THE SECOND round of the 2025/26 National Basketball League (NBL) season took place last weekend, and once again, the competition’s Next Stars were prominent across the courts in an exciting batch of games.

Following the success of Rocco Zikarsky and Alex Toohey from the class of 2024, both of whom were selected in the most recent NBA Draft, another two players joined the highly touted program, while a pair of returning Next Stars commenced their second season.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will be casting a weekly eye over the 2025/26 Next Stars, with the second week of play seeing a top-10 prospect deliver a statement first half performance as he continues to firm for lottery selection.

NBL Next Stars – Round 2

Karim Lopez – New Zealand Breakers

vs. Perth Wildcats – 16 points, seven rebounds, one assist, one block

The standout Next Star of the week, Lopez continued to put his name under lights with a commanding performance in the loss to the Wildcats. The draft prospect kept his team in the fight in the first half and showed maturity beyond his years with his shotmaking.

Of his 16 points, 14 came in the first half against the Wildcats, with Lopez ensuring the Breakers remained within two points of the opposition at the main change despite a strong showing from Perth as a team. He was finding baskets from just about anywhere, whether it was driving into the lane and finishing, nailing three-pointers or drawing contact and converting at the free throw line.

Although he was quieter in the second half, Lopez was still one of the influential figures within the match and showed NBA scouts what he is capable of in short bursts if he displays the same level of confidence with ball in hand.

Malique Lewis – SEM Phoenix

vs. Melbourne United – five points, three rebounds, two assists

It was a quiet outing from Lewis, who did all of his scoring in the first half as the Phoenix fell to United in a Throwdown encounter at John Cain Arena last Thursday night. Maintaining his spot in the starting lineup, Lewis showed plenty of aggression with the ball, but the shots simply did not fall as well as he would have liked.

He kicked things off with a nice long-range shot to start the match, showing some improvement in his three-point shooting which is crucial to his NBA draft chances, before nailing a nice driving layup late in the second period. That was all of his production on the scoring front, but he still held his own on the glass and defensively.

Dash Daniels – Melbourne United

vs. South East Melbourne Phoenix – nine points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals

It was another step in the right direction for Daniels, who continues to look comfortable at NBL level and shows different positives in his game each time he hits the floor. Now a valued member of the rotation, he is earning plenty of court time and is showing NBA scouts why he is considered a top 10 chance.

The youngster ran his lanes well, getting to the right spots and opening up scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates in the process. With ball in hand, he looks calm and polished, able to get inside for nice floating shots that demonstrate his touch around the rim, while he also showcased his three-level scoring by stepping into a three-pointer off the dribble in what was an encouraging performance that was reflective of his impressive development.

Noa Kouakou-Heugue – Perth Wildcats

Did not play against the Breakers.