Four Australians searching for minutes in 2025-26

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It took 45 picks and a wave of emotions, but when the dust settled, it was jubilation for four Australians as their names were called in the 2025 NBA Draft: Rocco Zikarsky, Tyrese Proctor, Alex Toohey, and Lachlan Olbrich.

While their draft position would indicate that they have some work to do before earning significant NBA minutes, these Aussies in the NBA bring distinct intrigue and upside to their new homes.

But how do they fit in with the franchises that selected them — and what does the road to NBA minutes look like?

Rocco Zikarsky: Pick 45 to the Minnesota Timberwolves (via CHI)

2025 NBL Stats: 18 Games; 11.8 MPG; 4.6 PPG; 3.4 RPG; 1.6 ORPG; 1.3 APG; 52.4% FG; and 0.6 BPG.

Scouting Snapshot

Following his second season in the NBL at the Brisbane Bullets, Zikarsky’s chances were limited, as he only played 12 minutes a contest, delivering five points a game.

But as the youngest Australian to declare for the NBA Draft at 18, Rocco Zikarsky shows a lot of promise and potential. This is based off his strongest asset: his size. Standing at 7 foot 3 with a standing reach of 9 foot 6 and a half, he topped all participants at the draft combine for these categories. This drew scout attention given these measurements point towards a high ceiling as a defender which he’s already shown in his young basketball career.

Equally, he poses as one who will have no issues as a rebounder, especially on the offensive glass.

Offensively, he has shown promise around the basket, has displayed ability as a roll man, and has awareness to kick the ball out to shooters when these offensive rebounding opportunities show face.

However, the Timberwolves will be hoping to cultivate his development, as his lateral quickness, physicality, and awareness are identified as points of weakness by ESPN NBA Draft expert, Jonathan Givony. When he’s not parked under the rim, Zikarsky’s effect as a rim protector can be negated.

“I just don’t think his feel for the game, his processing speed, his physicality, all those things aren’t there,” he said.

“That makes sense, he’s 18. These 7’4 guys, it takes some time to get there.”

Givony identifies that a team willing to take a punt on Zikarsky will benefit through a strong development plan that allows Zikarsky to grow into an NBA-ready frame and as he adjusts to the pace of an NBA environment, given his short-term impact is unlikely.

“It’s easier said than done, and this is what the NBA guys do, they hire the very best people from all over the world,” he said.

“If they can help him figure out that part of things, then he’s got a chance to be really good.”

His Fit at the Timberwolves

• ‍PG: Conley/Divincenzo/Dillingham/Hyland
• SG: Edwards/Alexander-Walker/Shannon Jr./Clark
• SF: McDaniels
• PF: Randle/Reid/Ingles/Miller
• C: Gobert/Beringer/Garza/Zikarsky

With Minnesota selecting Joan Beringer at Pick 17 in this draft, Naz Reid opting in long-term, and Julius Randle’s impending player option decision still to come, Zikarsky is most likely to fall back in the Timberwolves rotation and see more opportunity with their G-League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves — in line with his need to develop and accustom himself to the NBA level. Jonathan Givony reports that he’ll spend the next two seasons on a two-way contract.

Iowa struggled in the G-League last season with a record of 7-27, with ranks of 28th in rebounding, and 31st in opponent points per game, headlining their difficulty to pick up wins.

However, Zikarsky could look to enhance Iowa’s output in both these areas and contribute to winning basketball. With players such as Leonard Miller excelling, averaging 24 points and 11 rebounds in extended time, and Jaylen Clark providing some commendable contributions which translated to some solid NBA form, Minnesota could be a perfect landing spot for Zikarsky to see growth and act upon the potential that comes with his measurements.

There’s no better mentor to help this than four time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, who is a towering and dominant defender that similarly began his career with a skinny frame and also lacked a feel for the game at times according to NBAdraft.net. However, he was more advanced and showed versatility defensively given he was ahead of Zikarsky for athleticism at similar ages. Though, the Wolves centre will pose as a great mentor for Zikarsky no matter what level he’s playing at.

Projected Timeline: Wait and assess after the completion of his two-way deal

Tyrese Proctor: Pick 49 to the Cleveland Cavaliers (via MIL)

2025 NCAA Stats: 38 Games; 27.2 MPG; 12.4 PPG; 3.0 RPG; 2.2 APG; 45.2% FG; 40.5% 3PT; and 0.8 SPG.

Scouting Snapshot

Tyrese Proctor as a seasoned player at Duke, and having represented Australia at U-20 level, is no stranger to the big stage.

His most valuable attribute is his ability to play multiple positions as a 6’6 guard, which points towards being well suited for the modern game. Additionally, as a sophomore, he was team captain, which highlights a maturity well beyond his years, and an ability to lead which is a valuable attribute, and a demonstration of character.

His spot-up shooting ability has grown as his offensive game has become more diversified. His start to the 2024-25 NCAA season was a strong one — scoring double-figures in 12 of his first 17 games.

