Aussies delay NBA push as NIL shakes landscape

• ‍Lachlan Olbrich turns Bulls chance into NBA audition‍
• Where every Australian men's player was selected in 2025‍
• Early candidates declare for 2025 NBA Draft

No Australians declared early for the 2026 NBA Draft, underscoring the stark reality that the NCAA’s NIL agreement has fundamentally changed the landscape of professional basketball.

Only twice in the past decade (2018 and 2023) has Australia not had a men’s basketballer drafted to the NBA as an early entry candidate. The 2026 pool is the smallest at 71 since 2003.

The prime Australian candidate for the 2026 NBA Draft is Alex Condon, but he chose to stay with the 2025 National Champion Florida Gators for his senior season.

Dash Daniels, who appeared in early mock drafts and is the younger brother of Atlanta Hawks star Dyson, has chosen to remain with Melbourne United as an NBL Next Star for the 2026-27 season.

NIL – Name, Image and Likeness – has pushed college players' “salaries” into the hundreds of thousands USD and enabled colleges to recruit professionals, such as South East Melbourne Phoenix and Australian Boomers guard Owen Foxwell (Wisconsin) and Australian G League journeyman Akoldah Gak.

An extraordinary 65 Australians – 22 men and 43 women – entered the NCAA Transfer Portal in 2026. The portal clears the pathway for college athletes to change schools, including freshman rising stars Bonnie Deas, Joel Foxwell, Lara Somfai and Roman Siulepa. All five will be at different colleges in 2026-27.

Early entry candidates for the June 24, 2026, NBA Draft doesn’t mean an Australian won’t be taken this year. Early entry is simply an indication of intent. The 2026 Draft Combine is from May 10 to 17. The Combine is an opportunity for Australians to work out in front of scouts and NBA execs.

Arizona graduate Anthony Dell’Orso, Purdue’s Oscar Cluff, and LSU’s Max Mackinnon each have NBA talent, and with the early entrants at just 71 – the draft is 60 players – the opportunity to force their way into second-round consideration is real.

2025 NBA Draft

• #45 Bulls draft Rocco Zikarsky (Brisbane) – Traded to Wolves (via Lakers)
• #49 Cavaliers draft Tyrese Proctor (Duke)
• #52 Suns draft Alex Toohey (Sydney Kings) – Traded to Warriors. Released after a season-ending knee injury.
• #55 Lakers draft Lachlan Olbrich (Illawarra Hawks) – Traded to Bulls

Australians (Early Entry and / or Undrafted)

• Alex Condon – Florida: Returned to Florida for his junior season.
• Ben Henshall – Perth (Australia)

2024 NBA Draft

• #2 Wizards draft Alex Sarr (Perth – NBL Next Star)
• #35 Spurs draft Johnny Furphy (Kansas) – Traded to Pacers

Australians (Early Entry and / or Undrafted)

• Achor Achor – Samford
• Jason Spurgin – Bowling Green
• Anthony Dell’Orso – Campbell (Transferred to Arizona for senior season)

⭐ NBL Next Stars / Australia-Based Pathway

• AJ Johnson – Illawarra Hawks (USA)
• Trentyn Flowers – Adelaide 36ers (USA)

2023 NBA Draft

No Australians drafted

Australians (Early Entry and / or Undrafted)‍

• Josh Bannan – Montana

• Elijah Pepper – UC Davis

• David Okwera – Melbourne

2022 NBA Draft

• #8 Pelicans draft Dyson Daniels (G League Ignite)

• #56 Cavaliers draft Luke Travers (Perth)

2021 NBA Draft

• #6 Thunder draft Josh Giddey

Australians (Early Entry and / or Undrafted)

‍• Gorjok Gak

• Makur Maker

• Makuach Maluach• Jock Perry

2020 NBA Draft

• #18 Mavericks draft Josh Green

Australians (Early Entry and / or Undrafted)

‍• Makur Maker

• Jack White

2019 NBA Draft

• #20 Celtics draft Matisse Thybulle – Traded to 76ers

Australians (Early Entry and / or Undrafted)

‍• Kouat Noi

• Jack McVeigh

2018 NBA Draft

No Australians drafted

Australians (Early Entry and / or Undrafted)

‍• Duop Reath

• Jock Landale

• Will Magnay

• Deng Adel

2017 NBA Draft

• #36 76ers draft Jonah Bolden

Australians (Early Entry and / or Undrafted)

‍• Deng Adel

2016 NBA Draft

• #1 76ers draft Ben Simmons

• #10 Bucks draft Thon Maker

2015 NBA Draft

None

2014 NBA Draft

• #5 Jazz draft Dante Exum

• 4#9 Bulls draft Cameron Bairstow

Australians (Early Entry and / or Undrafted)

• Mitch Creek

2013 NBA Draft

No Australians drafted

Australians (Early Entry and / or Undrafted)

• Ryan Broekhoff

• Matthew Dellavedova

2012 NBA Draft

No Australians drafted

2011 NBA Draft

No Australians drafted

2010 NBA Draft

No Australians drafted

2009 NBA Draft

• #55 Trail Blazers draft Patty Mills

Australians (Early Entry and / or Undrafted)

• Joe Ingles• Aron Baynes