Scouting Report – Rocco Zikarsky

Team: Brisbane Bullets

League: Australian NBL / NBL Blitz (Tournament)

Position: C

Height: 7′-3″

Weight: 227 lbs

Date of Birth: July 11, 2006 (18 Years Old)

Rocco Zikarsky moves well down the court for someone his size.
He has high hips and long legs, which makes his center of gravity higher than most of his opponents. This makes it easy for him to get bumped out of position.
He has great hands, with the ability to catch passes on the move and in traffic.

Rocco hasn’t shown much ability to shoot mid-range shots or three pointers, but when shooting free throws his shooting form looks smooth and has a clean release. He has potential to expand his range and become a floor spacer as he continues to develop, but this will take time.
He has solid touch around the basket but can be inconsistent in contested situations. He has a tendency to rush a shot at the basket when defenders are closing in on him.
He has shown flashes of being a good passer when given the opportunity. When posted up at the top of the key, he is able to make good reads and passes to cutters.
In pick-and-roll situations, he gets open on a regular basis when rolling to the basket but doesn’t get much of an opportunity to get the ball down low.

In pick-and-roll situations, Rocco plays drop coverage almost exclusively. This is probably the team’s defensive style of play, but this can lead to open looks from three.
He puts effort in rebounding the ball and can track the ball off of a miss. Has potential to be a good rebounder on both sides of the ball.
Rocco has shown flashes of positioning himself well on defense but is more inconsistent this early in his career. He needs to work on defensive footwork as he tends to get caught off balance at times, especially when having to make defensive rotations or close out to shooters.
He has the potential to be a good shot-blocker in the league. His short area quickness and athleticism allows him to cover ground quickly and recover well in the post.

Rocco Zikarsky is an interesting prospect as a 7’3″ big with immense potential. He is very young and will still be 18 years old on draft night. His youth is evident on the court at times with his processing speed and footwork. He is at his best when he’s in the paint but has potential to expand his range. As he continues to get more experience, his game will mature and become more fine-tuned. It’s just a matter of how fast his development occurs. He could end up being a late first round pick in 2025 or he could stay in the NBL for another year to continue his development.

Sources: RealGM