IN a big move for the future of Australian basketball, one of the nation’s brightest young guns has singed in the NBL for the first time.

Rising star Ben Henshall has signed to the Perth Wildcats on a two-year deal in what is an exciting addition for the club.

The guard is one of the nation’s emerging talents, and has shone at multiple levels over the past few months to continue his rise to the top level.

He has been suiting up for the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence in the 2023 NBL1 season and has been one of the competition’s best players.

On a list that contains a plethora of young prospects, Henshall has been shining with his aggressive play and natural scoring ability.

So far in the fixture, he is averaging 22.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.1 steals per game and is one of the East division’s strongest performers to start the season.

Henshall also let his talents shine through at the 2023 U20 National Championships earlier this year. He was awarded the Bob Staunton Medal for the best player of the tournament and led his Western Australia side to the gold medal.

Bringing a wealth of domestic and international experience with him, Henshall has been flagged as the future of the Wildcats.

At 195cm, Henshall brings plenty of size to the guard position, but still has the strengths of a backcourt player despite his tall frame. This is a common trend in modern basketball, and his prototype as a player is a model fit for the future of the game.

In the open court, he has plenty of creative skillsets that can create scoring opportunities for himself and teammates, as demonstrated by his strong numbers in the NBL1.

On the defensive end, the guard has shown a knack for reading the opposition’s set plays, and can disrupt his opponents ball handling too. He should continue to develop this at NBL level and could become one of the best on-ball defenders in the competition.

Speaking to the club’s website, Henshall expressed excitement to join one of the nation’s most successful clubs.

“It feels awesome, I’ve been watching the Wildcats play for a long time now so it feels amazing to finally get to suit up and play with all the boys,” he said.

“The coaches are really focused on development and getting me to where I need to go and they’re going to invest a lot of time into me, being at home and getting to play in front of my family is a big part of it as well.

“I think I’ll be able to bring a lot of versatility, I’ve got good size and length for a guard, I can be another option for scoring or just whatever Rillie (John Rillie) needs me to do, I can get out there and do it.”