded, it’s hard to pick at Condon’s game. He’s an athletic 6’11”, has a great motor and has fantastic feel as a passer. On the defensive end, Condon is intelligent, competitive and mobile. He was able to hold Auburn's Johni Broome, one of the best bigs in the nation, to 8-from-19 shooting, showcasing his potential as a two-way player.

Smart players with size go a long way in the NBA and there’s a lot of upside for Condon to be an elite role player at the next level as a skilled, high-post passing hub in a role which will only become more lethal as he continues to develop his rudimentary but promising outside shot.

Not only has Condon played well enough to ward off the chances of an AFL career but he’s placed himself as a likely future NBA player and Boomer.

‍ALEX TOOHEY – SYDNEY KINGS

ESPN Big Board: #36

If we exclude the program’s lottery picks such as LaMelo Ball, Alex Sarr and Josh Giddey, it could be argued that Alex Toohey has been the most productive Australian Next Star in the program’s history and one of the best draft eligible Next Stars overall.

Currently sitting at No.36 on ESPN’s latest board, Toohey would firmly sit in the first round if he was able to find more consistency with his outside shot. Starting strong in both years with the Sydney Kings, his efficiency waned from outside the arc and while it was an improvement on his rookie season, finishing the season at 31% from deep leaves hesitation on his ability to knock down the perimeter shot consistently at the next level.

Beyond that, Toohey has been exceptional in the NBL. The forward knows his role, was an exceptionally effective slasher and was incredibly impactful on the defensive end, holding his own against a wide variety of player types and positions.

There’s an NBA player here with a reliable jump shot and in the second round, it’s very easy to see a team willing to take the chance to find out whether it comes good.

‍TYRESE PROCTOR – DUKE UNIVERSITY

ESPN Big Board: #43

Tyrese Proctor is one of the most gifted young scorers I have seen come through Australia’s junior ranks but it’s hard to stand out at an NBA factory like the Duke Blue Devils.

Starting nearly every game for Duke since his freshman season, Proctor’s ability can easily be taken for granted. For comparison’s sake, Proctor’s minutes as a freshman (1059) were close to that of NBL star Jack White’s entire opportunity over a four-year collegiate career (1404). It is not easy to play, or produce, at this program.

Such context should help underscore the significance of Proctor sitting as the team's third highest scorer this season behind likely No.1 pick Cooper Flagg and projected No.6 pick Kon Knueppel. Leaning into his role as a supporting guard, Proctor is at a career high in attempts (5.6) and efficiency (40.8%) from the three-point line, whilst being a point of attack defender at a high level and displaying the proficiency to create for himself and others when necessary.

The inability to get to and score at the rim efficiently is a valid knock that may keep him out of the first round but it’s easy to be hypercritical of any drawbacks at this level of play.

Proctor is an impressive prospect with a high level of skill and feel.

‍ROCCO ZIKARSKY – BRISBANE BULLETS

ESPN Big Board: #54

At 7’3”, Rocco Zikarsky’s obvious potential didn’t take long to catch the attention of NBA evaluators.

But with two seasons of minimal impact at the professional level, the mystique is starting to wear thin and it will now be up to Zikarsky to prove himself as an NBL contributor before he can truly rebuild his draft stock.

The glimpses are obvious with his size and immense court coverage, Zikarsky is coordinated, plays hard and shows flashes of skill. It’s easy to imagine the player he could be but as it stands, Zikarsky struggled during his limited minutes, primarily due to his struggles defensively. He was often targeted by opposition players and was caught out on an island due to his lack of mobility.

We may be spoiled with Karim Lopez but players between the age of 17 and 18, even immensely promising ones, should be expected to struggle at the professional level, no less big men of Zikarsky’s stature. While some level of hype has naturally faded, we shouldn’t expect him to develop at the same timeframe of his peers.

While there’s a long way to go, Zikarsky has plenty of time to refine his positioning, overhaul his defensive impact and turn himself into an imposing two-way presence. We’ll just have to give it time.

‍MALIQUE LEWIS – SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX

ESPN Big Board: #59

NBA teams are constantly looking for a player like Malique Lewis. A versatile wing with athleticism and the capacity to guard multiple positions.

For South East Melbourne, that skill-set was a key piece throughout the regular season, playing big minutes throughout the backend of 2024, though we saw his opportunities dry up with the Phoenix as finals approached.

Lewis is an NBA level defender but it’s hard to work yourself into a role at the next level without some level of offensive juice. Lewis has shown flashes of being a quality finisher at the rim but with half of his field goal attempts coming from outside the arc, converting at under 30% from three, his shooting struggles impacted his ability to keep defences honest.

There’s the potential for an NBA player here, and we could see a team take a chance on him in the draft but that shooting is going to be a key swing-skill to determine whether his future lies at the NBA level.

BEN HENSHALL – PERTH WILDCATS

ESPN Big Board: #70

While Ben Henshall isn’t currently listed in the top 60 on ESPN’s most recent big board, it does feel like the Perth Wildcats guard’s stock is on the rise.

A highly regarded young recruit following a dominant Under 20 National Championships showing in 2023, Henshall decided to forego college options to sign in the NBL, with Wildcats coach John Rillie receiving backlash for Henshall’s limited playing time during his rookie season.

