The World Tour 2025: Australian NBL prospects

In this edition of The World Tour, Ignacio looks at the games of Rocco Zikarsky, Izan Almansa, Alex Toohey and a number of other 2025 NBA Draft prospects from the Australian NBL.

Like many other content creators in the NBA Draft space, I was lucky to be able to connect and pick the brains of a ton of people who work in basketball and know way more about the game than I ever will during the off-season. I learned a ton during the summer, but there are three quotes that have stuck with me and that I’ll be keeping in mind as I produce content going forward:

1. “NBA teams are not going to hire you based on what you think about Cooper Flagg. It’s your knowledge of the guys in the fringes where you can really add value,” said the Director of Scouting of a pro team that I talked to during the summer.

2. “What are you seeing right here, right now that makes you think he’s not an NBA player?” I heard from an NBA scout that I met at the FIBA U18 Americas in Buenos Aires, as we were watching Josiah Moseley destroy opposing defenders. “Is it something you are seeing? Or are you too busy thinking about his recruiting ranking?”

3. “We have thousands of players to scout. During my first conversation with the team’s GM, he told me that I should be able to explain why we should take a chance on a player in two sentences or less,” said one friend who works as a personnel evaluator for an NBA team.

The three lessons then are: (1) guys on the fringe matter, (2) forget about consensus, call your shots, and (3) get to the fucking point.

This brings me to this new season of The World Tour, where I will attempt to give my thoughts on every relevant prospect in every relevant league around the world. But instead of doing a deep dive on every prospect, I’ll try to keep it brief. The final stretch of the season is for deep dives; the early days of the cycle are to actually find out who is worthy of those deep dives.

This year’s World Tour starts in Australia with the NBL.

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Karim Lopez

6’8” Wing | 17.7 Years Old | Team: New Zealand Breakers | Nationality: Mexico

Karim Lopez is the youngest player on the list and also the one with the highest long-term potential. The Mexican forward is only 17 years old and won’t be draft-eligible until 2026. However, he’s having an impressive start of the season for the New Zealand Breakers, showing his combination of physical tools, on-ball skills, and defensive potential.

Offensively, Lopez has the makings of a versatile scorer. He’s not always able to get by opponents out of sheer quickness, but his combination of 6’8” size, strength, speed, and fluidity with the ball in his hands makes him an incredibly tough assignment for defenders in the NBL when he attacks the rim. Lopez has grown into his frame over the last year, which allows him to withstand physicality and convert tough shots against contact around the basket.

Defensively, Lopez utilizes his size and length to make a consistent impact on the boards, being able to come up with contested rebounds, which allows him to initiate transition quickly with the ball in his hands. Lopez also creates defensive events at a good rate while acting as a help defender around the basket, and his combination of size and mobility allows him to stay in front of opponents and contest shots on the perimeter.

The jumper is around what you would expect from a 17-year-old who’s seeing his first minutes at the pro level while still growing into his body: inconsistent. This season Lopez is shooting 17.2% from three-point range and a poor 0.57 PPP in catch-and-shoot attempts, but his pre-NBL track record as a shooter, where he was able to convert jumpers both off the catch and off-the-dribble, as well as his smooth shooting form, could be potential indicators of development in this area.

Getting to the Point: Karim Lopez is on a path to becoming the first international player off the board in the 2026 draft and has all the talent to become the best Mexican prospect of all time; he’s certainly the best Mexican prospect I ever scouted. It’s difficult to find someone who can hold his own at the pro level at just 17 years old while also displaying a combination of defensive productivity and on-ball skills at his 6’8” size; in an average draft field, he would go at least Top 12.

Owen Foxwell

6’2” Guard | 21.4 Years Old | Team: South East Melbourne Phoenix | Nationality: Australia

Owen Foxwell is a dynamic offensive creator who started the season as a late rotation player for South East Melbourne, but he has seen his minutes and responsibilities increase after stringing together efficient output after efficient output. Over his last five games, Foxwell is averaging 10.6 points and 4.8 assists against 0.4 turnovers on 64.7% True Shooting.

