THE National Basketball League (NBL) is back for another round, and while there are only six games of play from Thursday to Sunday, there are still a number of players to keep an eye on.

There have been some big performances on a weekly basis, along with some intriguing storylines over the first three rounds. Some household names are justifying their star status within the NBL, while unsung heroes are putting forward some eye-catching outings to outshine the bigger names.

With the fixture in full swing after three weeks of play, there are plenty of players making an impact at NBL level on a weekly basis. With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will be taking a look at three players to monitor in their matches over the next few games.

Jo Lual Acuil – Melbourne United

The biggest theme of Round Four of the 2023/24 season was recognised before the games started, with some familiar faces making long-awaited returns to Australia’s premier basketball competition. The likes of Alan Williams and Dejan Vasiljevic will be hitting the court for the first time this season, but perhaps the most anticipated return is that of Melbourne United’s star big man.

Lual Acuil announced he would once again be putting on a United jumper over the off-season, but his return to the court was delayed by an injury. However, he will be in Melbourne’s lineup against the Hawks on Friday night. During his last stint with United, Lual Acuil finished was a finalist for the MVP award, and will have a big part to play this season.

Parker Jackson-Cartwright – New Zealand Breakers

The Breakers missed Round 3 of the fixture after heading over to the United States to take on some of the best teams in the world in some NBA preseason games. Although New Zealand was unable to get a win, it was still a terrific display of Australian basketball on the world stage, and the Breakers were quite competitive in their final outing against the Utah Jazz.

However, with their return to the competition set for Sunday, a lot of eyes will be on the performance of Jackson-Cartwright. The import guard has been one of the best performers to start the season, consistently impacting games on both ends of the court and leading the way in some key statistical categories. He will play a big part in New Zealand’s success this year, and will be eager to pick up where he left off.

Jonah Bolden – Sydney Kings

Bolden was one of the most eye-raising signings of the off-season for the Sydney Kings, but was still taking his time to find his feet in the NBL. After a break from basketball over the past couple of years, the former NBA forward has been coming off the bench for the reigning champions, and finally posted some big numbers over the weekend.

Bolden pulled down 27 rebounds over two games, and delivered double-doubles in both matches, emphatically announcing his return to the NBL in that time. His impact off the bench makes Sydney an even more dangerous and well-rounded side, and should look to continue the momentum he built last week.