NATIONAL Basketball League (NBL) Next Star Alex Toohey has been going about his business as a member of the Sydney Kings so far this season, and continued that trend with another impressive performance over the weekend.

The Kings faced off against the Cairns Taipans at Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday afternoon, looking to bounce back after a poor showing against the Adelaide 36ers resulted in Sydney’s second loss of the 2024/25 season.

The Kings were ruthless from the opening quarter in their clash against Cairns, jumping out to a 10-point lead at quarter time. It was a sign of things to come, with Sydney winning all four quarters and gradually expanding the margin to eventually snag a 26-point win over an in-form Cairns unit.

Although it was a balanced team performance, Toohey continues to shine for the Kings, and is only boosting his draft stock with consistently strong outings.

Sydney Kings (99) def. Cairns Taipans (73)

Alex Toohey – 15 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals, one block

Toohey was one of Sydney’s best in the win over the Taipans at home on Sunday, playing his role to perfection and showing exactly why his draft stock is improving as each week passes.

He poured in a solid 15 points on 6/11 shooting from the field, looking increasingly confident in his scoring ability, while also affecting the game in other ways with six boards, three dimes, a pair of steals and a swat.

Despite being one of the least experienced players on the court, he manages to keep a cool head at all times, and is not bodied out of contests easily. Toohey has an excellent mix of size, build and speed that makes him a tough matchup defensively.

His potential was shown in the first quarter, when he swatted a Taipans shot, gathered the rebound, stormed down the other end of the court, drove inside with a crafty eurostep and finished with his non-preferred hand through contact for an and-one finish.

It was the perfect example of how high his ceiling is, and how versatile a skillset he possesses. It was one of the highlights of the match and would have caught the eye of recruiters around the world given how impressive the individual effort was.

Toohey is currently projected to be around the 30th pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, but he is set to climb the rankings if he continues to perform at this level. Being able to contribute at a high level within the starting lineup of one of the best teams in the NBL is a massive positive for how his game will translate to the top level, and is unlikely to go unnoticed by NBA scouts.