Basketball talent Rocco Zikarsky stands tall at 2025 NBA Draft Combine
Australian teenage basketball talent Rocco Zikarsky is already turning heads at the 2025 NBA Draft combine, taking the crown on two key performance measures.
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Australian teen sensation Rocco Zikarsky is another step closer to his NBA dream after impressing scouts on the opening days of the Draft Combine.
Standing at 7’3” (221cm) without shoes, the Brisbane Bullets star is the tallest player of this year’s class and also had the highest standing reach of any player, at 9’6” (290cm).
The 18-year-old also boasted an incredible 7’4” (225cm) wingspan.
Despite coming off an underwhelming NBL season with the Bullets averaging just 4.6 points and 3.4 rebounds before a knee injury prematurely ended his campaign, Zikarsky has received plenty of praise for his tremendous upside.
7-foot-4 Australian Rocco Zikarsky showing his outrageous 9'6 1/2 standing reach in the standing vertical jump test at the NBA draft combine pic.twitter.com/hyP9WZVTgX
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 13, 2025
Legendary Australian Boomers centre David Andersen has already thrown his support behind one of the country’s best young talents, saying Zikarsky possesses the package and potential to excel in the world’s best basketball league.
“Rocco has got a lot of tools to work with – and while you can look at his past season and think: ‘he didn’t play or score much’ – NBA teams also go off potential,” said Andersen, who won 14 championships playing across the world in a stellar career that also included two seasons in the NBA.
“A lot of kids are getting drafted off potential and Rocco has everything you’d want in a big man. Long arms and a body that can still get up and down the floor quite well.
“NBA scouts will more look at those qualities than his points per game.”
The 2025 Combine is being held in Chicago from May 11 to 18 with 75 college and international players in attendance.
Zikarsky is joined by a handful of NBL stars including Lachlan Olbrich, Ben Henshall, Izan Almansa, and Alex Toohey.
The son of German Olympic medal-winning swimmer Björn Zikarsky and Australian champion ironwoman Kylie Zikarsky attended Chancellor State College on the Sunshine Coast before attending Brisbane Grammar School.
He first raised eyebrows while representing Australia at the under-17 world championships as a 15-year-old before starring at multiple national age championships and impressing with the Centre of Excellence in the NBL1 East league.
Originally published as Basketball talent Rocco Zikarsky stands tall at 2025 NBA Draft Combine
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