EuroStep to stardom: Aussies hit Italy camp

• Seven Australians named in NBL Next Stars squad
• Oscar Cluff and Max MacKinnon chasing 2026 NBA Draft opportunities
• Dash Daniels among top prospects targeting 2027 draft

Australia’s rising stars of men’s basketball are lacing them up this weekend in Italy with one specific goal – to impress NBA scouts ahead of this year’s draft and the 2027 draft.

NCAA graduates Max MacKinnon and Oscar Cluff are part of the NBL Next Stars competing at the adidas Eurocamp for players aged between 16 and 22. Both are eligible for the 2026 NBA Draft next month while Dash Daniels, the younger brother of Atlanta Hawks star Dyson, has opted to stay in the NBL another season.

Australia is heavily represented through the NBL Next Stars team for the camp.

Australians selected:

• Dash Daniels
• Jai Fa'ale
• Jayden Cecil
• Justin Akengbowa
• Mach Jongkuch
• Max Mackinnon
• Oscar Cluff

The NBL Next Stars roster also includes Austrian forward Aron Stazic, New Zealand guard Jackson Ball, Montenegro's Luka Malovic, Trinidad and Tobago's Malique Lewis, and Japanese prospect Yuto Imanishi.

adidas Eurocamp 2026 – What You Need to Know

Held at La Ghirada Città Dello Sport, Eurocamp has become a major pathway event for young players pursuing professional careers, with NBA teams, scouts, coaches, and executives attending to evaluate elite international talent.

NBA and EuroLeague star power

This year's special guests include:

• Kenny Atkinson
• Franz Wagner
• VJ Edgecombe
• Mike James

The group will mentor participants and share insights into the NBA pathway and international basketball development.

Elite coaching staff

The camp will be directed by veteran NBA coaches and scouts, including:

• Bill Bayno
• Gianluca Pascucci
• Dave Joerger
• Rex Kalamian
• Phil Handy
• Petteri Koponen

Future NBA prospects to watch

Among the draft-eligible international prospects attending are:

• Oscar Wembanyama (Victor's younger brother)
• Arturas Butajevas
• Aleksandar Vojinovic
• Oren Sahar
• Tomas Talcis

Why it matters

Eurocamp has long been a key evaluation event for NBA front offices and international clubs, providing scouts with a rare opportunity to compare elite young talent from Europe, Australia, Asia, Africa, and North America in a single environment.

For Australian basketball fans, the biggest storyline will be how the NBL Next Stars contingent performs against some of the world's most highly regarded draft prospects as the pathway continues to strengthen its reputation as a launchpad to the NBA.