Is a Gold Coast Next Stars Team, headed by Carmelo Anthony, on the cards for NBL expansion?
June 4, 2024
Rocco Zikarsky
- Nationality: AUS
- Date of Birth: 11/07/06
- Place of Birth: Sunshine Coast, QLD
- Position: CTR
- Height (CM): 220
- Weight (KG): 103
- Junior Assoc: QLD - Rip City
- College:
- NBL DEBUT: 29/09/23
- AGE AT DEBUT: 17
- LAST NBL GAME: 12/10/24
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 18
- NBL History: Brisbane 2024
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Rocco Zikarsky was born in Sunshine Coast, QLD and began playing basketball as a junior with the Rip City basketball program.
Representing Queensland South at the 2023 U18 National Championships, Zikarsky amassed a impressive 19.8 points, 12.6 rebounds and 4.2 blocks per game. He also played up a age group at the 2023 U20 National Championships, recording 13.7 points, 10 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per game as a member of the NBA Global Academy team.
Zikarsky received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 2022. He spent two years year there and played for the program’s state league team (2022, 2023).
FAMILY: His mum Kylie was a champion ironwoman and dad Bjorn who won an Olympic bronze medal for Germany in swimming.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Rocco Zikarsky made his NBL debut with the Brisbane Bullets at 17 years of age. He scored two points in his first game.
rocco zikarsky moves me strongly, gigantic 7'3 aussie dominating with interior scoring, extremely nimble movement for size + handling, passing and high lvm rim protection + pnr coverage
only 17, not eligible for 2024 draft but absolutely a potential top guy in 2025 pic.twitter.com/XjT3KxThBm
— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) August 16, 2023
Zikarsky chose to forgo college and a opportunity to play for the G-League Ignite team and sign with the Brisbane Bullets.
“I’m really excited to start my professional career and chose to sign with the Bullets because of the coaching and the community. I grew up in the basketball community in South East Queensland, so to me it was a no brainer,” Zikarsky said upon inking a Next Star deal.
“I decided that the Next Stars opportunity was just too good a fit,” the 7-foot-3 Zikarsky told ESPN. “Being able to train daily with my Under-17 Australian national team coaches, alongside one of my idols Aron Baynes, in my hometown, for my home club, in the NBL, with my family close by, is a dream come true.”
Rocco Zikarsky currently plays for the Brisbane Bullets and has played 31 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 3.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.1 assists since entering the league in 2023.
CURRENT CONTRACT:
Brisbane Bullets – 2 Year Deal (2023-25)
Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 18 | Brisbane | 1-3 (9) | 10 | 17.0 | 27 | 17 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 17 | 59% | 1 | 2 | 50% | 6 | 7 | 86% | 66% | 62% | 11 |
| 2023-24 | 17 | Brisbane | 13-15 (7) | 27 | 188.0 | 87 | 57 | 4 | 25 | 32 | 3 | 27 | 15 | 23 | 37 | 62 | 60% | 0 | 1 | 0% | 13 | 26 | 50% | 59% | 60% | 7 | Totals | 31 | 233 | 114 | 74 | 6 | 33 | 41 | 3 | 28 | 18 | 29 | 47 | 79 | 59.5% | 1 | 3 | 33.3% | 19 | 33 | 57.6% | 61% | 60% | 7 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 18 | Brisbane | 1-3 (9) | 10 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 59% | 0.1 | 0.2 | 50% | 0.6 | 0.7 | 86% | 66% | 62% | 11 |
| 2023-24 | 17 | Brisbane | 13-15 (7) | 27 | 7.0 | 3.2 | 2.1 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 2.3 | 60% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0.5 | 1.0 | 50% | 59% | 60% | 7 | Total | 31 | 7.5 | 3.7 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 59.5% | 0.0 | 33.3% | 0.0 | 0.1 | 57.6% | 61% | 60% | 7 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 7 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
|---|
STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
- BA Centre of Excellence 2023
In 2023, Zikarsky played in seven NBL1 East games for the Centre of Excellence.
FIBA EXPERIENCE
Represented Australia at the FIBA Un16 Asian Championships in 2022 (Qatar). He averaged 11.5 and 10.7 rebounds across the six game tournament, alongside other future NBL talent Josh Dent, Kye Savage, Austin Rapp and NBA draft pick Jacob Furphy. His strong showing at the earning him a spot on the All-Tournament Team.
He averaged 13.6 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.1 blocks for Australia at the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup, showcasing his dominance on both ends of the floor. He led the tournament in blocks, finished fifth in scoring and sixth in rebounding.
Made his debut with the Mens national team as part of the Boomers squad which competed in the 2025 Asia Cup Qualifiers in February, 2024.
In 2024, Zikarsky was selected as a part of the 22-player Boomers squad that prepared for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
COLLEGE
Zikarsky was being recruited by Duke, Gonzaga, Michigan, USC, Arizona and many schools, as well as the NBA's G League Ignite program, prior to agreeing to sign a NBL Next Star contract.
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