Australian basketball sensation Rocco Zikarsky is set to achieve his childhood dream of playing in the NBA.<\/p>\n
In June, the 19-year-old Queenslander was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves as the 45th pick of the 2025 draft.<\/p>\n
At 7 foot 4 inches (223cm) in height the Brisbane Bullets prospect will be the third-tallest player in the league.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
He debuted his Minnesota threads in July while participating in the NBA Summer League \u2014 an off-season tournament designed to give young prospects a chance to showcase their talent.<\/p>\n
Zikarsky returned home to the Sunshine Coast this week to enjoy some downtime following a stressful months-long draft process.<\/p>\n
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Zikarsky was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 45th pick. (Supplied: Minnesota TImberwolves)<\/p>\n
That included the NBA draft combine, where rookies assemble to participate in physical assessments and drills in front of team scouts.<\/p>\n
“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 said.<\/p>\n
“They’re flying you across the country, landing at 2am \u2026 and you’ve got to work out at 8am and then you’re off to the next city that afternoon.<\/p>\n
“It’s a wild process and then the draft comes around and you have no idea where you’re going to end up.”<\/p>\n
Rocco and his mum Kylie spent the week winding down on the Sunshine Coast following a stressful draft process. (ABC Sunshine Coast:Jake Kearnan)<\/p>\n
Sport in the blood<\/p>\n
Zikarsky is the son of former German Olympic-medallist swimmer Bj\u00f6rn Zikarsky and champion Australian ironwoman Kylie Zikarsky.<\/p>\n
His mother was by his side throughout the draft process and said there were many sleepless nights.<\/p>\n
“It was not cool \u2014 I’m so glad I don’t have to go through it again,” she said.<\/p>\n
“It’s an emotional roller-coaster \u2014 it’s full of highs, it’s full of lows and watching him go through that was really hard, as a parent.<\/p>\n
“You feel everything they feel but you’ve got to show up and be strong for them \u2014 but on the inside, you’re just thinking, ‘God, this is terrifying.'”<\/p>\n
Zikarsky spent two seasons with the Brisbane Bullets before electing for the NBA draft. (Getty Images: Chris Hyde)<\/p>\n
Zikarsky was touted as a first-round, top-30 prospect and had gained significant interest from more than 10 NBA teams.<\/p>\n
The draft is an unpredictable process, which sees teams change preferences as each domino falls.<\/p>\n
It was an anxious wait for Zikarsky who was eventually drafted by the Chicago Bulls and then immediately traded to Minnesota.<\/p>\n
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Zikarsky has landed on the same team as fellow Aussie Joe Ingles. (Getty Images: David Sherman\/NBAE)<\/p>\n
“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,” he said.<\/p>\n