Jonathan Givony said this paired with his unselfishness and strong decision-making, placed him in good stead to produce at the next level.

“Being 6’5 and a half, and being a great shooter, that’s the skill,” he said.

“He looked like a very dynamic shooter; not just hitting spot-ups, but attacking a closeout then stepping back, pull-up threes, punishing unders. That game in the NCAA tournament against Baylor where he made seven threes (25 pts), that really stands out in your memory.”

However, defensively, his physicality has been questioned, with a thin frame that has plateaued growth wise over the course of his college career.

While this is the case, the Cavaliers see a guard who can guard multiple positions and has shown flashes defensively.

“He’s not a great defender, but he’s not a bad one, he’s improved on that end,” Givony said.

“That’s the sell; he’s someone who can hold water for you coming off the bench.”

His Fit at the Cavaliers

• ‍PG: Garland/Jerome/Porter Jr./Bates
• SG: Mitchell/Merrill/Tyson/Proctor
• SF: Strus/Hunter//OkoroGreen
• PF: Mobley/Wade/Okeke
• C: Allen/Thompson

Proctor enters a Cavaliers roster heavy on talented guards, meaning it will be particularly difficult for Proctor to breach the primary rotation.

However, the Cavaliers’ front office sees Proctor as a part of their roster next season, which would lead to fringe minutes at NBA level as well as at the Cleveland Charge in the G-League, per Jonathan Givony.

The Charge didn’t have many high percentage three-point shooters, with only three posting above a 38% three-point percentage across the season, however 9 players were given license to fire away from the perimeter, with over four attempts a game. Despite Proctor being prone to inconsistency at times, this suggests it’ll be a great environment for him to develop and exercise his jump shot, with guards Craig Porter Jr., Jaylon Tyson, and Emoni Bates seeing similar opportunities early in their careers.

At NBA level, Proctor has no better chance to learn from the best, with Donovan Mitchell (a 25-point per game scorer in 2024-25), and Darius Garland (a 40% three-point shooter at 20 ppg.) versatile three-level scorers that can help mentor Proctor to enhance his offense.

Defensively, the Cavaliers were top-10 ranked, and while there are individual defensive talents given their versatility such as Mobley and Allen, with role players such as Hunter and Okoro, leading to this outcome, it screams a well-oiled machine that through practice and muscle memory, foster a great environment for Proctor to grow his defensive game — learning from talent, and a strong system.

With Kenny Atkinson proving to be a player’s coach and getting the best out of players that many teams passed on, Proctor is a great selection where the Cavaliers could unlock more potential than other teams.

Projected Timeline: Potential to get minutes in 2025-26

Alex Toohey: Pick 52 to the Golden State Warriors (via PHO)

2025 NBL Stats: 29 Games; 23 MPG; 10.6 PPG; 4.0 RPG; 1.2 ORPG; 1.3 APG; 44.9% FG; 31% 3PT; and 1.4 SPG.

Scouting Snapshot

Alex Toohey presents himself as a very well-rounded player that could produce for Golden State in the bigger picture.

He did his stocks no harm in the Draft Combine and dispelled some narratives along the way, shooting the ball particularly well in shooting drills which contradicts his form in the NBL — where he connected on only 28% of his three-point tries in two seasons.

Toohey has established a reputation as a smart defender with good positional size, a good anticipator, and an unselfish facilitator, which has him well shaped given his 6’9 frame — this gives him scope to be a two-way wing that can guard multiple positions and shoot the ball.

Toohey’s known for his strength which is a strong component of his game, and his ability to read the passing lanes, contributing to some excellent on-ball defensive work. His size and lateral quickness equals versatility, possessing him with the ability to man smaller opponents that are more agile.

Only five NBL matches in the 2024-25 NBL season did Toohey fail to log a steal.

This boded well for his 2025 Kings campaign, where he was in the 92nd percentile for transition frequency and converted on nearly as many transition possessions as he did on spot-ups — his most frequent play type — according to No Ceilings. Of course, steals amounting to fast break opportunities benefited Toohey greatly.

However, Golden State will be hoping that Toohey can expand on his offensive leap that he took at NBL level, given he has displayed inconsistencies especially from range.

Toohey was a stronger finisher and shot 34% from three-point range over 32 NBL and NBL Blitz games, a stark improvement from 27.3% on the year prior. Even with his inconsistencies, as a strong cutter, this adds another layer to his offensive game and takes a page out of his now-teammate who also can’t stay still: Stephen Curry. This powered a season where he averaged 10.6 points per game, an improvement of 2.7 points per game from the 2023-24 NBL season – featuring 3 20-point outings.

His fit at the Warriors

• PG: Curry/Armstrong
• SG: Podziemski/Moody/Payton II
• SF: Butler/Hield/Toohey
• PF: Green/Kuminga/Santos
• C: Looney/Post/Jackson-Davis

Toohey finds himself stuck behind some esteemed company at the forward positions despite the attributes he brings to a Warriors roster.

