FAR AND away the standout player of the 2025 FIBA Under-16 Asia Cup, Luke Roland Paul was superb for the Australian Crocs in their dominant gold medal winning campaign in Mongolia over the past couple of weeks.

The West Australian guard was deservingly named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, having been the best player on the best team and taken his game to the next level during the finals portion of the fixture.

Luke Roland Paul – 14.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists

It could not have been a better start to the tournament from Paul than how he played in the opening win over Bahrain, almost dropping a triple-double with 20 points (9/11 FG), nine rebounds and 12 assists. He completely controlled the tempo of the Crocs on the offensive end, and his stat-stuffing performance was reflective of the impact he had for the Aussies, remarkably doing it all in less than 20 minutes of court time.

While his scoring numbers dropped in the second outing against India, the 16-year-old still showed an excellent feel for the game, which is the biggest strength in his game. Paul was still able to set up his teammates with excellent vision and timing his dish offs to perfection, posting nine points (4/8 FG), six rebounds and eight assists.

The Aussies had their toughest test of the tournament against Lebanon in the final game of the group stage, and Paul did not spend as much time on the court as the Crocs looked towards a different rotation with the finals approaching. He still managed to show glimpses of his skillset, although his rawness was also on display with five turnovers.

It was an emphatic response from Paul in the quarter finals, who got back to his brilliant best with ball in hand to play a vital role as the Aussies defeated Korea by 28 points. The guard was again excellent as a scorer, and showed his long-range ability with a pair of three-pointers en route to 21 points for the match, showing no fear when left unguarded on the perimeter. He also finished with eight boards and five dimes in a typically strong performance.

The Aussies took on Japan in the semi finals, and Paul was again among the most influential performers on the court as the Crocs got the job done by 65 points. Although he had performances that jumped off the stat sheet more, his composure and ability to orchestrate Australia’s offence was integral to their red-hot start, and he was only needed for 18 minutes of court time given how well the Aussies were playing.

The gold medal match seemed built for Paul to put his name under lights, and that is exactly what he did on the big stage. The guard was a game-breaking factor for the Aussies, bringing an elite level of composure, vision and execution, and showing that he has a seriously bright future within the sport. He capped off his tournament with 26 points (10/14 FG), 10 rebounds and nine assists and was easily the most influential player on the court.

With shades of Joshua Giddey in his game, Paul looms as the next elite playmaker to come out of Australia, and has plenty of tools in his scoring game and is a strong rebounder for his position as well. He simply makes the right plays and has strong IQ despite being just 16 years of age and still in the early stages of his career.

At six-foot-two, he has solid size for his position and age, and some of the best vision of any youngster in the country. Paul’s overall feel for what play the game needs was unmatched at the Asia Cup, and he will undoubtedly be a central figure when the Crocs head to the FIBA World Cup in 2026.