Giddey on Next Star: "I love his game"

At just 17 years old, Cairns Taipans Next Star Luke Paul is one of the most exciting prospects in world basketball, and Josh Giddey believes the hype is real.

"I love him, I love his game. I think he's got the opportunity to be a really, really good NBA player, and he's obviously young now," Giddey told FIBA.

"He's got two years before he can even declare for the draft. He's a very, very talented kid."

Paul is currently leading Australia at the FIBA U17 World Cup in Turkey, fronting the team across the first two games.

The crafty point guard posted 18 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, three steals and three blocks in the Crocs' most recent win over Turkey, a stat-stuffing performance that is eerily familiar to what Giddey continues to produce on the biggest stage.

"He reminds me a lot of myself when I was at that age. He's a big point guard, he loves to get everybody involved, he makes people around him better, so he's got a bright future," Giddey said.

"But he's still so young, he's got so much time to grow. He'll get stronger, he'll get taller, so he's got a lot of maturing, body-wise, to do. But once he fills out and starts to get a few years older, he's going to be a hell of a pro for a long time."

Paul made history at the beginning of 2026, becoming the youngest player to sign with the Next Stars program, before choosing the Cairns Taipans as the club to begin his professional career.

"He's got a good opportunity to go into the NBL, and as a 17-year-old he's going to be able to learn from pros from day one," Giddey added.

"So just soaking all that up and taking that in, and he's playing in one of the best leagues in the world as a kid, so he's going to learn from it."