Nets' Draft Scouting Starting Early in Australia

Per reports, Sean Marks is heading to Australia to look at some NBL talent.

Jan 29, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks court side prior to the game against the Utah Jazz at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets are kicking off their 2025 draft scouting relatively early, as Olgun Uluc of ESPN Australia & New Zealand reported that 22 NBA teams will be at the 2024 NBL Blitz, with Nets GM Sean Marks being one of 25 scouts and executives.

A total of 25 NBA scouts and front office executives - representing 22 teams - are set to attend the 2024 NBL Blitz; that includes one General Manager - the Brooklyn Nets’ Sean Marks - and multiple assistant GMs. Details on @ESPNAusNZ.https://t.co/jnHvRIe40S

— Olgun Uluc (@OlgunUluc) September 4, 2024

The NBL Blitz is a preseason tournament running from Saturday to Saturday, showcasing some of the top talent for scouts. According to Uluc, multiple projected picks will be playing in the tournament.

Brooklyn will have as many as four first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. They have their own after a trade with the Rockets made in June, but have other picks coming in from the New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks, as well as one that will come from one of the Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, or Phoenix Suns, depending on a plethora of situations.

Marks, a New Zealand native, will have the opportunity to see many prospects, including Rocoo Zikarsky, Izan Almansa, and Alex Toohey among others. All three have been featured on ESPN's most recent 2025 mock draft.

The NBL has already produced elite NBA talent in the past. LaMelo Ball, Alex Sarr, and Josh Giddey highlight the lottery picks, while there's plenty of other first and second-round talent to have come through the NBL.

Ball has been by far in a way the best player to get drafted out of the NBL, becoming an All-Star and franchise player for the Charlotte Hornets. While he drew a lot of attention to the league, NBA talent hiding in plain sight is nothing new for the NBL.

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