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A bucket and a block: Rocco ticks off personal milestone
Rocco Zikarsky #44 of the Minnesota Timberwolves poses for a portrait during production day on September 22, 2025 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photo: Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images
Highlights
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Rookie Aussie big man Rocco Zikarsky has ticked off his second personal NBA milestone in a matter of weeks after scoring his first bucket and swatting away the first block of his career in a loss against the Orlando Magic at the Target Center.
Zikarsky, who has been dominant in the G League for the Iowa Wolves all season, made his NBA debut for the Minnesota Timberwolves against the Philadelphia 76ers on February 23, but his one rebound was the only stat he managed to record.
Today was a different story, despite the Sunshine Coast product earning playing time because Minnesota were being blown out by the Magic, Zikarsky made the most of his five fourth-quarter minutes.
The former Brisbane Bullets NBL Next Star used his length to block a shot with just under five minutes left in the final period, forcing a shot clock violation from Orlando, before making a left-hand push shot over opposing big man Goga Bitadze to become the latest Australian to score a field goal in the NBA.
His minutes were a due reward for Zikarsky after his red-hot form for Iowa, averaging 15.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in the G League, while shooting an incredible 46% from the three-point line.
The 19-year-old 7'2" talent appears to have developed at a rapid pace for the Timberwolves after being drafted 45th overall in last year's draft.
Zikarsky's latest career milestone follows an already long list of accolades, having come through the Basketball Queensland high performance system, winning a National Under-18 Championship along the way, before making his way to the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence to further improve his game.
He then spent two seasons under Justin Schueller at the Bullets, showing glimpses of the impact he can make at the professional level, and while he struggled for consistent playing time in his second season with Brisbane - there was always a public perception his game sutied the NBA style better than the NBL.
More to come.
