Australian basketball’s newest star, Rocco Zikarsky, is on the verge of realizing his childhood dream after being selected in the 2025 NBA Draft. At just 19 years old, the towering Queenslander is preparing to embark on a new chapter with the Minnesota Timberwolves, who picked him up with the 45th selection in June.
Standing at 7 foot 4 inches (223cm), Zikarsky’s size makes him an instant standout, ranking him as the third tallest player currently in the league. Despite his monumental achievement, the teenager admitted the full gravity of the moment has yet to sink in.
"I still don't think it's really hit me and I don't think it will hit me until I get on that court for the first time," Zikarsky said.
The young center donned Minnesota’s colors for the first time in July when he took part in the NBA Summer League. That tournament, designed to give rookies and prospects their first taste of NBA competition, offered Zikarsky the chance to show flashes of his potential in front of coaches, scouts, and fans.
After an intense and emotionally draining draft process that stretched over several months, Zikarsky returned home to the Sunshine Coast for a brief period of rest and recovery. His preparation included enduring the NBA Draft Combine, where hopefuls undergo extensive testing and high-pressure workouts in front of scouts.
"You start off at the combine, you get all your measurements done, you do all your shooting tests and then teams want to see you in their gym," Zikarsky recalled. "They're flying you across the country, landing at 2am … and you've got to work out at 8am and then you're off to the next city that afternoon. It's a wild process and then the draft comes around and you have no idea where you're going to end up."
Sporting pedigree and family support
Zikarsky’s athletic prowess runs in the family. His father, Björn Zikarsky, is a former German Olympic swimming medalist, while his mother, Kylie, made her mark as an Australian ironwoman champion. Kylie accompanied her son throughout the draft process and described the emotional toll it took on them both.
"It was not cool — I'm so glad I don't have to go through it again," she admitted. "It's an emotional roller-coaster — it's full of highs, it's full of lows and watching him go through that was really hard, as a parent. You feel everything they feel but you've got to show up and be strong for them — but on the inside, you're just thinking, 'God, this is terrifying.'"
For Zikarsky, the uncertainty was intensified by early projections that listed him as a first-round candidate. At one stage, more than 10 NBA teams had shown interest in his skill set. But with each pick, the unpredictability of the draft became more apparent.
Eventually, he was initially drafted by the Chicago Bulls before being traded on draft night to Minnesota. That sequence of events only added to the drama of the occasion.
"It was a little crazy, I remember my dad on the other side of the table, he said, 'Oh, Chicago,' and then I had my agent calling me, saying I'm going to Minnesota," Zikarsky explained. "I'm fortunate enough that I still ended up with an Aussie on my team in Joe Ingles. I was working out in Minnesota, so it's a best-case scenario for sure."
Signing a two-way deal
The teenager has signed a two-year, two-way contract, which will allow him to split time between the Timberwolves and their G-League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves. This arrangement is common for developing prospects, ensuring they get valuable game time to hone their craft.
The Minnesota roster features established NBA stars such as Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, and Rudy Gobert, giving Zikarsky the chance to train alongside some of the best in the business. At the same time, he will also need to brace himself for facing NBA legends, including LeBron James.
"We've been talking about it so he doesn't have that fan-girl response when he hits the court," Kylie said with a laugh. "He's had lots of opportunities to be around his teammates now, but I think it's still going to be like, 'Wow' — but I think he'll manage it all right."
Eyes on the future
For Zikarsky, the excitement is only just beginning. Having already experienced the passion of NBA fans firsthand during his pre-draft visits, he is eager to embrace the Timberwolves’ community and earn his place in the rotation.
"I think the thing that excites me most is the fan-base — I went to a couple of games before the draft and before I knew I was going to be a Timberwolf," he said. "I'll probably spend the majority of my time in Iowa playing with the Wolves and hopefully I'll get a couple of call-ups this year and get my chance to see an NBA floor. I'll do my time and then hopefully get onto the main roster in the next couple of years."
Zikarsky’s journey is still in its early stages, but his combination of youth, size, and determination has created genuine buzz around his potential. As he prepares to fly to the United States for his first NBA preseason, Australian fans will be watching closely, eager to see how the Sunshine Coast teenager transitions from local prospect to professional star on the world’s biggest stage.
