Rocco Zikarsky, Alex Toohey, Lachlan Olbrich and Tyrese Proctor have journeyed the Australian development pathway and will aim to have their name added to an esteemed list of basketball alumni next week.
Alex Condon and Ben Henshall were part of the 2025 NBA Draft pool but have since withdrawn after participating in the pre-draft process and combine. Condon will return to college with the Florida Gators, while Henshall will weigh up NCAA and professional options for the upcoming season.
Jason Smith, Basketball Australia’s, EGM of High Performance spoke to the role of identification and talent projection in recruiting for Australia’s elite pathways and national teams.
“There’s an intersection at the state development program level where key prospects and key athletes are identified to come to national performance camps, national team selection and squad participation,” said Smith.
“From age bracket between 16 – 20, we are tracking the progression of the athletes to ensure they are measuring right and can satisfy a minimum criterion to be identified and who we’re investing in to come to the CoE, because ultimately, we anticipate they’re going to be a future Opal or Boomer,”
“We know what type of athlete we require and who will help us (Basketball Australia) perform in the biggest arenas, typically World Cups and Olympic Games. We then apply a lens over the junior cohort to help determine who we are going to invest in and why, to ensure that the CoE is continuing to provide us (Basketball Australia) with the best level of talent that fits the criteria and can compete at a senior level or at an international benchmark event,” said Smith.
The four Australians eligible for the NBA Draft have also represented Australia at either the junior or senior level which reflects the effectiveness of the pathway. The success of the system can be measured with the contingent in America’s pro leagues, with Australia ranked 3rd in the NBA and 2nd in the WNBA for international representation.
The same journey has been furrowed by some of Australia’s household names including Ezi Magbegor, Josh Giddey, Lauren Jackson, Tess Madgen, Andrew Bogut and Ben Simmons.
Smith spoke adamantly on the synergy of athlete identification from the junior level towards the national and professional level.
“It’s a very sophisticated process (recruiting athletes for the CoE) and with that there is the basketball lens on top of what we are evaluating” said Smith.
“When we watch them (athletes) play games we look at how well they perform amongst their team-mates. Are they a good team-mate? Are they a leader? Are they a big shot maker? Do they like tough environments? Do they have grit? What’s their temperament like?”
“So, there’s a visual component that requires some analysis from our top-level coaches and then there’s the data around physical attributes like height, length, speed, vertical jump and then add the basketball skill set capabilities,” added Smith.
“When you put that together, you’ve got a data set you can use to determine who the potential candidates are so that we can invest in them and invite into the CoE program.”
At the recent NBA Draft Combine, some of these measurables stood out, both physically and in skill-based testing.
Rocco Zikarsky has added size to his towering 7'3" frame and elite 9'6.5" standing reach. Duke guard Tyrese Proctor drew comparisons to recent first-round picks for his polished playmaking and basketball IQ, while Alex Toohey impressed scouts with his size, defensive instincts, and selfless play.
Meanwhile Lachlan Olbrich made the most of his time on court, putting on one of the week’s most impactful performances.
As scouts take learnings from the Combine, all eyes turn to the 2025 NBA Draft, which will be held June 25 – 26 in Brooklyn, New York.
Round One kicks off at 8 PM ET (10 AM AEST, June 26) on the first night, with Round Two the following day.
