There was a time when it didn’t feel like every NBA Draft class had some 7-footer who not only was tall, but possessed other ball skills, touch, and an overall refinement to his game that was rarely associated with the giants of the sport. But, it now feels like we have one of these so-called unicorn prospects in almost every class. James Wiseman (they’re not all good), Chet Holmgren, Wemby and Alex Sarr most recently.
And for 2025: Rocco Zikarsky.
Zikarsky is Australian and will be an NBL Next Star for the second season running with the Brisbane Bullets. Minutes were hard to come by for Zikarsky in his debut season, making zero starts and averaging only seven minutes per game. But this season should be different, and Zikarsky will likely have the opportunity to put his skills on display, improve his draft stock, and lock himself in as a lottery or even top-10 pick. What will Zikarsky need to show this season to make that happen?
One of the first things teams will want to see from Zikarsky is a more open approach to the physical parts of the game. What Zikarsky brings in height he lacks in overall bruising and physical imposition on the game. He is more finesse than a bully. That’s acceptable, but he still has to offer a physical presence that stands up to what opponents may bring to the table.
Zikarsky is not an impressive screen setter. He leads with his arms, which opens him up to easy foul calls, and shies away from contact which can hurt his teammate’s ability to generate separation with his screens. Zikarsky is wiry, he’s not going to set screens like Draymond Green or Isaiah Hartenstein that can put opponents on the floor but he does need to set screens that are beneficial to his teammates.
Rudy Gobert isn’t a great screensetter because of how strong he is, but because of his timing, his ability to use his full frame, and his agility as he transitions into and out of screens. Screens don’t have to hurt opponents but they need to make an impact. It’s an area where Zikarsky has to improve.
Another area where Zikarsky falls behind physically is on the defensive glass. He doesn’t hold position well and can be pushed around by opponents fairly easily. His height and length keep him from being a wash on the defensive boards but you’d like him to be closer to a commanding presence and that currently isn’t what he offers. His timing isn’t great either, and his solid hands as a roller and in the post haven’t transitioned to pulling down rebounds.
Similar to the screensetting issue, Zikarsky probably won’t will himself into being a better defensive rebounder by brute force but he can get there by improving his ball control and anticipation. We’ve seen these skills in other elements of his game, and if he shows it on the defensive glass it will give scouts more confidence in his ability to fulfill the necessary duties of a modern center.
The physical side of the game is where scouts will be watching for some immediate improvement this season, but some secondary areas of his game could do wonders for his draft stock. The first of which is 3-point shooting. Zikarsky has good touch with his left and overall solid shot mechanics. He’s shown a willingness to shoot the three but not an eagerness, ideally that mentality changes this season. Hopefully, Brisbane gives Zikarsky the green light from beyond the arc and he takes advantage of it.
Volume is almost as important as accuracy here. Tolerable marksmanship on high volume will mean more than greater accuracy on low volume. Being a stretch five in the modern NBA requires a genuine commitment to letting the deep shot fly. Plenty of bigs can make the occasional open three, but that doesn’t command a defense’s attention anymore. It’s the willingness to take a lot of them, and the risk that you might make a lot of them too. That’s what pulls opposing bigs out and clears up the lane for teammates.
A final key area to watch for Zikarsky to improve this season is his right hand. Particularly, finishing with it. Zikarsky shows a strong, occasionally damaging, preference to his dominant left hand. Even the simplest of right-hand finishes get shifted to the left. Being 7-foot-3 has likely made it easy for Zikarsky to go to his left for most of his career, but at the higher levels of the game, he will be punished for that.
Conclusion:
Zikarsky is something of a unicorn prospect. His towering height makes his mere presence on the court a positive defensively. He alters shots with ease and can discourage drives altogether. He’s got a great touch on offense, which gives hope to him being a threatening stretch five one day. There will be a lot of eyes on Zikarsky this season and if he shows a greater interest in the physical aspects of the game, with some improvement to his already impressive finesse he could fly up draft boards throughout the season.
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