NBA Draft: Can Alex Toohey Correct the Record This Season?

After a strong start to the 2023-24 NBL season, Next Star Alex Toohey went cold and ended up withdrawing from the NBA Draft. Can he course-correct this season?

May 12, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; Atlanta Hawks general manager Landry Fields after the Hawks get the number one pick in the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery at McCormick Place West. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports / David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

At 6-foot-7 and 205 pounds, NBL Next Star wing Alex Toohey has the body scouts are looking for. He’s physical and uses his imposing presence to have an impact on the game. He can cushion tough drives without fouling, and attack the glass on both ends of the floor with a fearless fervor that can tilt the possession advantage in his team's favor. Toohey has basketball IQ, he moves to open spots, cuts well, and is able to not only get so many rebounds but also loose balls because of his overall instincts and understanding of the cause and effect of the sport. 

An honest NBA comparison for Toohey might be the New York Knicks Josh Hart. He probably never becomes that level of a rebounder, but could continue to punch above his weight on the glass. But another similarity between Hart and Toohey’s game? Streaky 3-point shooting. It’s precisely what led to Toohey withdrawing from the 2024 NBA Draft as his stock plummeted in sync with his 3-point percentage. 

In November of last season, Toohey was averaging 10.64 points per game, 4.36 rebounds per game, and 0.93 assists per game on 44/38/70 shooting splits. Pair that with his size, 6-foot-10 wingspan, and impressive basketball IQ and he was exactly what NBA teams were looking for in a second-round pick: shooting, size, and some intellect-based upside. But that was Toohey’s peak, and he never returned to it. 

Toohey ended last season averaging 8.34 points per game on 44/27/69 shooting splits. His playing time stayed consistent but the shot never bounced back. Toohey moved into the late second round of mock drafts, and then out of them entirely. He withdrew and will be spending another season with the NBL’s Sydney Kings on a Next Star deal. The Kings finished the previous season in the play-in but brought back former NBL MVP Xavier Cooks this offseason. 

With Cooks, the Kings could have the quality to compete for an NBL title if he plays the way he did before his departure. Toohey will have ample opportunity to prove himself against professionals in a high-stakes environment, and with South Sudan’s Bul Kuol on the roster as well they could form a dynamic two-way wing duo that helps this team reach a new level this season. 

The opportunity is there for Toohey to show scouts that his hot start last season was not a fluke, and is the player he is. A high-IQ ferocious and physical wing who can stretch the floor. Proving himself as a consistent and reliable spot-up shooter will do a world of good for his draft stock, and if he can add some movement shooting attempts to his repertoire he could maybe sneak into the end of the first round, even in a stronger class. 

Those are big ifs for Toohey, whose extended cold slump last season made many cast doubts on what his future really is. But he is still only 20 years old, with plenty of time to prove what he’s capable of and he’ll be able to do that this season with the Sydney Kings.

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