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. Although there were no explosive performances on the level of Trentyn Flowers the week before, the Next Stars were still amongst the action in a big way.

Next Star Watch

Trentyn Flowers – Adelaide 36ers

Flowers could not reach the heights that he found in Round 3 with an all-time Next Star performance, but still contributed when given the opportunity. The arrival of Dejan Vasiljevic was always going to have an impact on his minutes, but the youngster still bought plenty of energy whenever he could.

He produced two points and four rebounds in the 36ers’ loss to the Phoenix on Thursday night, and was not given any minutes in the team’s second outing. The consistency of his minutes may change in the future, but Flowers will always play with a high-tempo whenever on the court.

Ariel Hukporti – Melbourne United

Having demonstrated himself as one of the premier rebounders and shot blockers in the NBL, Hukporti showcased another facet of his game and delivered a terrific scoring ability in Round 4. Despite the return of United star Jo Lual Acuil, Dean Vickerman had to reward his Next Star and keep him in the starting lineup, and Hukporti repaid the faith in a big way.

During United’s 10-point win over the Hawks, the big man top-scored with 21 points on 6/7 shooting from the field, operating tremendously in the pick and roll with Shea Ili. He also posted 10 rebounds in another standout performance in what is becoming a magnificent campaign. Hukporti then backed it up with eight points and six rebounds a couple of days later, albeit in less minutes.

AJ Johnson – Illawarra Hawks

Johnson was quite effective during his court time, being injected into the game to start the second quarter, and bringing his signature flair to the match. Although Jacob Jackomas has been preservative with his Next Star, the youngster always shows a bit whenever on the court and is not short of confidence.

During his side’s loss to the ladder-leading side, he posted six points in six minutes of play, showing what he can do in a short amount of time. He nailed two field goals on two attempts, including a basket from behind the arc, and would have caught the coaching staff’s eye with this stint.

Bobi Klintman – Cairns Taipans

Klintman did not hit the court over the weekend due to the Taipans still returning from their time in the United States playing against NBA sides in the preseason. However, he is one of the most exciting players in the competition, and will gather plenty of attention in his return.

Mantas Rubstavicius – New Zealand Breakers

Rubstavicius played his first official NBL match over the weekend after debuting with the Breakers against the Utah Jazz in the NBLxNBA series. Coach Mody Maor is continuing to ease the team’s Next Star into the lineup, but during his six minutes of action, the talented scorer knocked down his first basket with a hefty floater, and had a positive impact for New Zealand when on the court.

Alexandre Sarr – Perth Wildcats

The Wildcats suffered a shock loss at the hands of the 36ers, with Perth underperforming as a team. Sarr was also not at his best, shooting an inaccurate 3/10 from the field. Adelaide was ruthless defensively and made sure the Wildcats got no easy look, but Sarr did not stop trying. He also crashed the glass with four rebounds and swatted a shot inside during his 12 minutes of play.

Alex Toohey – Sydney Kings

In the Kings’ loss to the JackJumpers in the final game of the round, Toohey was solid again for the reigning champions. Emerging as one of the better forwards this season, the Next Star has cemented his place in Sydney’s starting lineup and brings plenty to the team on both ends of the court with a tremendous skillset.

He delivered 13 points on 4/10 shooting from the field, and although he was not the most efficient shooter from behind the arc, still proved dangerous whenever the ball was in his hands. He crashed the glass tremendously, and used his impressive motor to get down the floor in transition.

Rocco Zikarsky – Brisbane Bullets

Since the absence of Aron Baynes, Zikarsky has improved his output on both ends, and continued to deliver off the bench for the Bullets in their loss to the Phoenix over the weekend. In nine minutes of play, he had six points, three rebounds and a block in another eye-catching display.

Having continuously improved over the past couple of rounds, Zikarsky is putting forward a solid case to start for Brisbane. Although Baynes will return in the coming weeks, it would be an excellent opportunity for the rising star.