His 2024-25 campaign breakthrough has a lot to do with his shooting ability; the 21-year-old guard has converted 55.6% of his three-point attempts during the season, including an absolutely ridiculous 2.20 Points Per Possession on catch-and-shoot attempts, according to Synergy. Foxwell is not just efficient as a jump shooter but also versatile, as he’s able to convert shots off the dribble, especially in pick-and-roll situations, taking advantage of defenders who go under screens.

Foxwell utilizes his threat as a shooter and his quickness as a ball-handler to operate in traffic. Once he gets a screen, Foxwell is able to get downhill, create advantages, and find open teammates, showing moments of advanced vision and creative passing deliveries. However, he’s not always able to exploit them around the basket, an area of the floor where he averages just 0.86 Points Per Possession according to Synergy.

The limitation for Foxwell, and what keeps him from being a surefire NBA prospect, is the package of physical tools. Foxwell is listed at 6’2” but looks and plays smaller than his size; even if the combination of motor and quickness allows him to guard opposing ball-handlers to a degree where his lack of elite size does not equate to him being a net negative on defense, it’s fair to wonder if he might just not pass the athletic/tools threshold for an NBA that favors smaller guards less and less every year.

Getting to the Point: Foxwell is auto-eligible next year, and at 21 years old, it’s hard to see him growing into an NBA body. However, the creative offense and scorching-hot shooting are worth at least a Summer League spot; if everything breaks out, he has a fairly high ceiling as a dynamic offensive creator in the NBA, even with his limitations around the basket.

Ben Henshall

6’5” Combo Guard | 20.9 Years Old | Team: Perth Wildcats | Nationality: Australia

After playing sparsely during his rookie NBL season, Ben Henshall is on a breakthrough campaign this year, developing into a starter for the Perth Wildcats.

The leap for Henshall has come from his exceptional shooting off the dribble, Henshall, who is averaging 1.35 Points Per Possession on dribble jumpers according to Synergy, is able to create separation and rise up for pull-up jumpers with his fluid ball-handling and his quick footwork. The catch-and-shoot game has also been a weapon for Henshall, who’s making them at a 1.08 Points Per Possession clip. His versatile shooting repertoire, as well as his consistency from the free-throw line (he’s at 88.5% on free throws for the season after shooting 92.9% the year prior) are all tremendously positive indicators of future success as a shooter.

Despite having good positional size at 6’5”, Henshall tends to struggle against physicality, which makes it difficult for him to play physically and contain bigger opponents on defense, but the bigger concern might be on the offensive end of the floor. The bad news for Henshall is that while he has been outstanding beyond the arc, he has also been non-existent around the basket: he has only 30 shot attempts at the rim, which he has made at a concerning 40% clip, according to Synergy. Henshall is quick enough with the ball in his hands to get by defenders, but it can be difficult for him to finish around the basket, especially against contact, which can get him thrown off balance with relative ease.

Besides his scoring, Henshall can make an impact with his playmaking for others. He plays as a secondary initiator for Perth, but he’s more than capable of running the offense and finding teammates, even executing advanced reads and deliveries, running pick-and-rolls, making the skip pass, and finding teammates through traffic.

Getting to the Point: Henshall has as many evident strengths (all-around shooting, playmaking for others) as he has glaring flaws (defense, playing against physicality). It’s difficult for me to see him as a 100% viable long-term starter at the NBA level, but with his shooting and his feel for the game, I would certainly consider spending a late first or an early second round pick on him and bringing him as a potential second unit point guard who, at minimum, could provide enough playmaking, floor-spacing, and size on a cheap rookie contract.

Alex Toohey

6’7” Wing | 20.6 Years Old | Team: Sydney Kings | Nationality: Australia

Alex Toohey has been a darling of this site for a while, and watching the tape it’s easy to see why.

From a physical standpoint, the 20-year-old is ready for the NBA game right now, listed at 6’7” with a strong frame and long arms that allow him to play bigger than his size and make an impact on the defensive end of the floor. With his combination of size, length, and ability to withstand contact, Toohey is able to exploit his size difference defensively against smaller opponents on the perimeter to contest and block their shots. He’s a factor on the boards as well, just due to his sheer size and length.