This year, it’s been an entirely different story for Henshall, starting a large portion of games alongside Bryce Cotton and receiving a major spike in minutes. It’s been a good role for the big 6’5” guard, who has been encouraged to take shots with confidence and play both on and off the ball, which is a similar role that would be asked of him at the NBA level.

His ability to score the basketball is evident but it will be his growth on the defensive end that could get him over the line as a draft and stash candidate. There’s been notable growth on that end of the floor throughout the season, which hit a high point in Game 2 of the Wildcats vs United semi-final series with his late-game defensive efforts on Chris Goulding.

Of course, Goulding was absolutely firing in the series’ other two games and we saw a defensive breakdown from the young guard that led to Melbourne’s series-clinching free throws. So, that end of the floor remains inconsistent but if he can continue to improve defensively then Henshall has the chance to be a two-way guard who earns himself an NBA opportunity.

IZAN ALMANSA – PERTH WILDCATS

ESPN Big Board: #71

With a dominant junior FIBA career for Spain already on his resume, it was no surprise Izan Almansa shot out of the gates as an instant contributor for the title-contending Wildcats. But a recently diminished role has compounded question marks around Almansa’s long term NBA outlook.

There’s no arguing Almansa’s utility at the NBL level, a t6’10” the big man has a cerebral offensive skillset, utilising an efficient floater in the paint and his go-to spin and finish. His rebounding numbers have also been very solid.

However, it seems like his perceived ability to transfer to a role at the NBA level may be hindering his draft stock. Physically, Almansa feels stuck between the four and five positions, without the mobility to guard forwards but lacking the true size or build to guard stronger centres.

Averaging less than one block per 36 minutes, his rim protection is minimal. Additionally, Almansa’s shooting is not yet at an effective level, shooting only 54.5% from the free throw line and a modest 33.3% from three.

Almansa’s role slipped in Perth’s rotation since the FIBA break, barely hitting the floor during Perth’s series with United but the reason for Almansa’s lower stock feel broader than opportunity. Right now, his draft future looks very uncertain.

LACHLAN OLBRICH – ILLAWARRA HAWKS

ESPN Big Board: #81

It feels unlikely that Lachlan Olbrich will ever see his name called on draft night but the 21-year-old absolutely needs to be highlighted as a player with a potential NBA opportunity in his future.

At 6’10” with a relatively unimposing wingspan, Olbrich finds himself in the four/five tweener dilemma as a big man at the NBA level but his immense skill level has gone a long way to making up for his problematic archetype.

Possessing a combination of light feet and a burly upper body, Olbrich is simultaneously capable of bullying smaller players and out-stepping bigger ones. Grabbing the ball off the glass and pushing the ball with his standout ball-handling, the Hawk stress-tests the motor and footwork of opposition bigs, with his ability to make smart reads as a passer off the dribble giving him unique point-forward like qualities.

With great touch, speed and footwork, Olbrich is nearly a complete offensive player with the exception being his shooting, which sits at an underwhelming 1-from-11 from beyond the arc this NBL season.

Olbrich will likely continue down the professional pathway, with the capability of becoming one of the NBL’s premier big men in his sights should he stick around. If he is able to continue down that path and particularly if he can straighten out his shooting, there’s a road to an NBA two-way deal in his future.

KARIM LOPEZ – NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS

ESPN Big Board (2026): #6

If it wasn’t for the indelible dysfunction of the New Zealand Breakers this season, we’d be talking even more about just how incredible Karim Lopez was in the NBL as a 17-year-old.

There’s still an understandable rawness to the teenager’s skillset but Lopez still shone as a finisher this season thanks to his incredible size on the wing at 6’9”, along with big hands and an enormous wingspan. This equipped him to dunk everything at the rim, whether on the move or off two feet, as well as making plays on the defensive end with his sheer physical tools.

To maintain his high draft stock in 2026, we’ll have to see another jump from Lopez with the Breakers next year but at his age, it’s a safe bet to make. Add in further maturation and a more consistent outside shot and the recipe for an exceptional NBA player is all there.

DASH DANIELS – MELBOURNE UNITED

ESPN Big Board (2026): #9

Coming in under a wave of hype, it’ll be curious to see just how ready Dash Daniels is to play a role at the NBL level. Daniels is still incredibly young, having only turned 17 in December last year but his defensive ability looks ready to hold up against grown professionals.

The offensive skillset, by comparison, feels a bit more undercooked but it’s hard to expect Daniels to come in and be asked to do too much work with the ball in his hands off the top.

Regardless of how much he plays next season, the long-term outlook feels incredibly promising and a dash of patience (pun intended) may be required to remember that his performance as a teenager may not be a reasonable measuring stick for his future potential. However, if he does come firing out of the gates as an NBL contributor, it is just further confirmation that we have a special prospect on our hands.

About the Author

Michael Houben is an Australian basketball writer and scout based in Melbourne, Victoria. As well as covering the game as a journalist, Michael supports US colleges to identify and recruit Australian talent as the owner of Airtime Scouting, and supports grassroots athletes through Airtime Basketball.