THE NEXT Stars were fit and firing over the course of Round 6 of the National Basketball League (NBL), which saw eight games take place over four days in a bumper weekend of action.

With just five Next Stars suiting up for the 2024/25 season, there will be plenty of attention on each and every player within the program over the coming months, and how they perform on a weekly basis.

Despite not all players being draft eligible this year, all five participants will be looking to use every match to boost their output and continue their quest to make the NBA.

Rookie Me Central will be posting weekly updates on how all five Next Stars perform week in week out, and how their performances are impacting their draft stocks.

Next Star Watch

Karim Lopez – New Zealand Breakers

Lopez returned from injury with a bang over the weekend, helping the Breakers go 2-0 in Round 6 and putting in an excellent performance in one of those matches. The 17-year-old had not played since the Breakers were taking on NBA teams as a part of preseason. However, he returned against the SEM Phoenix on Thursday, posting two points and two rebounds in 13 minutes.

New Zealand then travelled to Qudos Bank Arena to take on the Sydney Kings on Sunday, and Lopez was a standout in the thrilling road win. The youngster looked seriously impressive and delivered his best performance in a Breakers uniform with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Playing as a wing, he timed his cuts to perfection and was lethal around the rim, throwing down multiple dunks that highlighted his vertical leap. He also fired from behind the arc and was never hesitant to fire off a shot from long range if given time and space.

Rocco Zikarsky – Brisbane Bullets

Zikarsky’s quiet run of form continued in the sixth round of play, with the Bullets losing to the Tasmania JackJumpers on Saturday night. Given the current form of fellow big man Tyrell Harrison, Zikarsky was restricted to just seven minutes of court time, during which he recorded a rebound and a steal, but did not trouble the scorers. If he wishes to maintain his standing as a projected lottery pick in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft, the big man will want to lift his output and regain the attention of recruiters.

Alex Toohey – Sydney Kings

It was a tough weekend for the Kings, sustaining a pair of losses in Round 6, and it was a relatively quiet weekend by the standards Toohey has produced so far this season. He had just nine points across two games and was not at his usual productive best. He works best when combining with a talented distributor, and the Kings are sorely lacking in that area. Toohey was also not exactly efficient when shooting the ball, and forced a few shots through some tough defensive coverage. He will be looking to get back to his best next week.

Malique Lewis – SEM Phoenix

Lewis was another standout Next Star throughout Round 6, putting together an eye-catching performance in one of his team’s two matches. The Phoenix went 1-1 throughout the round, and Lewis continued to show why he deserves to be in the starting lineup. In the blowout win over the Breakers, Lewis was solid with six points (3/4 FT), three rebounds and three assists as South East Melbourne made it two in a row.

However, he lifted his game even further when his side faced off against the Illawarra Hawks on Saturday evening, and although the Phoenix fell just short of a huge upset, their Next Star was a shining light. Lewis posted 12 points, six boards and three dimes in an excellent performance against one of the best sides in the competition. Once again, his ability to draw contact and get to the free throw line was a massive positive for South East Melbourne, and he showed he is capable of hitting the scoreboard in a big way.

Izan Almansa – Perth Wildcats

Like a few of his peers, Almansa was a great contributor as the Wildcats upset the Kings when the two sides went head to head at RAC Arena on Friday night. In the absence of Bryce Cotton, several Perth players needed to stand up and impact the game, and Almansa was certainly one who answered the call and delivered.

The forward shot 6/7 from the field to finish the game with 14 points, and had the biggest impact on the offensive glass. Of his six rebounds, five came after a Wildcats miss, and often resulted in second chance scores for Almansa and his teammates. It was a true display of his strengths in an efficient manner, and showed he is deserving of more opportunities moving forward.