Australian basketball fans have plenty to get excited about with the NBA season tipping off on Wednesday.
This NBA season will feature up to 14 Australian basketball stars — the highest number of Aussies in the league’s history.
Whilst young rookies like Rocco Zikarsy, Tyreese Proctor, Alex Toohey, and Lachlan Olbrich are just starting their NBA careers, a handful of Aussies have the chance to establish themselves further with the potential for a breakout season.
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Josh Giddey | Chicago Bulls
Josh Giddey has begun a new chapter with the Chicago Bulls after being traded from Oklahoma City last season, bringing his elite court vision, high basketball IQ, and improving outside shooting to a Bulls roster in need of a versatile floor general.
Giddey delivered last season with his averages for Chicago markedly improved from those in OKC, where his role fluctuated.
For the Bulls, the versatile point guard averaged an impressive 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game, but his biggest strides came in areas analysts had criticised him for in the past.
Giddey shot a career-best almost 38% on three-pointers and added a career-high 1.2 steals per game in a Bulls uniform, thriving in a system that plays to his strengths and allows him to develop his game.
The 23-year-old guard, who became the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double at 19, was rewarded with a four-year, $100 million contract in the offseason.
Giddey's new contract was as much a reward for his performance last season as a promise he has to keep developing.
Already improving markedly as a defender and shooter, if Giddey keeps developing, this season could be one of the best we’ve seen from any Australian in the NBA.
Armed with both the opportunity to be the unquestioned starting point guard in a favourable offensive structure and a young team hungry to allow him to develop, the sky is really the limit for Giddey this season, with an All-Star selection not being totally out of reach in the near future.
Predicted stats: 18.4 points / 8.9 rebounds / 8.2 assists / 1.7 threes / 1.4 steals / 0.8 blocks
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Dyson Daniels | Atlanta Hawks
Dyson Daniels enters his second season in Atlanta, bringing his defensive versatility, athleticism, and developing playmaking ability to a Hawks roster that has seen a number of new moves.
The Hawks have been seeking a more dynamic option in the backcourt and on the wing to complement Trae Young, and they have certainly found it in Daniels, with his defensive ability and size perfectly complementing the superstar point guard.
Daniels is already coming off a career year where he registered career highs across virtually all major stats and added numerous awards to his trophy cabinet, including Most Improved Player and selection to the NBA All-Defensive First Team.
Just this week, the Melbournian signed a four-year, $100 million contract extension to remain a Hawk, and at just 22 years old with the strides he made last season, the "Great Barrier Thief" could be in for another career year.
In the preseason, Daniels has already shown flashes of improved playmaking and shooting, and if he can make strides in those areas whilst maintaining his elite defence, much like Giddey, he could very well be a future NBA All-Star.
This season, Daniels has a guaranteed starting role, is more comfortable playing off superstar Trae Young, and now has two forwards he can make plays for in Jalen Johnson, who’s returning from serious injury, and newly acquired big man Kristaps Porzingis.
There is a huge chance for Daniels to not just set more defensive records, but to increase his playmaking significantly with a Hawks roster that both needs him and is built for him to succeed in what should be a playoff year in Atlanta.
Predicted stats: 16.4 points / 5.1 rebounds / 4.9 assists / 1.5 threes / 3.1 steals / 0.9 blocks
Johnny Furphy | Indiana Pacers
Johnny Furphy enters the 2025 season looking to build on a limited sophomore campaign with the Indiana Pacers, having previously played under eight minutes a game across 50 appearances.
Unlike his fellow countrymen Giddey and Daniels, Furphy has not yet received an opportunity to shine in the NBA and is far from a household name — yet.
Whilst Furphy played sparingly, his combination of length, athleticism, and scoring potential capable of impacting multiple positions could see his role grow markedly this season.
The 21-year-old wing enters this season with his first real opportunity at bigger minutes, with the Pacers having lost starters Myles Turner to free agency and Tyrese Haliburton to injury.
The Pacers will enter this season with an unproven starting five coupled with a thin bench, which will likely see minutes awarded on merit, exactly why the young Australian can shine.
If Furphy continues to refine his shooting mechanics, decision-making, and overall confidence on both ends of the floor, he could see his role expand significantly, become a primary scoring option off the bench or even in the starting lineup, and emerge as a breakout player in 2025.
Furphy has already garnered preseason attention for his highlight-reel dunks, and with so much versatility and potential, his hard work might pay off with doubling his minutes per game from last season a likely scenario.
Predicted stats: 11.2 points / 5.9 rebounds / 2.1 assists / 1.5 threes / 1.2 steals / 0.7 blocks
Things Look Bright for Aussie Basketball
With Josh Giddey’s elite playmaking, Dyson Daniels’ defensive versatility, and Johnny Furphy’s athletic dunks, the trio represents a new wave of Australian talent in the NBA.
If each player reaches their ceiling, the 2025 season could mark a major turning point for the global perception of Aussie basketball while providing fans with a trio of breakout stars to follow closely throughout the year.