THERE was plenty of anticipation surrounding the National Basketball League (NBL)’s 2023/24 season for many reasons, including the performances of some seriously talented youngsters.

Through the NBL’s Next Stars program, some of the best prospects in the world have joined Australia’s premier basketball competition in a bid to further their chances of selection at the NBA Draft.

Eight Next Stars will be suiting up this season in an exciting development to the league on the global stage.

Round 15 marked the season being three quarters of the way through the fixture, and the Next Stars were still right in the thick of the action, although some were missing through injury.

Trentyn Flowers – Adelaide 36ers

Flowers spent the weekend still recovering from a knock to the knee at training in recent weeks. With the NBA Draft less than six months away, it makes sense as to why the 36ers and Flowers’ camp are being cautious with the minor injury.

Rocco Zikarsky – Brisbane Bullets

It was another pair of eye-catching cameos from the 17-year-old, who is proving a serious weapon for the Bullets on their winning streak of late.

He was well-utilised in the win over the JackJumpers on Wednesday night, having some big moments in his 10 minutes of court time. Zikarsky had five points, two rebounds, one steal, one block during his short stint, including a highlight, blocking Milton Doyle‘s ambitious dunk attempt.

He backed it up with three points, a rebound and a steal in Brisbane’s fourth consecutive win a few days later, having proven himself as a valuable contributor in the rotation.

Bobi Klintman – Cairns Taipans

Following some excellent performances off the bench, Klintman was moved into the starting lineup to try and give the team some scoring power. Although the Taipans got the job done against the 36ers to the tune of 10 points, the Next Star was not able to post similar numbers when given a role as a starter. It was largely due to the fact that he was not given the number of shots he typically takes when coming off the bench. He poured in five points, eight rebounds and a steal on 2/5 shooting from the field. Unfortunately, he will miss this week’s game with a bout of the flu.

AJ Johnson – Illawarra Hawks

While Johnson was not as effective as the round prior, he still had some impressive moments as the Hawks went 1-1 on the weekend. In Friday night’s thrilling win over the JackJumpers, Johnson was not able to hit the scoreboard, posting just two rebounds and a block in 11 minutes of court time. He then lifted his output in the loss to the Bullets on Sunday afternoon, showing his aggression and making a pair of layups for four points to go with an assist.

Ariel Hukporti – Melbourne United

Hukporti was moved into the starting lineup after fellow big man Jo Lual-Acuil missed through injury, giving the second-year Next Star the opportunity to shine with some increased minutes. Melbourne played just the one game, claiming a one-point win over the Breakers in New Zealand. Hukporti played an important role in this game, going head-to-head against Zylan Cheatham and performing solidly on the offensive end. He posted 12 points on 6/11 shooting, combining well with Matthew Dellavedova in pick and roll situations to get free in the post.

Mantas Rubstavicius – New Zealand Breakers

The Breakers found the going a bit tough over the weekend, and it was a mixed bag for Rubstavicius in terms of output. He was solid in the one-point loss to United on Thursday night, posting 11 points on 4/8 shooting in 31 minutes, which was an indication of the Breakers’ coaching staff’s belief in his ability to contribute. He is still one of the most naturally gifted scorers in the Next Stars class for 2023/24, and has a bright future in the sport. Unfortunately, he could not back it up in the heavy loss to the Kings on Sunday afternoon, registering just three points on 1/7 shooting on a tough day as a whole for the Breakers.

Alexandre Sarr – Perth Wildcats

After sustaining a hip injury against the 36ers in Round 13, Sarr missed again as the Wildcats continue to be cautious when it comes to the potential NBA Draft top pick later this year.

Alex Toohey – Sydney Kings

Toohey was injected back into the starting lineup to try and help Sydney snap out of a form slump, and although he did not post the biggest scoring numbers, Toohey’s impact still caught the eye. He switched onto some of the league’s best players, either pushing out to the perimeter to guard the smaller players or holding his own in the post against some of the more physical bigs. He was solid in Sydney’s blowout win over the Breakers on Sunday, and should have done enough to keep his spot in the starting five in Round 16.