Toohey is not just big and strong, but he also plays physically, and he uses his combination of size, strength, and open-court speed to attack the rim in transition. Once he establishes a straight line to the rim, he gets to the paint with a ton of momentum and is able to draw fouls and finish around the basket with authority.

When it comes to his halfcourt offense, Toohey is somewhat limited. He does a good job of utilizing his combination of size and fluidity to body smaller opponents and get to his spots, but he certainly lacks a level of fluidity and explosiveness with the ball in his hands. He has a rigid handle and the ball seems to slow him down, which makes it hard for him to get by opponents out of sheer quickness and to navigate tight spaces, forcing him into tough shots against contact outside the restricted area.

With those on-ball limitations, it’s concerning that for the second straight season, Toohey is shooting below 30% from three—even more so when considering that 85% of his jump shots have been catch-and-shoot, which, in theory, should be higher percentage attempts.

Getting to the Point: Toohey can certainly find a role in the NBA with his physical tools, outstanding perimeter defense, and his ability to attack in transition. The shooting continues to be the swing skill, but in an NBA where wings are forwards are being asked to do more on-ball creation, it’s difficult to see a path where Toohey is a viable rotation player if the shot doesn’t come around; if teams have faith that the shot will come around, he’s definitely someone who could be targeted early in the second round.

Malique Lewis

6’7” Wing | 20.6 Years Old | Team: South East Melbourne Phoenix | Nationality: Trinidad and Tobago

Much like Toohey, Malique Lewis is also physically ready to play at the NBA level, being measured at 6’7” barefoot with a 7’1” wingspan and having a strong frame which allows him to be physical on both ends of the floor.

On offense, he’s a strong driver who’s very difficult to stop when he finds a straight line with his combination of size, strength, and speed with the ball in his hands. Lewis shoots 68.9% at the rim, according to Synergy, being able to convert tough layups against contact with his strength and physicality.

Defensively, he’s equally as tough and he makes it extremely hard for opponents to create space against him. With his size and length, he’s able to make an impact around the basket by securing rebounds and by contesting and blocking shots with his length. His size, however, doesn’t deter him from being a factor in the perimeter. His mobility allows him to stay in front of opponents on the perimeter and he was tasked with defending the opposing team’s ball-handlers often.

While Lewis plays in mostly an off-ball role and has his limitations as a ball-handler, he still adds value in the halfcourt with his ability to get by defenders with his physicality and his quick first step. The key for his NBA projection, however, is the shooting, and while Lewis is shooting only 27.1% from three-point range this year, with 90% of his jump shots being catch-and-shoot attempts, there are some encouraging signs. In terms of shooting motion, Lewis has a quick release and shows a repeatable upper body motion with good alignment. Lewis also has a history of reliable shooting, specifically in the G League, where he shot 34.4% from three on 150+ attempts last season.

Getting to the Point: Lewis is another case where his initial NBA contributions will mostly come on the defensive end of the floor and in transition, but he has shown some flashes with the ball in his hands and as a shooter. If those come to fruition, it’s easy to see him as a rotation player down the line, which should make him a likely early second round candidate if teams feel good about the shot.

Lachlan Olbrich

6’10” Forward | 21.0 Years Old | Team: Illawarra Hawks | Nationality: Australia

Lachlan Olbrich is a 6’10” forward who has been efficient around the basket, scoring 1.44 points per possession at the rim, according to Synergy, which puts him at the 87th percentile in the Australian NBL. Olbrich is not exactly an explosive finisher, but he’s impressive at keeping control of the ball in traffic, bodying opposing defenders in the post and finishing through contact.

This above-average fluidity with the ball in his hands is also noticeable in the perimeter and in the open court, as Olbirch is able to put the ball on the floor to exploit mismatches and, especially, to lead the break.

Olbrich complements his ball-handling ability with his exceptional feel for the game and passing vision. Olbrich has 29 total assists and 13 turnovers so far in this NBL season, and the tape shows his ability to react quickly to double teams and help defenders, finding open teammates with a level of consistency that few players at his age and size possess.

In terms of physical tools, however, Olbrich sits at an awkward spot when it comes to his NBA projection. He doesn’t move with the force and explosiveness expected of a full time rim-protector, while also lacking the elite measurements to compensate for it. In a similar vein, his fluidity allows him to play on the perimeter, but Olbrich lacks the quickness to create his own drives, and the jumper has been mostly theoretical at this point (25% on 20 total three-point attempts across the past two NBL seasons).

