Draft to start at 10am Australian eastern time Thursday on ESPN, Kayo and Disney

“Some might think that his season in Brisbane killed him – [that] the way he was managed killed his NBA prospects – but we saw Ariel Hukporti get drafted and play some minutes, and I would think Rocco can do anything Ariel can, and Rocco is a couple of years younger and a few inches taller.

“Someone is going to take the risk on him and I think he’ll play minutes next season.”

Many outlets create mock drafts based on educated predictions on where players could end up. In an insight into where the four Aussies could land, The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie had Proctor going to Brooklyn at pick No.36, Toohey going to San Antonio at pick 38, Zikarsky going to Toronto at pick 39 and Olbrich to Utah at pick 53 in his mock draft on June 12.

What makes Zikarsky stand out?

Zikarsky lived in a house made out of shipping containers in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, and he knows his first NBA destination could be anywhere among the 30 franchises.

“I’ve been happy with every team I’ve visited, and I’m happy to get drafted and be in the NBA. Location doesn’t matter. All I need is a basketball hoop and a place to sleep, and I’ll be fine,” Zikarsky, 18, said.

Zikarsky is the tallest player in this year’s draft pool and teams need match-ups for 7′4″ (224cm) French superstar Wembanyama, who shapes as the future of the NBA.

Zikarsky has spent two seasons with the NBL’s Brisbane Bullets, playing sparingly but spending his days around hardened professionals like Aron Baynes and Casey Prather.

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He added more than 14 kilograms to his frame in the past season, despite battling injury woes and playing 12 minutes per game in 18 games – that’s no mean feat for someone who was constantly on the go between training, weights and other professional commitments.

“Mum’s been the driving force in the kitchen,” Zikarsky said.

“We’ve tweaked a couple of meal recipes that Mum used to make for me growing up, so you still have that feeling of a home-cooked meal.

“I wouldn’t say I’ve changed a lot from what I used to do – it’s just the amounts and when I’m consuming them.

“It’s finding the time to eat. That sounds weird, but finding the time to eat that doesn’t conflict with getting on the floor, or the gym on a full stomach. It took adjusting but’s like clockwork now.”

Some NBA observers think a team will draft Zikarsky in the second round and “stash” him back in the NBL to keep maturing, but he wants the chance to develop in the US, moving between a franchise’s NBA and G-League rosters.

“I want to be in the states and working on my body and, with all the teams I’ve spoken to, they understand that development is a big thing,” Zikarsky said.

“That could be spending time in the G-League and coming up and playing in the NBA as well – situations where I can be in the facility and getting that development piece in as well.”

How much will draft picks earn?

The first pick is expected to earn about $US13.8 million (about $21.3 million) next season and $US14.5 million in season 2026-27. Subsequent picks will earn slightly less on a sliding scale down to pick 30 on $US2.7 million next season.

Second-round picks get no such guarantees, but they present great value as franchises can choose to sign players to guaranteed, non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed contracts.

Australian guard Johnny Furphy is a good example. Last year he missed out on the first round before the San Antonio Spurs drafted him at pick 35 and then traded him to the Indiana Pacers, who offered him a five-year deal, guaranteed for three seasons at a little under $US2 million per season. He’s just played in the NBA finals.

If a player is drafted, that team “owns” his NBA rights, and he can only join whichever team has those rights, though they can be on-traded to other teams.

Are any NBL Next Stars in the mix?

The NBL also has Next Stars forward Izan Almansa in the draft, while South East Melbourne Phoenix forward Malique Lewis withdrew from this year’s draft and will return to the Australian league for next season in hope of boosting his position for 2026.

Almansa, a Spanish international who played with Perth this past season is seen as being on the border between the first and second round. Toohey and Zikarsky are also NBL Next Stars.

Why should we care about the Pelicans?

The New Orleans Pelicans have picks seven and 23 in the first round and most Australians wouldn’t pay attention unless they take a local player, but the Pelicans have a connection to Melbourne this year as they prepare to play two pre-season games at Rod Laver Arena, first against Melbourne United on October 3, then two days later against South East Melbourne.

That will likely mean the players taken will make their first NBA appearances in those games.

Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears shapes as a possible pick at seven for the Pelicans, although they could package both picks and try to trade up for a higher selection.

They’ve also traded former All-Star CJ McCollum to Washington for Jordan Poole in a four-team deal.

Will there be trades?

Oh, yes. The trades have already started, with Indiana and New Orleans swapping a 2026 first-round pick, which goes to the Pacers, for the rights to Australian guard Mojave King and pick 23 in the draft.

Current players can also be traded on the night, as can this year’s draft picks, future picks and players who were drafted earlier in the night. Silver will announce trades as they become official; some aren’t made official by the NBA until after the draft but are reported during the night by broadcasters or journalists.

Boston Celtics have already made two trades to move veterans Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis while Kevin Durant was traded from Phoenix to Houston.

What has fashion got to do with the draft?

Quite a bit, actually. Players who attend the first round generally wear suits, sometimes custom-made ones, to mark the occasion and decorate their first walk onto the NBA stage.

The league also makes special NBA draft hats each year, which players receive after being selected. Those hats can be changed over or swapped if a trade is made.

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Some suits become famous or infamous, depending on their reception – LeBron James wore an all-white suit when he was drafted in 2002, while Samaki Walker’s white hat and jacket in 1996, Drew Gooden’s long jacket in 2003 and Jalen Rose’s red pinstripes in 1995 still ring out.

Roy Ward’s mock draft: The top five picks

No.1 – Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks)
No.2 – Kon Knueppel (San Antonio Spurs)
No.3 – Dylan Harper (Philadelphia 76ers)
No.4 – Khaman Maluach (Charlotte Hornets)
No.5 – Ace Bailey (Utah Jazz)

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