{"id":240949,"date":"2026-04-29T00:06:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T00:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/29\/next-stars-deal-imminent-as-aussie-teen-phenom-chooses-nbl-team-after-3m-sacrifice\/"},"modified":"2026-04-29T00:06:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T00:06:00","slug":"next-stars-deal-imminent-as-aussie-teen-phenom-chooses-nbl-team-after-3m-sacrifice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/29\/next-stars-deal-imminent-as-aussie-teen-phenom-chooses-nbl-team-after-3m-sacrifice\/","title":{"rendered":"Next Star\u2019s deal imminent as Aussie teen phenom chooses NBL team after $3m sacrifice"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Cairns Taipans are closing in on one of Australia\u2019s brightest young prospects, with 17-year-old Luke Paul expected to join the club as part of the NBL\u2019s Next Stars program.<\/p>\n

Watch NBA with ESPN on Kayo Sports | Stream the best of the NBA Playoffs. | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

Paul, widely regarded as one of the country\u2019s most promising emerging talents, is set to begin his professional journey in far north Queensland, with sources telling Fox Sports Australia<\/i> that Cairns have secured his signature. <\/p>\n

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The signing would mark the Taipans\u2019 first Next Star since Bobi Klintman, who suited up for the club during the 2023\u201324 season before being selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2024 NBA Draft.<\/p>\n

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Luke Paul in action for WA Metro during the 2026 Basketball Australia Under-18 National Championships. Picture: Jade Glasson<\/span>Source: News Corp Australia<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Western Australian guard was officially announced as a Next Star during NBL HoopsFest in January, following a pathway similar to Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey. While comparisons are inevitable, particularly given his 6\u20196 frame, feel for the game and passing ability, Paul is focused on carving out his own identity.<\/p>\n

Paul has chosen the Australian league as his development pathway over the American college system, despite receiving reported offers from the US of up to US$3 million<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Cairns presents a strong fit. Under head coach Adam Forde, the Taipans have built a reputation for developing young talent, with players such as Keanu Pinder, Mojave King and Taran Armstrong taking significant strides during their time at the club. Opportunity is also a factor, with Paul likely to receive meaningful minutes in a system that backs its youth.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a personal connection. Forde, like Paul, hails from Perth, something that could help ease the transition as the teenager prepares for one of the biggest moves of his life.<\/p>\n

For now, expectations remain measured. At just 17, Paul is still developing, but the tools are there. In the right role, there\u2019s every chance he produces moments that hint at what\u2019s to come.<\/p>\n

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Luke Paul in action for WA Metro at the 2025 Basketball Australia Under-18 National Championships. Picture: Taylor Earnshaw<\/span>Source: News Corp Australia<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He is currently part of Basketball Australia\u2019s Centre of Excellence program, playing in NBL1 East where he\u2019s averaging 7.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists in just over 21 minutes per game. He also impressed at the recent Under-18 national championships in Brisbane, representing Western Australia Metro and averaging 16.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.6 assists.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Cairns Taipans are closing in on one of Australia\u2019s brightest young prospects, with 17-year-old Luke Paul expected to join the club as part of the NBL\u2019s Next Stars program. Watch NBA with ESPN on Kayo Sports | Stream the best of the NBA Playoffs. | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":240950,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6807],"tags":[156],"class_list":{"0":"post-240949","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leagues-cups","8":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/240949","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=240949"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/240949\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/240950"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=240949"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=240949"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=240949"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

Reports from CODE Sports<\/a> had already flagged the Taipans as favourites to secure his signature, and that now appears to be coming to fruition as Paul prepares for the next step in what shapes as a long-term career.<\/p>\n