The likes of Jimmy Butler and Buddy Hield bring attributes of experience, and a higher ceiling of shooting ability that a rookie like Toohey doesn’t compare to.

However, Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy sees Toohey as a versatile option that could play taller.

“I think he’s like a 4. And I think with our system and the way we play, he has the versatility to play multiple positions,” he said.

“It’s who you can guard and where you can play offensively – and we think especially on the defensive end, he’s super versatile and creates a lot of plays.”

Toohey brings a skillset that the Warriors could most definitely utilise, either at NBA level, or with Santa Cruz.

His skillset fits in well with any NBA franchise as it favours the modern game — one with shooting and versatility which are merely complementary to a strong defensive return.

However, Toohey has shown severe limitation with being able to take shots off of screens — only seven shots have been taken in two NBL seasons according to No Ceilings.

With screening being a staple of Golden State’s play, this may be a concern, but Toohey’s role presents as one which would ask for more output from spot-up opportunities and off-ball movement, so Golden State would see developing this skill as a luxury, rather than a need.

Overall, the Warriors would be ecstatic with Toohey having dropped to Pick 52.

Mike Dunleavy has indicated though that draft position is just a number, saying that the future of him and fellow draftee Will Richard, is unclear as they will compete for a roster spot and spend time in the G-League.

“We’ll put them in the development program, and it could be some time in Santa Cruz, it could be some NBA minutes. We’ll see how it unfolds,” Dunleavy said.

Projected Timeline: Potential for late season call-up

Lachlan Olbrich: Pick 55 to the Chicago Bulls (via LAL)

2025 NBL Stats: 29 Games; 16.8 MPG; 8.7 PPG; 3.8 RPG; 1.6 ORPG; 1.6 APG; and 60.2% FG

Scouting Snapshot

Lachlan Olbrich is a certified winner. He’s won titles at NBL, NZNBL, and NBL1 level, with MVP and Grand Final MVP honours at multiple levels, all since 2023.

He did zero harm to his draft stock this past NBL season with the Illawarra Hawks, where his improvement not only led to their 2025 title, but also drew the eyes of the Chicago Bulls front office.

This past season, his passing and interior ability was well complemented by a strong level of effort and physicality, especially with his impressive perimeter defense for a big. This bodes well to counteract the weaknesses that can arise with his more traditional-styled game and height — at 6’11, a power forward that lacks spacing, and debatably not tall enough to play centre.

He played a solid role in the Hawks’ final two wins against Melbourne United in the NBL Finals, posting 13 and 12 points in Games 4 and 5 respectively, with his playmaking and inside scoring a feature. It was Olbrich’s best season to date in Australia, with 10 double-figure scoring games and sparing flashes of facilitation after a dominant NZ-1 campaign a season ago.

There was very little noise about Olbrich in NBA Draft circles until the last few months with attendances at both the NBA G-League Elite Camp and the Draft Combine. However, Olbrich said in the draft build-up that he’d put in the hard work long beforehand in the NBL, which advantaged him come draft night.

“Being put in a very tough league, almost thrown in the deep end after my one year of college and kind of just having to adapt,” he said.

“I’ve learned so much about the game itself and from my peers who I played with. It’s kind of just helped me develop as a player.”

His fit at the Bulls

• PG: Giddey/Ball/Jones/Carter
• SG: White/Dosunmu/Shannon Jr./Clark
• SF: Huerter/Williams/Terry
• PF: Buzelis/Essengue/Williams/Phillips
• C: Vucevic/Collins/Smith/Liddell/Olbrich

In the last 24 months, the Bulls have revamped the power forward position with international talents Matas Buzelis, 2025 draftee and Frenchman Noa Essengue and Julian Phillips becoming a part of the new-look younger Bulls.

The centre rotation is just as crowded, meaning Olbrich will have to bide his time before persuading Billy Donovan and the Bulls front office that he deserves a proper shot at NBA level.

While Olbrich has shown some strong attributes, and his outputs at the Combine would suggest he’s ready to serve the Bulls with such an impact, Olbrich is still incredibly raw and has lots to work on. But Olbrich isn’t foreign to the challenge.

“[Lachlan] had to do it the hard way,” Illawarra’s Chief Operations Officer Mat Campbell told the Illawarra Mercury.

Six months ago, NBA recruiters would’ve been called crazy if they said Olbrich’s name would be read out on draft night, as he sat 86th in ESPN’s draft rankings.

But, as Olbrich emerged from the shadows to hear the Bulls take him with the 55th pick, there’s very much a possibility that his hard work could see him achieve great things at NBA level, sooner than the Bulls, and the NBA imagined.

Projected Timeline: Multiple years from meaningful minutes

In a draft defined by international flavour, these four Australian selections mark the largest NBA draft haul in the nation’s history. It signals promise, not just in what the Australian basketball pipeline is producing, but what’s still to come.

As for these draftees, despite their differing paths, they are united as they attempt to navigate the new challenge of making it in the NBA.

Whether their NBA moment arrives in months or years, a country, and a basketball community will be watching, and cheering them on.