Scouting the Aussie and Kiwi skill in the 2024-25 college
The college basketball season is upon us, which implies a load of Australian and New Zealand’s finest young talent is set to be on show.This will be a particularly intriguing season, from the point of view of those from the Oceania region of the world, due to the fact that there are so many unknowns. Those on NBA radars still have so much to reveal, how some high-profile transfers fare will be fascinating to track, and, naturally, there are those that NBL teams have their eyes keenly locked on to.Here are the key players and storylines to look out for as the brand-new college basketball season enters complete swing.Can Proctor put
it all together?Tyrese Proctor ideally would have just
had one season at Duke. He will enter his third. Such is the dance one does when it comes to one’s draft stock and when NBA groups might be interested in your services, if ever.The good idea is that the 6’6 combo guard out of Sydney began his career as a Blue
Devil early, so he’s still simply twenty years old and still firmly on NBA radars entering into among the most awaited seasons in the program’s history.All eyes will be on this Duke team that features forecasted No. 1 overall choice Cooper Flagg, and the expectation is that Proctor will be the starting point guard who runs the program. He’s coming off a sophomore season where he made incremental enhancements- averaging 10.5 points and 3.7 assists per game, and bumping that three-point shooting approximately 35.2%-and has actually been available in at No. 28 on ESPN’s latest top-100 ranking of the best readily available players for the 2025 NBA Draft.”He remains in that NBA discussion already, “ESPN’s draft expert, Jonathan Givony, said. “To preserve that, he needs to be aggressive
. He requires to reveal that he can be assertive. He’s the old guy on this team now.
He’s the only guy in this starting five that has his 2 years of experience under his belt now. He’s the just one in the beginning 5 who’s played in the NCAA Tournament. He needs to utilize that experience and have his foot on the gas each time he steps on the court. Tyrese Proctor is set to run the show for Duke this season as he looks to reignite hopes of a future in the NBA Grant Halverson/Getty Images” He needs to make shots, and play in the choice and roll, and find guys, and hold his own defensively. He’s never gon na be the greatest, most athletic guy out there, but he has some real size for the point player spot, so he’s got ta show that he can utilize that on both ends of the flooring, his feel for the game.”Proctor has actually constantly been known as a top-level shot creator -both for himself and others -but has yet to actually take off with consistent, considerable production for Jon Scheyer’s team. There have actually absolutely been flashes of it, and the capacity is clear, so the next action that will help him in the eyes of NBA groups is to play on the front foot with some level of consistency.”A great deal of games, you watch him and you’re like: is Tyrese Proctor level there? “Givony said.”That can’t be the case this year. Jon Scheyer informed me. He said, ‘Cooper Flagg
is incredible, Kon Knueppel and our freshmen class is fantastic, these guys are so gifted, however, for us to do what we wan na do this year, it’s all gon na begin with our guards ‘… he’s currently talking about Tyrese. He’s speaking about Caleb Foster too, but, with Caleb Foster, you don’t need to tell him when to shoot; he’s always going to be aggressive. With Tyrese, it comes and goes, so that’s what we wan na see from him this year.” What will Alex Condon’s leap appearance like?It’s safe to state that Alex Condon is primed for a breakout season.The big-man out of Perth was a crucial piece for Florida last season-balancing 7.7 points and 6.4 rebound per game -and his function is only anticipated to increase entering into the 2024-25
project. “The expectation for him is going to increase a lot,”Florida head
coach Todd Golden said at SEC Media Day.”It’s going to be a big obstacle for him. We’re developing around him and Walter [Clayton] and Alijah [
Martin] and Will [Richard] I expect him to play his tail off every night.
That was among the important things that made him so special in 2015 was how competitive he was as a freshman. “The buzz around Condon is warranted, and two-fold. From an NBA perspective, there’s a chance he can work his way into the 2025 draft conversation, with his size and two-way capability of intrigue to groups. He wore for the Australian Boomers during a pair of exhibition games in June, and would likely enter the discussion for nationwide team basketball for significant global tournaments from 2027 and beyond.Condon is also an elite Australian Guidelines football player, with Collingwood signing him to a Classification B contract in the AFL in case his NBA path does not pan out. “He’s 6’11, very mobile, revealed some flashes of being able to shoot the three, which is very interesting when you’re a five who can protect the rim,”Givony stated.”It’s what everybody is trying to find: that unicorn guy who can block shots on one end and make 3s on the other, and be a good decision-maker.
