THE NATIONAL Basketball League (NBL) Next Stars program has proved fruitful as a pathway to the NBA Draft, with plenty of players reaching the top level after honing their craft in a professional competition for a season or two.

There have even been a handful of players that have been selected in the Top 10, such is the respect the competition has received in recent years. It allows players to put their talents to the test against fully developed opponents, which is a truer indicator than the college system.

Another five players came through the program this year, with the likes of Alex Toohey and Rocco Zikarsky hopeful to hear their names called out at the 2025 NBA Draft in June, having put together impressive stints in the NBL.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will be ranking the best NBL Next Stars to ever come through the system, with some big names having taken the step to the elite level since their time on Australian shores.

Top 10 Next Stars

10. Rocco Zikarsky – Brisbane Bullets

The big man has had mixed results in the NBL over his two-year stint in the competition, but it is impossible to deny his initial impact when joining the Bullets. Zikarsky stormed onto the competition with a magnificent debut season, which also catapulted him into top-10 contention heading into the 2024/25 season. Although a combination of form slumps and injuries prevented him from maintaining that level of input, he has still shown that he can compete against the biggest bodies in the competition, and is still a strong chance of being selected in the 2025 NBA Draft.

9. RJ Hampton – New Zealand Breakers

Hampton was one of the best prospects in the world when he joined the Breakers, and although a hip injury hampered his development, he still did enough to show the NBA he was worthy of a first round selection, and was eventually selected with the 24th pick. During his time with the Breakers, the point guard showed glimpses of his potential as a scorer, and averaged 8.8 points per game during his sole season in the NBL. His talent was truly on display in the first four games of the season, where the US native averaged 17 points and looked a star in the making before injuries forced Hampton to miss a month, and eventually hamper him for the rest of the season. Regardless, he still shone when he got a clean bill of health and helped build the program as a legitimate landing spot.

8. Karim Lopez – New Zealand Breakers

Although he has only completed the first year of a two-season stint in the Breakers, Lopez has shown enormous potential and still looms as an early selection in the 2026 NBA Draft. The Mexican young gun has looked extremely comfortable at NBL level and looks every bit the exciting prospect that he was expected to be when joining the program. Averaging 9.6 points per game, Lopez slotted into New Zealand’s lineup seamlessly, and consistently displayed the athletic talent he possesses, putting plenty of pressure on the rim and using his freakish leaping ability to block shots despite not being the tallest player. Although he still has one season to come, the sky is the limit for Lopez as it stands, and he looks destined to be a first-round selection next year.

7. Alex Toohey – Sydney Kings

Sydney uncovered a gem throughout the past two seasons, with Toohey becoming an integral part of the Kings’ rotation in his second season and storming up the rankings ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft in June. He was solid in his first campaign with the Kings, but took the leap in his second season and became the best young player in the competition. He averaged 10.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.5 steals a game, and found his niche as a two-way slasher who can also knock down shots from long range. As the season rolled on, other areas of his game developed too, with Toohey becoming much more reliable with his dribbling and playmaking, and has warranted selection at the top level in the coming months.

6. Bobi Klintman – Cairns Taipans

The Taipans found a genuine scorer with their Next Star from last season, with Klintman hitting the scoreboard consistently for the NBL’s northernmost team. Hailing from Sweden, the forward took some time but eventually found his footing under Adam Forde, who showed plenty of faith in the Next Star and this saw Klintman boost his game enough to be selected with the 37th pick. During his time in a Taipans uniform, Klintman showed the ability to take over matches, scoring heavily in quick bursts, and averaged 9.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.

5. Ariel Hukporti – Melbourne United

Although he spent a fair chunk of time on the sidelines, Hukporti utilised his time in the gym to become one of the strongest players in the NBL. When he returned to United’s rotation, he was more than happy to throw his weight around and proved to be one of the most physically imposing big men in the competition. Averaging 7.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, he became a crucial piece to Dean Vickerman‘s side, coming off the bench and having a consistent impact on the game as a lob threat, rebounder and shot blocker. Now playing on the New York Knicks, Hukporti has found his feet in the NBA, and although he is injured again, should show the same resilience that has served him so well to date.

4. Ousmane Dieng – New Zealand Breakers

The Breakers have found a knack for identifying and developing young talent through the Next Stars program, and Dieng is the epitome of how successful that has been. The French talent came to the Breakers expected to be a strong draft chance, but his development over the course of the season launched Dieng up the draft boards. Although the forward had been solid for most of the fixture, it was his stretch at the end of the season that ended up defining his NBL campaign, averaging 14 points from February onwards and becoming a consistent double-digit scorer. After this, he was selected with the 11th overall pick by the Oklahoma City Thunder, and has been developing his game in the G-League.

3. Alexandre Sarr – Perth Wildcats

The highest ever draft selection from the NBL Next Stars program, Sarr was always destined for stardom since he joined the Wildcats for NBL24. The French big man was always a standout for Perth, emerging as a shotblocking big man who can stretch the floor or score inside. Combining well with some of the more experienced campaigners for Perth, he did enough to maintain his standing as one of the top prospects in the world, and was selected with the second overall pick by the Washington Wizards. He is now the team’s starting big man and has a bright future ahead of him.

2. Joshua Giddey – Adelaide 36ers

Australia’s future at international level, Giddey was the first Australian player to join the program and paved the way for the likes of Toohey and Zikarksy to work on their craft in their home country. The Sixers greatly benefited from Giddey’s balanced play, and he looked completely comfortable controlling the tempo for Adelaide despite being the least experienced player on the court most of the time. Giddey was also taken in the top 10 of the NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder, and after being traded to the Chicago Bulls, has been thriving of late, proving one of the form players of the NBA in the past month.

1. Lamelo Ball – Illawarra Hawks

The poster boy for the Next Stars program, it would not be unrealistic to say that Ball changed the trajectory of the NBL when he signed with the Hawks. Hailing from one of the most famous families in modern basketball, it was a world-class signing for Illawarra to attain the services of one of the best prospects in the world, and paid dividends for Ball’s career. The point guard made the NBL must-see TV for fans not only in Australia, but all over the globe ahead of the NBA Draft, and averaged 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists per game in a masterful display of his skills. Ball was then drafted third overall by the Charlotte Hornets, and is now one of the superstars of the NBA.