THE NBL Next Stars continued to show how comfortable they are feeling seven rounds into the fixture, with several young guns maintaining a strong run of form.

With just five Next Stars suiting up for the 2024/25 season, there will be plenty of attention on each and every player within the program over the coming months, and how they perform on a weekly basis.

Despite not all players being draft eligible this year, all five participants will be looking to use every match to boost their output and continue their quest to make the NBA.

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

Karim Lopez – New Zealand Breakers

Lopez continued to shine for the Breakers over the weekend, helping his side to a pair of excellent wins and playing a crucial role in New Zealand getting to top spot in the standings. The Breakers managed to produce a pair of thumping wins over championship contenders, and firmed themselves as the side to beat based on recent form.

Lopez averaged 17.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 blocks in 29 minutes per game in a pair of blowout victories. He has a tremendous feel for the game, has cemented himself in New Zealand’s starting lineup and continues to boost his draft stock with some mature performances. Given he is not draft eligible until next year, he is shaping as a top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Rocco Zikarsky – Brisbane Bullets

Although it was an impressive win for the Bullets, Zikarsky was only given five minutes of playing time given the strong performance of Tyrell Harrison. Obviously the youngster is still a raw talent, but he recorded just one assist and two fouls during his time on the floor. His traits still ensure he is likely to be a lottery pick, but more production would help scouts evaluate his potential.

Alex Toohey – Sydney Kings

After a quiet round last week, Toohey returned to form with a pair of solid performances as the Kings went 1-1 over the weekend. The young gun had struggled to impact the game in Round 6, particularly on the scoring front. However, against Melbourne United and the Tasmania JackJumpers, Toohey was one of Sydney’s most reliable performers, and did enough to play a key role in a winning side. He delivered 10 points and two assists against United on Friday, before backing it up with 11 points and four boards in the win over Tasmania.

Malique Lewis – SEM Phoenix

Lewis continued to chug along nicely as the Phoenix secured two wins from two matches over the weekend. Cemented in the starting lineup, Lewis is a complimentary wing piece that does not need too much of the ball to make an impact. In the win over the JackJumpers, he posted six points and five rebounds in a solid outing. Lewis took things up a notch on Sunday, helping his side to a win with 10 points and six rebounds to showcase his value as a scorer and rebounder.

Izan Almansa – Perth Wildcats

Although he enjoyed a breakout week in Round 6, the going was a bit tougher for Almansa in Perth’s two games this weekend. He had four points and four rebounds in the win over the Illawarra Hawks on Friday night, before backing it up with seven points and four boards in the loss to the Phoenix a couple of days later. Although he had his struggles, Almansa showed excellent maturity to keep looking for his shot to try and make an impact, and found the bottom of the net on a few occasions as a result of his hard work.