Australians blanked but Next Stars shine in draft

• ‍Next Gen Luka sees NBL Next Star to path to NBA‍
• Josh Giddey's future is uncertain as Minnesota and Phoenix monitor Chicago ahead of the NBA Draft‍
• NBL Next Stars send global NBA message at 2026 adidas Eurocamp

For just the third time since 2018, no Australians were selected in the annual NBA Draft.

But the Australian connect remained strong with NBL Next Stars Karim Lopez, 19, and Malique Lewis, 21, drafted by the Memphis Grizzles (21) and Malique Lewis (60).

They are the 15th and 16th NBL Next Stars to be drafted.

Australians Oscar Cluff, Max Mackinnon, Ben Henshall and Anthony Dell’Orso went undrafted and will now look to the 2026 Summer League in Las Vegas next month.

2026 NBA Draft Tracker – 1st Round

Today's 2026 NBA Draft Tracker – 2nd Round

Former NBL Next Star Lopez was taken by the Grizzlies via the Detroit Pistons

Lopez played two seasons with the New Zealand Breakers and is the first Mexican-born player taken the first round. He was expected to be a lottery pick but slipped seven positions.

Lewis played two seasons with the South East Melbourne Phoenix.

BYU's AJ Dybantsa taken with the first pick by former NBL Next Star Alex Sarr's Washington Wizards.

Josh Giddey has two new teammates after the Bulls selected power forward Caleb Wilson from North Carolina with the fourth pick and guard Dailyn Swain out of Texas with the 15th pick.

Dyson Daniels' Atlanta Hawks selected point guard Kingston Flemings from the Houston Cougars with the 8th pick and SCU forward Allen Graves with the 19th pick.

The Milwaukee Bucks selected Nate Ament with the 13th pick after they traded two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to the Heat for Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks, including No.13 in the 2026 NBA Draft, a future pick swap and a second-round pick.

Cluff, 24, and Mackinnon, 22, staked their claims to late second-round consideration in front of NBA scouts at the adidas Eurocamp in Italy earlier this month, while Dell’Orso, 22, has worked out with Johnny Furphy’s Indiana Pacers, Josh Green’s Charlotte Hornets, the Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors.

NBA rules state players aged 22 and over who have exhausted their college eligibility don’t need to declare to be drafted.

Cluff worked out with the Golden State Warriors and Mackinnon with the Portland Trail Blazers. Both players were part of the Next Stars team that swept the Eurocamp tournament 3-0, with Mackinnon named finals MVP.

Dell’Orso transferred from Campbell to Arizona before the start of the 2024-25 NCAA Men’s Division 1 season and developed a reputation as an elite three-point shooter, knocking down 100 threes at 37%, on a national ranked team in a power conference (Big 12).

The 1.98m shooting guard from Melbourne said it was a solid foundation, a catalyst for his draft workouts and a role that could make him an NBA player.

"I think Arizona did a good job getting me prepped for this part of my journey in terms of shooting and playing off the ball,” Dell’Orso said after his workout with the Pacers.

"Obviously the NBA has a bunch of superstars and being able to be a complementary piece to the guys that dribble a lot, and I can kind of space up, create space on the floor and shift defenses.

"That's something I think will always translate."

Four Australians were selected in the second round in 2025.

• ‍Pick 45 Minnesota Timberwolves: Rocco Zikarsky (Brisbane Bullets / Australia)
• Pick 49 Cleveland Cavaliers: Tyrese Proctor (Duke University / Australia)
• Pick 52 Phoenix Suns: Alex Toohey (Sydney Kings / Australia)
• Pick 55 Chicago Bulls: Lachlan Olbrich (Illawarra Hawks / Australia)