COMING into the National Basketball League (NBL) season as one of Australia’s premier NBA Draft prospects, it was not the campaign that Rocco Zikarsky would have hoped for, but he still showed patches of promise throughout his second year as a Next Star.

Entering the 2024/25 fixture, Zikarsky had loomed as a first round draft selection in 2025, with his value skyrocketing after a strong debut season with the Brisbane Bullets. At seven-foot-two, he certainly had the physical tools to make it at the top level, and a sophomore campaign had the potential to cement his standing as a lottery pick.

Unfortunately, injuries and fluctuating form prevented the big man from taking the next step, and instead his stock has dropped of sorts. However, his strong run of performances midseason showed he still has the capabilities to stand above his peers, and may hold him in good stead come draft time.

With the regular season all wrapped up, Zikarsky is the first player in Rookie Me Central‘s Next Star Review series, putting the competition’s best and brightest under the microscope.

Rocco Zikarsky

Averages – 11.8 minutes, 4.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.3 steals, 0.6 steals

WHAT HE HAS SHOWN

Zikarsky was widely expected to make a massive leap for the Bullets this season, but often fell victim to the good form of fellow big man Tyrell Harrison, who took his own game to the next level and won the NBL’s Most Improved Player award. This meant the team’s Next Star was forced to ride the pine for much of Brisbane’s campaign, and was never really able to flourish or get in any sort of rhythm.

When he was on the court, there were certainly signs of a promising player there in the way he went about it, particularly in his presence around the rim on both ends of the floor. When Harrison missed games through injury, it resulted in Zikarsky’s best patch of the season, consistently reaching double-digits in the points column as a member of the starting lineup and truly showing his abilities as a paint protector and lob threat. However, he faced his own share of injury concerns, playing just 18 games and spending a fair chunk of time on the sidelines.

HIS IMPROVEMENTS MOVING FORWARD

One of the biggest queries around his game is Zikarsky’s perimeter defence, with NBL guards hunting the mismatch and taking advantage of his lack of speed. This is an area that will be exposed even further at NBL level, but it is certainly not unfamiliar territory for big men entering the world’s top competition, so there is potential for some development if picked. Another area he will be eager to tidy up is his involvement in fouls and free throws on both ends of the floor. Zikarsky often finds himself in foul trouble, limiting his ability to put his skills to use, while offensively, he is prone to leaving points at the charity stripe, so if he can tidy up these areas, it will make him a much more appealing prospect.

HIS BEST PERFORMANCE

It was a Christmas Eve special from Zikarsky, who showed his ability to impact the game despite limited opportunity. Although he only played eight minutes, the big man poured in 14 points and certainly made his presence felt on the offensive end. The Bullets were looking to feed him wherever possible, and he proved a valuable contributor when rolling to the basket, which will certainly be appealing to NBA scouts.

IN A SENTENCE

Although it was not the campaign many were expecting from Zikarsky, the young big still showed enough to justify a selection at the NBA Draft thanks to his physical attributes and two-way impact.