FOLLOWING a week off for the international break, the Next Stars returned in the National Basketball League (NBL) and some produced strong showings as the back half of the season began.

The Next Stars are well and truly comfortable at NBL level and should look to make the most of the remaining rounds of the 2024/25 fixture as they look to showcase their skills 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.

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 was reasonably quiet throughout Round 10, playing just one of his side’s two games and was well-held in the loss to the Wildcats on Sunday afternoon. The Breakers fell to Perth 123-112 in a high-scoring clash out west, and Lopez was unable to impact the game as he had done on several occasions in the past. He finished the game with nine points on 3-9 shooting and ended up fouling out. It was a scrappy weekend for the Breakers overall and Lopez should be more effective in the coming weeks.

Rocco Zikarsky – Brisbane Bullets

The absence of Tyrell Harrison proved beneficial for Zikarsky once again, as the young center was given the start by Justin Schueller for the second match in a row. He was one of Brisbane’s best performers in the tough loss to Perth, posting 13 points (6/9 FG), eight rebounds and three blocks in an excellent display. Although Brisbane’s drop coverage allowed the Wildcats to cash in from behind the arc, it was a calculated risk given how many shots Zikarsky affected close to the basket. The big man is also finding his place in offensive sets, proving a valuable dish off option for Brisbane’s guards and looking much more comfortable finishing at the cup.

Alex Toohey – Sydney Kings

One of the standouts of the round, Toohey got back to his best and almost inspired a remarkable comeback against Melbourne United at John Cain Arena on Sunday afternoon. It was one of his best all-around performances in the NBL, and was an excellent way to bounce back after playing just six minutes in Sydney’s first game earlier in the round following a move to the bench.

Against Melbourne, Toohey stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points (7/12 FG), three rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks. He provided a spark off the bench, and adapted his offence to make a variety of shots, whether it was finishes off the dribble or relentless drives to the basket. Although the Kings ended up losing the match, it was an excellent display of Toohey’s versatility as a player.

Malique Lewis – SEM Phoenix

Lewis was not quite at his impactful best in the three-point win over Illawarra in Round 11, proving reasonably quiet by the standards he has set in the past. In 24 minutes of court time, he posted just five points and was -19 in that time. His defence was admirable, recording two steals and constantly putting his direct opponent under the pump with plenty of pressure on the ball, but his offence left a bit to be desired.

Izan Almansa – Perth Wildcats

Almansa was the most productive Next Star of the week, delivering a pair of strong performances to help the Wildcats to a record of 2-0 for the weekend. The forward came off the bench in Perth’s first game of the round – which was a win over the Bullets – and still delivered a huge impact in his limited minutes. In 13 minutes of court time, he made five of his six attempts for 11 points, but got himself into foul trouble before he could continue that hard work.

He was moved into the starting lineup a couple of days later, and although most of the attention was on Bryce Cotton‘s 59-point performance, Almansa was still a solid contributor. He posted 17 points (the second-most of any Wildcat) and eight rebounds along with two assists, a steal and a block in an excellent display.