The question is: how much has the game decreased for him? Just how much can he consistently impact winning?”There was an absence of physicality last year at times, there was a
absence of strength, an absence of decision-making, however you expect that from a freshman; specifically someone who’s brand-new to the game, he didn’t actually fully shift to the sport up until late. I think, now that he’s a sophomore, and has some springs under his belt and played 20 minutes a game
as a freshman, people are gon na wan na see you take that dive.”Condon had a knee injury heading into this season he might be restricted early on, but, faster than later, he must be a popular starter for this Florida team that comes in as a likely top-25 group. Alex Condon is set to play an increased role at Florida this season Andy Lyons/Getty Images Kiwis worth tracking There are a few New Zealanders playing college basketball at the division-1 level, but Julius Halaifonua is the one that stands out.The 7-footer out of Auckland is entering his freshman season at Georgetown, following a stint at the NBA Global Academy in Canberra. The big-man has actually already represented his nation at the senior level-betting the Tall Blacks in a FIBA Asia Cup qualifier -and there’s an expectation that he might make an effect from day one with the Hoyas.Halaifonua’s size is what sticks out, however it’s the reality that he’s a high-IQ, proficient big who can stretch it out to beyond the three-point line that makes him intriguing as a possible NBA possibility down the line. “It sounds like they’re pretty excited about what he’s shown up until now, “Givony stated.”I believe we’re gon na have to see what his body looks like, and what has he been able to do from a conditioning perspective? Defensively is going to be the big concern for a guy like him. He’s so skilled offensively. He can truly pass, he can step outdoors and make threes, he has fantastic footwork, he has terrific touch, so I believe there’s a lot there. He’s just 18, so it does not
need to occur for him immediately.”The 18-year-old is an exceptionally rounded offending player, and about to start his college profession with a program with a strong history of finishing big-men to the NBA; Patrick Ewing, Dikembe Mutombo, Alonzo Grieving, Roy Hibbert, and Greg Monroe are amongst the centres who’ve been prepared out of Georgetown.Ben Gold is also a Kiwi who could be in for a considerable season at Marquette.The 6 ’11 forward has a lot of tools- he’s a solid athlete and took a material leap in his three-point shooting last season-and it
seems like it’s just a matter of time up until he puts everything together. Out of Wellington, Gold is coming off a sophomore season where he balanced 5.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game for the Golden Eagles, shooting 35.9%from downtown, on 3.2 efforts per game.Reyne Smith and Anthony Dell’Orso: the ever-intriguing transfers There are two Australians who have actually made the most of college basketball’s brand-new NIL rules.
Julius Halaifonua headlines the New Zealand talent to view in the brand-new college basketball season Luis Veniegra/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images We’re speaking about Reyne Smith and Anthony Dell’ Orso, naturally. Both guards shone at smaller sized schools, leading to a stack of interest from high majors for a significant amount of money. For context, both would be making more than a lot of imports in
the NBL.Smith’s track record as a sharpshooter grew over his three seasons at Charleston, shooting 37% from downtown over his career as a Cougar, on 7.8 efforts a game. When his head coach at Charleston, Pat Kelsey, got the top job at Louisville, it made good sense for the Tasmanian guard to follow him to the storied program.When Smith signed with Louisville, Kelsey called him “among the very best shooters on the planet at his age”, so this is a chance for the Australian senior to play the function of complementary shooter for a team and program that’s hoping for a deep competition run this coming season.The same can be stated for Dell’Orso, who used an elite season at Campbell University-19.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, shooting 38%from downtown-to garner numerous offers from high major schools. The 6 ‘6 guard out of Melbourne chose to transfer to Arizona for his junior year, joining a growing list of Australians who have actually been part of the program -Josh Green and Keanu Pinder, among others-with the expectation of playing a crucial role for Tommy Lloyd’s team.Nicknamed ‘Delly’-
obviously-Dell’Orso is hoping to utilize his transfer to Arizona as a springboard to the NBA, so the thing worth tracking will be how his game equates from the mid-major to the high-major level. There’s clear positional size and shooting, while the Wildcats have a solid advancement program and track record of graduating players to the NBA, so it’s reasonable to think there’s a legitimate path for the 21-year-old. “My goal is the NBA,”Dell’Orso said at his Media Day press conference.”That’s what I have actually always imagined. I can come here and I know I can improve, and I have the pieces around me that can assist me improve. They can offer me everything I require in order to get to that objective … if this is the very best location that’s going to establish me the very best, that’s where I want to go.
