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Rocco stars as big names rest against Guangzhou
Victor Oladipo #52 of Guangzhou Loong-Lions goes up for a shot against Rocco Zikarsky #44 of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fourth quarter during the preseason game at Target Center on October 13, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Loong-Lions 134-74. Photo: David Berding/Getty Images
The former NBL Next Star had his best game on an NBA court as Minnesota demolished the CBA club.
- Rocco Zikarsky had 16 points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block against Guangzhou
- Zikarsky was selected with pick 45 in the 2025 NBA Draft and signed a two-way deal with Minnesota in July
- The 19-year-old Sunshine Coast product spent the past two seasons as an NBL Next Star with the Brisbane Bullets
Aussie big man Rocco Zikarsky made the most of his pre-season opportunity for Minnesota, delivering his most well-rounded performance yet in the Timberwolves’ 134–74 win over Guangzhou.
The 19-year-old Queenslander looked comfortable on both ends of the floor, finishing with 16 points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 25 minutes on 6-from-7 shooting at the Target Center.
The Timberwolves rested most of their first-choice stars for the game with fellow rookie big man Joan Beringer also impressing for Minnesota with 10 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks in 22 minutes. He was also a +36 in his time on court.
Zikarsky's performance comes after the 45th pick in this year's NBA Draft also performed well in his pre-season debut against superstar Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.
The Sunshine Coast product had nine points and eight rebounds in 13 minutes and was a +4 in the 10-point win over the Nuggets in his first action on an NBA floor.
His debut impressed onlookers, including Sports Illustrated NBA reporter Derek Harper.
"Looked the part of a future NBA contributor," Harper wrote.
"The two rookie centers certainly weren’t without their faults... Zikarsky’s foot speed is still highly questionable. But the Wolves couldn’t have asked for much better preseason debuts, all things considered.
"Both Beringer and Zikarsky were obviously drafted given just how impactful Rudy Gobert's time with the team has been. And while there's no guarantee either can frequent the rotation in Year 1, a strong preseason start is certainly a step in that direction."
Zikarsky signed a two-way deal with the Timberwolves in July after being selected with pick 45 in this year's draft.
Elsewhere, Dyson Daniels and the rest of Atlanta’s starters were rested against Miami.
Dante Exum also missed Dallas’ pre-season game against Utah as he continues to recover from right knee soreness.
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