Why Taipans made sense for Next Star Luke Paul

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Australian basketball prodigy Luke Paul has revealed why he chose the Cairns Taipans as his NBL destination despite heavy interest from around the league after selecting the Next Stars path rather than going to college.

Paul, a West Australian guard, was officially announced by the Taipans on Thursday, June 11, 2026, signing a multi-year deal to join the far north Queensland franchise under coach Adam Forde.

The 17-year-old is the third Next Star to join the Taipans after Bobi Klintman and Mojave King.

"I talked to multiple teams, but the pitch that the Taipans gave to me was hard to turn down," Paul said.

"I walked away from the call going, ‘I really like this place, and I really like what they're putting together’, so it wasn't a hard decision, and it’s all really exciting.

"Fordey has a proven track record of developing players and getting the best out of everyone.

"All players want to win in the game of basketball, and Fordey’s not going to bring guys in that don't want to win.

“I also don’t want to go into an environment where no one cares about me, and I know that won’t be the case with Cairns and Fordey, who I know are going to push me and help me get where I want to be.

“Each time we step on the court, we’re all going to push each other, and help get Cairns back to playoff basketball, which I’m confident we can do with the likes of Jack and Reyne already on the roster.”

Forde, who signed a two-year extension with Cairns, said he was excited to help Paul achieve his NBA dream, while comparing him to other top Australian point guards.

“Luke Paul's exciting, he's just turned 17, and he’s massive at 6’6",” he said.

“He’s got big hands and really good vision, so there are obviously similarities with him and the likes of Josh Giddey and Taran Armstrong.

“His ability to navigate the screen, look for his teammates and pick his moments makes him an exciting prospect.”

Paul will lead Australia in the FIBA U17 World Cup in Istanbul, Turkey, later this month before heading to Cairns to prepare for his rookie NBL season.

“He's got a big future, and it's a two-year plan that we're looking at Luke with,” Forde said.

“During those two years, we’re planning how we can progress him to the point where he’s NBA-ready.

“We’re fortunate that Luke, his family and team are trusting us to take care of that process for him.

“He's of the right mindset, too. What I love about Luke as a Next Star, he knows that nothing's promised, nothing's given, and he's going to have to earn everything.”