WITH Round 12 of the National Basketball League (NBL)’s 2024/25 season taking place over the weekend, the Next Stars are running out of time to impress NBA scouts, and each game carries plenty of importance.

With another batch of games seeing some exciting action, the next generation of basketball stars will be looking to make every post a winner in the coming weeks in a bid to boost their stocks ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft.

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.

Karim Lopez – New Zealand Breakers

Despite it being a tough weekend for the Breakers as a team, Lopez was rock solid throughout their two games and still continues to impress at 17 years of age, 12 months younger than his fellow Next Stars. He posted seven points and six boards in the blowout loss to the JackJumpers, before bouncing back with an impressive showing against the Sixers. Although New Zealand fell short of a win, their young gun fought tooth and nail to keep his team in the contest. Lopez posted 12 points, six boards and a block on 5/7 shooting from the field. He could have had an even bigger game, but foul trouble restricted him to just 23 minutes of court time, but it was still an exciting showing nonetheless.

Rocco Zikarsky – Brisbane Bullets

Since the return of Tyrell Harrison from injury, Zikarsky’s minutes have been slashed, and he played a combined 16 minutes across two games. The big man saw just four minutes of court time against the Phoenix on Thursday, but did get in the match a bit more in the loss to the Kings on Sunday. In that match, Zikarsky delivered four points and four rebounds (two offensive) on 2/3 shooting from the field in 12 minutes of playing time. During Harrison’s absence, the highly touted prospect showed what he was capable of, but is now pushed back in the queue for frontcourt minutes, making it harder for him to shine.

Alex Toohey – Sydney Kings

Toohey has proven one of the most consistent Next Stars in the program’s history, and kept that trend rolling over the weekend. The Kings had just one outing (a win over the Bullets), and the young forward was again among the best for Sydney. Toohey had 10 points on 4/7 shooting from the field to go with four rebounds and a pair of steals. He fits into the Kings’ system perfectly and can contribute on or off the ball. His draft stock is rising on a weekly basis and his versatility makes him a very well-rounded prospect for next year’s NBA Draft.

Malique Lewis – SEM Phoenix

Lewis has well and truly found his feet at NBL level, and had another impressive weekend for the Phoenix as the team broke even from two games. Although it was a tough night at the office as his side fell to the Bullets with the young gun posting eight points and five rebounds in a gutsy display, it was his showing in the Throwdown win over United on Sunday that caught the eye. Those matches are often one of the most pressure-filled contests on the fixture, but Lewis thrived under bright lights, and was one of South East Melbourne’s better performers. The forward produced 11 points on 5/9 shooting from the field to go with five boards and two assists in a mature performance.

Izan Almansa – Perth Wildcats

It has been a reasonably quiet few weeks from Almansa, who has seemingly thought it best to take a back seat to the record-breaking Bryce Cotton show. Regardless, the Next Star looks a comfortable starter, and still did some impressive things in the blowout win over the Taipans on Saturday night. In just 15 minutes of playing time, Almansa delivered nine points (4/5 FG), four rebounds and an assist for the Wildcats, and knew what was required of him as his star teammate took over in the second half. He would have done his draft chances no harm and showed an adaptability that should see him thrive at the top level.