THE National Basketball League (NBL) season is officially underway for the 2024/25 fixture, with action kicking off at HoopsFest in Perth over the weekend with all 10 teams hitting the court.

One of the most exciting parts of launching the NBL season is being able to see the Next Stars in action. The Next Stars program has become one of the premier pathways to the NBA Draft over the past five years, with another talented group of youngsters coming through the NBL.

Rookie Me Central will be posting weekly updates on how all five Next Stars perform week in week out, and how their performances are affecting their draft stock.

NBL Next Stars

Karim Lopez – New Zealand Breakers

It was a quiet debut for Lopez, who will take some time to settle into the NBL given his youth and the physical nature of the competition. However, it was encouraging to see him get minutes in a close game, which suggests he will be a key member of the rotation for the upcoming season. Despite not hitting the scoreboard, Lopez was getting to the right spots, and will be better for the experience. If he can improve his confidence and back his own ability to find the bottom of the net, it will help him thrive in the NBL in the coming months.

Rocco Zikarsky – Brisbane Bullets

Despite low playing time again for Zikarsky, he still made an impact with his limited opportunity. The preseason indicated he may have been in line for a boost in minutes, but the big man played just six in the loss to the Breakers. His role appears to depend largely on the opposition’s lineup, and New Zealand played smaller for a lot of the game on the weekend. However, he still managed to produce four points on 2/3 shooting from the field, along with four rebounds in a solid display that could boost his opportunity in the coming weeks.

Alex Toohey – Sydney Kings

Toohey was the standout Next Star for the weekend, thriving in his starting role and showing he is in for a big season as a member of the Kings. Despite Sydney having a stacked roster in the 2024/25 season, Toohey is still a key cog in the starting lineup, and was an excellent contributor as his team kicked off the fixture with a win. The forward posted 15 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals in an excellent showing at HoopsFest.

Malique Lewis – SEM Phoenix

Lewis also got an impressive opportunity at the Phoenix in a tough loss on the weekend, and will be better for the experience. He played 17 minutes and looked at home at NBL level, although his stats may not reflect how comfortable he looked on the court. Lewis posted four points on 1/6 shooting from the field, and he could not quite find the bottom of the net on a consistent basis. However, he was continuing to create scoring opportunities for himself and should only improve his production as the weeks roll on.

Izan Almansa – Perth Wildcats

One of the most exciting Next Stars in the group, Almansa had an excellent start to his time in the NBL, coming off the bench with a tremendous showing in the win over the Phoenix. The big man made an immediate impact and looks set to seriously boost his draft stock. In 14 minutes of court time, Almansa posted 10 points on 4/7 shooting and showed an ability to score at ease, so expect him to get more opportunity in the coming weeks.