“The breakout candidates Achor currently had his breakout season at Samford over the 2023-24 campaign-assisting the Bulldogs to a conference championship-and now, after transferring to Kansas State, we’ll see if he can reach another level beyond that.Over his junior year at Samford, Achor averaged 16.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, while shooting 43.5%from downtown; his most remarkable efficiency being available in the NCAA Tournament, where he dropped 23 points and 8 rebounds versus
Kansas. The 6’9 forward out of Melbourne was the leading scorer and rebounder for the Bulldogs, so he forecasts as a starter for Jerome Tang’s Kansas State team.Another Australian who’s had steady improvement throughout the years, and is worth watching on to see how he grows with a modification of landscapes, is Mawot Mag.The 6’7 wing -likewise out of Melbourne -just finished his 4th year at Rutgers, averaging 9.1 points per game
last season, and is now set for
a campaign with BYU. Mag is a top-level defender who should be able to guard one-through-four in the Big 12, and brings a motor and athleticism to his Cougars side.Editor’s Picks Once again, Saint Mary’s and Portland load up on Australians There are always those schools that go heavy on their recruitment of Australians.Saint Mary’s is, obviously, among those; they’ll enter into the brand-new season with three Australians on their roster.: Harry Wessells, Josh Damage, and Rory Hawke.Wessells is one to watch on. The 7’1 big-man played simply under
10 minutes per game last season-balancing 4.2 points and 3.4 rebounds a contest -and could be in for another increase in chance. The native of Boddington, Western Australia hung out with the Boomers ahead of their 2023 FIBA World Cup campaign, and he made glowing evaluations from numerous national team players who spoke to ESPN, so he’s primed for a leap of some sort.Dent will be entering his freshman season at Saint Mary’s and, while it is difficult to strike the flooring as a first-year player, the word out of Moraga is that the
6’3 guard
has actually been shooting the ball exceptionally well over preseason workouts. He
‘s the more youthful sibling of former NBL player, Lachlan Dent, and has an opportunity
to work his way into Randy Bennett’s rotation.Portland is the other school with a stack of Australians.They’ll go into the new season with 4, which is now commonplace under head coach Shantay Legans, who’s been among the best employers of skill from the Oceania region over the past few seasons; initially at Eastern Washington, and now at Portland.Austin Rapp is going into his freshman year with the Pilots, coming off an NBL season as an advancement player for the South East Melbourne Phoenix. The 6 ’10 stretch big has had a lot of success through the junior nationwide group ranks and with the state of Victoria, so his very first season in Portland is a much-anticipated one. One of Rapp’s junior nationwide group peers, Carlin Briggs, will join him as a freshman in Portland. The 6’7 wing is one of the nation’s most intriguing young prospects.Melbourne’s Bol Dengdit- a 6 ’11 big-man-is returning for his second season with Portland, coming off an admirable freshman year where he averaged 6.2 points and 4.8 rebounds, in simply over 20 minutes per game.Max Mackinnon -a 6’6 wing and child of Sam Mackinnon -is coming off back-to-back double-digit scoring seasons
at Elon, so there’s some optimism on how he’ll carry out at this level.Who NBL groups are eyeing There are some players entering into this college basketball season that a lot of NBL groups will likely end up fighting over.Smith, Achor, and Mag will be the crucial ones, while Dell’Orso will also be of interest, though he’s still
a junior.Oscar Cluff is also an interesting name here. The 6 ’11 big-man out of the Sunshine Coast spent his very first 2 seasons at a JUCO, before balancing 7.0 points and 4.4 rebounds per game as a junior at Washington State. He’s because transferred to South Dakota State, where he should get a broadened chance to show his worth.With the scarcity of regional bigs in the NBL, his size alone makes him interesting to teams in Australia.The very same chooses Harrison Hornery, who’s entering his senior year at USC. The 6 ’10 forward’s role has actually expanded every season, and
he’s coming off a project where he averaged 3.3 points and 2.8 rebounds, in 13.9 minutes per game, for the Trojans.Jayden Stone is set to play his senior year at West Virginia, following a season at Detroit Mercy where he was the most productive Australian in college basketball, balancing 20.8 points per game. The 6′ 4 guard out of Perth is a shifty three-level scorer, and a career 34.7 percent three-point shooter over his time in
college.The final name worth highlighting here is Kobe Williamson, a 6’8 forward entering his senior year at Seattle. The native of Melbourne is an experienced big who’s
been an effective connective piece on both ends for the Redhawks over his time in the program, and that’s what might translate to the pros; believe a Kyle Bowen type. Williamson averaged a career-high 8.9 points and 5.7 rebounds per game as a junior.