WITH the NBA Draft less than 24 hours away, the next crop of young guns are set to join the competition and take the league to new heights.

The 2023 draft is stacked full of potentially generational talent, and the anticipation surrounding the upcoming group of players is the highest it has been in years.

However, that is not to say there has not been plenty of quality players coming into the NBA over the past few years, with some of these coming from Australia’s own NBL, either as a local talent or Next Stars.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will be taking a look at some of the strongest NBL graduates since joining the NBA, with plenty of former players to choose from.

Lamelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets)

Ball is one of the biggest names in NBL history, despite a short stint. The talented point guard put the league on the map when he joined the competition as a Next Star, and helped elevate his own personal stock during his time with the Illawarra Hawks. He was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the third overall selection, and has been one of the best guards in the competition so far throughout his career. Last year, Ball was named to his maiden All-Star team, showcasing how comfortable his passing and scoring game is at the top level. Although he struggled with injuries over the past 12 months, Ball’s future seems as bright as anyone for his age, and is certainly justifying his high selection.

Josh Giddey (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Giddey is one of the feel-good stories of Australian basketball, given his journey in the land down under. He was drafted inside the top-10 to the Thunder, and has made his presence felt in a big way during the team’s rapid rebuild. The guard has cemented himself as one of the best passers in the NBA, utilising his elite vision and execution to find his teammates in scoring position. He has the potential to become one of, if not the best player Australia has ever produced, and appears a future star of the league.

Ousmane Dieng (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Although he has not made an immediate impact to the level of the two players above, Dieng has still shown promise as a member of the Thunder during his first season. He was selected inside the top-10 after a strong season with the New Zealand Breakers as a Next Star, and was always going to be a bit of a slower burn. However, Dieng still averaged five points per game in 14 minutes of court time, and showed he will have an impact at NBA level in the coming years.