A smattering of NBA scouts and front office executives are set to descend onto the Gold Coast for the 2024 NBL Blitz.

The NBL is preparing for 25 scouts and executives — representing 22 NBA teams — to attend the league’s annual preseason tournament in order to get eyes on the talent in Australia and New Zealand, with Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks among those slated to attend.

ESPN’s most recent 2025 NBA mock draft featured three NBL players — all of whom are Next Stars — and the trio will be suiting up for their respective teams at the Blitz: the Brisbane Bullets’ Rocco Zikarsky (#20), Perth Wildcats’ Izan Almansa (#40), and Sydney Kings’ Alex Toohey (#57).

The South East Melbourne Phoenix’s Malique Lewis is also considered a potential 2025 draftee, while the New Zealand Breakers’ Karim Lopez is draft eligible in 2026 and regarded as among the most talented players in that class. Roman Siulepa — who parted ways with the JackJumpers, with the plan to join another team as a Next Star — won’t participate at the Blitz but will be of interest to NBA personnel over the course of the NBL season.

“It’s exciting to welcome another large contingent of NBA scouts to the Blitz,” the NBL’s General Manager of Next Stars recruitment, Liam Santamaria, said in a statement to ESPN.

“With so many elite prospects developing in the NBL these days, the Blitz has become a premium event on the NBA scouting calendar and this year’s class of Next Stars is set to bring another big group of scouts and front office executives to the Gold Coast.”

The NBA teams currently set to be in attendance are: the Nets, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, Charlotte Hornets, Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons Oklahoma City Thunder, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, and New York Knicks.

There are multiple NBA teams — the Portland Trail Blazers, for example — who’ve elected to not attend the Blitz, with an eye toward the NBL’s inaugural HoopsFest in Perth instead.

“All 30 NBA teams will have representatives visit Australia and New Zealand throughout NBL25, but it’s great to see so many keen to get an early look at this year’s Next Stars, as they prepare for the season ahead,” Santamaria said.

There’s a heap of other draft-eligible Australian players, or those who would be of interest to NBA teams, set to compete at the Blitz: the Illawarra Hawks’ Lachlan Olbrich, Cairns Taipans’ Taran Armstrong, Perth Wildcats’ Ben Henshall, Bullets’ Josh Bannan, Tasmania JackJumpers’ Will Magnay, Sydney Kings’ Xavier Cooks, Melbourne United’s Jack White, and Phoenix’s Luke Fennell are among those who NBA teams will pay the closest attention to.

The Blitz will be held from September 7-14, with games split between the Carrara Indoor Sports Stadium and Gold Coast Sports & Leisure Centre. The action tips off on September 7, with a matchup between the Bullets and JackJumpers.