THE young guns continue to walk through the doors of the National Basketball League (NBL), with the Adelaide 36ers signing a projected lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Trentyn Flowers has emerged as one of the strongest prospects in next year’s draft class, and despite initially committing to the University of Louisville, he has de-committed and pursued an opportunity with the 36ers as a part of the Next Stars program.

Flowers is a six-foot-eight point guard, which is the prototype of the modern backcourt player, and makes him an extremely enticing prospect for Adelaide. Immediately coming to mind with a similar size at the same position is Lamelo Ball, who carved out a successful campaign as a Next Star and is now one of the most skilled guards in the NBA. If Flowers can deliver a career path similar to that, the move will be a win for his basketball journey.

He will be the third Next Star in club history for the 36ers, following in the footsteps of Mojave King and Joshua Giddey, both of whom are now on NBA lists and boosted their draft stock in the program.

Flowers’ biggest strength is his versatility, having proven himself to be fluid when on the court and can fit into nearly any system with ease. Overall, he has a lot of upside as a player and has burst onto the scene as one of the best prospects in the 2024 draft crop.

Fans will be thrilled at his high-flying style of play, boasting plenty of verticality that can see him soar to the hoop and finish. This will likely see plenty of highlights during Adelaide games, and gather further exposure to boost his draft stock overseas.

Flowers will also benefit from playing alongside Mitch McCarron, who is one of the country’s best playmakers and will help the youngster develop that facet of his game.

36ers head coach CJ Bruton said Flowers is exactly what the team needed.

“I went to the US for the NBA Summer League to find a point guard and, in partnership with the Next Stars program, we found one in Trentyn Flowers,” Bruton said.

“Trentyn is a young player and an NBA prospect, but for someone who is 6’8, he has great vision and great poise. Unlike most kids his age, Trentyn has the ability to play the game at an elite level and I can see him having a similar impact as Josh Giddey and LaMelo Ball had on the league.”