AS THE National Basketball League (NBL) season rolls on, Sydney Kings Next Star Alex Toohey has been steadily improving his draft stock with some excellent performances on one of the most stacked rosters in the competition.

Toohey is in his second season with the Kings, and is one of the most consistent players, despite being just 20 years of age. He boasts an elaborate skillset and a solid frame that makes him a strong prospect, and each strong performance catches the eye of NBA teams.

Despite posting a quiet showing in the matchup against the Wildcats earlier in the round (four points, four rebounds, 24 mins), Toohey bounced back with an excellent performance later in the weekend and was one of Sydney’s better players in a tough loss.

The Kings were bested by the Hawks in a surprising result on Sunday, with the championship favourites outplayed down the stretch. Despite a disappointing finish to the game, the performance of the team’s Next Star was as solid as ever.

He maintained his spot in the starting lineup, and did everything he could to help his side maintain an unbeaten record in a tough matchup with an in-form Illawarra side. Although some of his star teammates underperformed in a crucial matchup, Toohey did not fall into the same trap.

He posted 16 points on an accurate 6/9 shooting from the field, including making four of his five attempts from inside the arc. Much of Illawarra’s defensive gameplan went into stopping star point guard Jaylen Adams, who managed just nine points on 2/12 shooting from the field, and was well held for the majority of the match.

However, Toohey picked up the slack and also nearly got the team into a winning position late in the contest. He got off to a hot start and scored seven points in the first quarter alone, which was an impressive feat considering the Kings only managed 15 points for the entire term. Without his ability to score at all three levels, the game would have nearly been over by quarter time.

He also pulled down six rebounds and dished out four assists in a well-balanced showing from the small forward, who boasts a dynamic skillset and can impact a game in more ways than one. An excellent transition scorer that can go end to end with ball in hand, Toohey should only go up the draft rankings if he continues to play at such a strong level for one of the best teams in the competition.