Getting to the Point: There are a few avenues for Olbrich to be an NBA player, but it would have to be for a team that is constructed in a way where the value that his playmaking for others brings outweighs what they lose in terms of rim protection and floor-spacing whenever he’s on the floor. For now, he mostly projects as a future NBL stand-out who would certainly be worth a Summer League spot next year.

Izan Almansa

6’10” Forward | 19.6 Years Old | Team: Perth Wildcats | Nationality: Spain

After playing one season for the now defunct G League Ignite program, Izan Almansa decided to withdraw from last year’s draft and join the Perth Wildcats, where he virtually stepped into the backup big spot that Alex Sarr, his former teammate at both Real Madrid and OTE, left after being drafted by the Washington Wizards.

Comparison is the thief of joy, but where Sarr would give Perth a much-needed defensive presence for a team that was downright atrocious at containing dribble penetration, Almansa has not made nearly a similar impact. In fact, it’s hard not to see how much better Perth is with Keanu Pinder on the floor instead of Almansa, something that seems backed up by his -4.85 Net Rating.

There are still aspects that make Almansa an interesting prospect. He’s an agile 6’10” forward who moves better in space than most players his size and is able to occasionally make an impact around the basket with his tools and athleticism. Almansa also shows enough touch on hook shots and other tough layups that allow him to compensate for his lack of elite strength and physicality.

His perimeter game has rendered interesting flashes. He’s more fluid than you would expect at his size with the ball in his hands, even though he utilizes that fluidity only in mid-distance drives out of post-ups or to execute dribble handoffs, and the jumper, even at a low volume, seems to be showing signs of life (37.5% from three on just 16 attempts during the year).

Getting to the Point: The more I watch Almansa, the more that I find myself asking what he exactly does at an NBA level; he ultimately sits at a similarly awkward spot as Olbrich: he’s not elite at rim protection or interior finishing, while the perimeter flashes aren’t consistent enough to play him at the four full-time.

I think he has some interesting tools in terms of size, length, agility, and touch around the basket that can turn him into an NBA rotation player in the future, but right now, however, you would draft him as an RSCI (or in this case, a Eurohopes) bet, hoping that he’s the player that his lofty junior level accolades suggested and not the player that his Perth tape shows.

Rocco Zikarsky

7’2” Big | 18.5 Years Old | Team: Brisbane Bullets | Nationality: Australia

Rocco Zikarsky is averaging 4.7 points per game on 55.8% True Shooting and has seen inconsistent playing time for Brisbane, which has made his evaluation a bit of a challenge during this season.

The first thing that stands out about Zikarsky is his size: he’s absolutely massive and looks as tall and long as his listed 7’2” height suggests. His physical tools allow him to affect the game around the basket on both ends of the floor simply by getting to the right spots. On offense, he’s an impeccable dunker-spot finisher who can elevate quickly to finish lobs and, especially for offensive rebounds, an area in which he’s one of the best players in the NBL (5.2 ORB per 36 minutes, 16.7 ORB% according to RealGM).

Despite his size, Zikarsky is not always able to capitalize around the basket mainly due to two aspects. He’s not always able to keep control of the ball in a crowd: he can bobble rebounds and get the ball poked away by opposing defenders. The other aspect is that despite being tall, he’s not exactly strong and he’s not always able to establish deep position in the post, which forces him into tougher off-balance shots against contact.

Defensively, the tools are there, and Zikarsky is able to utilize his length to contest and block shots around the basket, but the elite productivity expected of someone his size has not exactly been there. On the perimeter, his massive size puts him at a disadvantage: he stays too upright, not being able to get low, which makes it difficult for him when defending one-on-one outside.

Getting to the Point: I could be talked into Zikarsky as a late first round prospect with his outlier size and his movement skills, trusting that he’s closer to the stand out player we saw in FIBA events and that some of the lapses in productivity he’s been through this season have to do with his inconsistent playing time in Brisbane. If that’s the case, some team might want to take him this year before he explodes next season and commands a Top 20 pick in the 2026 draft.