2025 NBA Draft: Breaking Down The NBL Top Prospects

The NBL regular season is officially starting up and we have six notable NBA Draft prospects in that league. How do they project as future NBA players?

Rocco Zikarsky / fiba.basketball

The NBL regular season is set to begin and we have six notable NBA prospects who have a chance at being drafted in 2025 or even 2026. What’s unique about this year’s NBL class is that there are no guards. Instead, it's mostly rounded out with bigs and wings.

Let’s dive into each prospect's game.

Rocco Zikarsky | Brisbane Bullets

The top prospect in the NBL this year is Rocco Zikarsky who currently plays for the Brisbane Bullets. He’s the biggest prospect in this year’s upcoming draft as he stands at 7-foot-3 with a 7-foot-6 wingspan while weighing 225 pounds. Zikarsky dominates the paint on both ends of the floor. Defensively he’s able to anchor a defense as he alters everything around the rim with his great awareness and size.

He’s actually quite nimble and agile for his size. On the offensive end, he doesn’t offer a ton of enticing upside, but he plays a simple yet effective role at a high level. Zikarsky is a very good screen setter, roll-man and lob threat. He will even thrive as someone who sits in the dunker spot. He will have a much bigger role on the Bullets this upcoming season and as of today, he’s a projected lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Izan Almansa | Perth Wildcats

The Perth Wildcats had the number two pick in the 2024 NBA Draft play for their team this past season in Alex Sarr, who happened to be Izan Almansa’s teammate when they played in the Overtime Elite League together. Almansa ended up leaving OTE to join the G League Ignite program this past season, but the NBA ended up announcing that they are shutting down that program so it left Almansa looking for his next home where he will now be playing for Perth.

The 6-foot-10 big man is a high IQ player who has a great feel for the game on both ends of the floor. He’s a versatile defender who makes winning plays defensively. The versatile big man also is a great finisher at the rim with excellent touch inside the painted area. He consistently makes winning plays which is why he was once considered a potential lottery pick. This year in the NBL he has a chance to raise his stock if he puts up more productive numbers.

Alex Toohey | Sydney Kings

The Sydney Kings are bringing back the 6-foot-7 wing Alex Toohey for yet another season. He had a productive season for them last year, but is looking to take another step forward with a much bigger role. As of right now, his best skill is his versatility. He’s a Swiss Army knife type of player and is an ideal connector piece for a starting lineup. As a defender, he’s quite versatile as he’s able to defend multiple positions effectively while also giving maximum effort and energy.

He’s a tough player that won’t back down from a challenge. This preseason it looks like he has made strides as a shooter and with his strength as he looks much stronger. He could serve as a 3-and-D wing in the NBA which is a role that every organization desires to have on their roster. Don't be surprised if Toohey ends up being a second round pick in this year’s draft.

Malique Lewis | South East Melbourne Phoenix

Similar to Almansa, Malique Lewis is coming from the G League to the NBL except Lewis wasn’t on the Ignite roster. Last season he played for the Mexico City Capitanes. Lewis didn’t get a ton of public eyes on him so making the transition to the NBL might be what’s best for his career to get onto more scouts' radars. As of right now, the 6-foot-8 forward is best as a finisher on the offensive end. He’s a very good slasher who can finish in traffic and through contact.

When playing off the ball he’s a very smart cutter with his timing and knowing where to be. Lewis has made some improvements as an outside shooter so if he continues on the same trajectory then he could end up being a legit threat from behind the arc. The defensive tools are super enticing as he’s very long with good athleticism. He has some defensive playmaking and versatility in his arsenal. There are some consistency issues with Lewis but he’s in the right situation to show off his ceiling and how he’s able to produce while winning.

Lachlan Olbrich | Illawarra Hawks

The Illawarra Hawks elected to bring back the 6-foot-10 big man Lachlan Olbrich who showed promise in the minutes he was given for the Hawk last season. The skilled big showed his ability to serve as a stretch big as he has very good touch and overall shooting ability. His ability to play without the ball is quite impressive. Olbrich is more than just a shooter though as he’s a good rebounder as well.

You can always count on him to hustle and play with a ton of energy. When getting a defensive rebound he has grab-and-go ability so you can rely on him to lead a break when it’s needed. Olbrich’s overall feel for the game is impressive as he has a solid basketball IQ and it shows on the floor. He’s not some elite prospect, but he’s someone NBA teams could consider with their second-round draft picks.

Karim Lopez | New Zealand Breakers

The youngest player in the NBL this upcoming season is Karim Lopez who will be playing for the New Zealand Breakers. You should expect a bumpy season out of Lopez as he’s still trying to fill out his frame while also learning how to play the right way. He’s a very skilled wing who shows great talent as a scorer. He can shoot it, finish and create for others. The offensive potential is quite enticing.

He’s also physically and athletically advanced for someone at 17 years old and it shows when he plays against his age group. He probably won’t get a ton of minutes right away, but expect him to be learning a lot about how to play winning and team basketball which will help him as a player in the long run. Lopez is actually not even eligible for the 2025 NBA Draft due to age as he was born in 2007, but expect the young wing to be a lottery pick candidate for the 2026 NBA Draft.

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