With the start of the NBL season, it’s important to note that several NBA Draft prospects are playing in Australia. Indeed, now is the time to identify these players and provide a brief overview of their overall game. Without further ado, let’s dive into the top 2026 NBA Draft prospects to watch for in the NBL this season.
2026 NBA Draft: Top NBL Prospects To Watch For
Karim Lopez
New Zealand Breakers
The most prominent draft prospect on this list is Karim Lopez, who currently plays for the New Zealand Breakers.
At 6-foot-7, the Mexican wing’s best attributes as a player are his athleticism and physicality on the offensive end. In particular, Lopez is an impressive slasher in particular, utilizing his explosiveness to elevate for powerful dunks and offensive rebounds. Unquestionably, his excellent physical traits make him a strong cutter and transition threat. His physicality and driving also allow him to get into the middle of opposing defenses, where he has shown the ability to find open teammates.
Karim Lopez’s best source of offense is close-out attacking.
He’s excellent at attacking shifting defenses, using a creative handle, athleticism and body control to finish at the basket.
Generated 1.239 PPP on 46 drives last season. https://t.co/5Jwa1xa8iT pic.twitter.com/CBBgZCoDI1
— Latif Love (@realLatifLove) September 2, 2025
In terms of his shooting, Lopez has shown flashes of being able to stretch the floor. To be sure, he still needs to improve as a shooter, but he is trending in the right direction.
At the other end, his physical tools give him the versatility to be a multi-positional defender. In a general sense, he knows how to use his length to bother the shots of opposing players. The combination of length and athleticism even grants him the ability to make highlight defensive plays. So far as his weaknesses are concerned, his off-ball awareness still needs improvement. Yet, his upside is tantalizing.
When considering the entire package, Lopez is considered one of the top-10 prospects of the upcoming draft.
Dash Daniels
Melbourne United
Dash Daniels is another prospect playing in the NBL who has a real chance to be a first-round pick in the 2026 Draft.
The 17-year-old Melbourne United guard is the younger brother of current Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, who won the Most Improved Player award this past season. As a prospect, Daniels is best known for his elite defensive abilities and solid positional size at 6-foot-5. Like his brother, Daniels is effective both on and off the ball.
On the ball, he is a pesky defender who has the quickness and length to lock down opposing guards. Off the ball, Daniels demonstrates high basketball IQ: he knows exactly when to help, where to rotate, and put pressure on passing lanes.
His offensive package still has a ways to go. To that point, he’s a great cutter and transition threat due to his speed and athleticism. However, he isn’t particularly efficient, needing to develop his jumper. His playmaking also needs improvement despite him showing solid flashes in that area.
Overall, Daniels has to sharpen up his game, but he shows a ton of promise for one of the youngest 2026 prospects.
Malique Lewis
South East Melbourne Phoenix
While not as high-profile as the previous two players, Malique Lewis is a prospect to keep an eye out for. Born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago, he had initially declared for the 2025 NBA Draft but withdrew to return to the NBL.
Malique Lewis 🆚 Cairns in 20 MINS:
8 REB
3 STL
2 BLK
2 PTS@SEMelbPhoenix pic.twitter.com/40wfoZ3Thj— NBL Next Stars (@NBLNextStars) September 22, 2025
Standing at 6-foot-7 barefoot with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, the 20-year-old forward’s intersection of size and athleticism is ideal. Like other players on this list, his combination of physical tools allows him to be an impactful defender who can provide versatility on the defensive end. Not only does his size and length help him defend against bigger forwards and wings, but he also has the quickness to keep up with perimeter players. Offensively, he operates best as a cutter and transition threat. He’s demonstrated shooting upside but still needs to work on his jumper as he lacks consistency.
Overall, Lewis profiles as an athletic wing who can provide defense. His shooting ability is a swing skill.
Ben Henshall
Perth Wildcats
Ben Henshall is the first Perth Wildcats player on this list. However, he’s yet another prospect who declared for the 2025 NBA Draft but later withdrew his name.
Ben Henshall was cooking in the @PerthWildcats‘ first CODE Sports NBL Blitz game 🔥
16 PTS | 7 REB | 2 STL
Watch the Wildcats tonight live from 8:00pm AEST on Disney+ and Kayo 📺 pic.twitter.com/Imj8rnponf
— NBL (@NBL) August 29, 2025
Listed at 6-foot-5, Henshall has solid positional size for a wing. His guard skills are notable, as he can both space the floor and handle the ball. In terms of intangibles, he has a high motor and basketball IQ, both of which lead him to be an energetic defender. However, his lack of athleticism holds him back.
The 21-year-old has the chance to turn heads this season and show his worth as a prospect.
Noa Kouakou-Heugue
Perth Wildcats
The second Perth Wildcats player on this list is Frenchman, Noa Kouakou-Heugue.
🇫🇷 Noa Kouakou-Heugue had a massive performance for Insep Pole France in the win over Trento in the ANGE
14 points
9 boards
7 assists
5-8 FG
1-1 3P
3-6 FTMobile 6’11 big man who has shown he can do a little bit of everything for Insep. Has been a real riser this year pic.twitter.com/vHnyvY8tUf
— nbadraftpoint (@nbadraftpoint) March 7, 2025
The 18-year-old prospect is a 6-foot-10 big man primarily known for his athleticism and play-finishing. As one might expect, his physical traits aid him defensively as well. In fact, he’s a walking highlight reel, throwing down thunderous dunks on one end and turning away shots with magnificent blocks on the other.
Kouakou-Heugue is still raw, but he’s undoubtedly worth watching in whatever minutes he gets.
© John David Mercer-Imagn Images
