Luke Paul
.jpg) Paul representing Australia in 2026 | |
| No. 7 – Cairns Taipans | |
|---|---|
| Position | Point guard / shooting guard |
| Conference | NBL |
| Personal information | |
| Born | February 20, 2009 Perth, Western Australia, Australia[1] |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 205 lb (93 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school |
|
| Playing career | 2024–present |
| Career history | |
| 2024–2025 | Willetton Tigers |
| 2025–2026 | BA Centre of Excellence |
| 2026–present | Cairns Taipans |
| Career highlights | |
| |
Luke Roland Paul (born February 20, 2009) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Cairns Taipans of the National Basketball League (NBL). He has won four medals representing Australia, including earning the 2025 FIBA U16 Asia Cup MVP and 2026 FIBA U17 World Cup All-Star Five honors.
Professional career
[edit source]In January 2026, Paul became the youngest player to ever sign a National Basketball League contract through the Next Stars program, doing so at 16 years old.[3][4][5] The previous youngest recipient was Dash Daniels.[6] Other notable Next Stars have been LaMelo Ball, Josh Giddey, Alex Sarr and Ousmane Dieng.[2] Paul was a product of the Willetton Tigers of the NBL1, where he first signed at 14 years old and played for in 2024 and 2025.[7][8] He also spent time with the Perth Wildcats Academy program.[9] After signing as a Next Star, he continued to train and play with BA Centre of Excellence (BA CoE) in Canberra, while he made his decision over the next six months on which specific team he would sign with in the NBL.[3][10] Paul first accepted a scholarship with BA CoE on August 1, 2025.[11][12] Additionally, Paul represented Western Australia Metro at the Under-18 National Championship in April 2026, after also having done so in 2025.[3][12] On June 11, 2026, Paul signed with the Cairns Taipans of the NBL.[13][14] Current Taipans players, Jack McVeigh and Reyne Smith, were very influential in his decision to chose that team, and notably advice from Josh Giddey, whose game and style Paul has been compared to.[15][6] When pressed further on why he chose a team that had struggled in recent years, missing the postseason 5-of-6 prior seasons, Paul stated it was "really easy". He had a chance encounter with head coach Adam Forde during the 2024–25 NBL season when the Taipans were in Perth, and he invited Paul and a select few others to observe the team practice and participate in a few drills. During which, Forde has some unsolicited, genuine praise for Paul, which he remembered years later. He also stated the culture of the team and the fanbase, while emphasizing that Forde had developed young Next Star players such as Bobi Klintman and Taran Armstrong into earning NBA opportunities.[16]
National team career
[edit source]Paul first represented the Australia national team in the 2024 FIBA U15 Oceania Cup. He then represented in the 2025 FIBA U16 Asia Cup, where he earned All-Star Five honors and won MVP of the tournament.[17] In the final against China, Paul had 26 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.[18] He averaged 14.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game.[19] That same year, he also was selected for the 2025 FIBA U17 Oceania Cup and earned All-Star Five honors again in 2025, cementing his status as one of the top youth basketball players.[6] The following year, Paul played in the 2026 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup, where he earned All-Star Five honors for a third consecutive international tournament after leading Australia to a bronze medal. In the bronze medal game against Turkey, Paul recorded 19 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks.[20][21] He averaged 15.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game.[19]
References
[edit source]- ↑ "Prodigy Luke Paul on the cusp of deciding NBL future". basketball.com.au. April 28, 2026.
- 1 2 "WA's Next Star". Government of Western Australia - Department of Education. February 20, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Uluc, Olgun (January 17, 2026). "'Proven pathway': Top Aussie prospect Luke Paul joins NBL Next Stars". ESPN.com.
- ↑ Higgins, Josh (January 18, 2026). "Future Australian NBA first-round pick signs multi-year deal as NBL Next Star". FOX Sports.
- ↑ O’Donoghue, Craig (January 17, 2026). "West Australian NBA prospect Luke Paul becomes youngest player ever to sign with NBL Next Star program". The West Australian.
- 1 2 3 Badkin, Liam (January 19, 2026). "Paul signs as Next Star in huge coup". central.rookieme.com.
- ↑ "15-year-old guard set for a big season in the West". NBL1. February 12, 2025.
- ↑ "Luke Paul on becoming youngest NBL Next Star ever (interview)". NBL. YouTube. January 2026.
- ↑ Thomas, Amber (August 1, 2025). "From Willetton to the World Stage – Luke Paul's Rise to the AIS". Perth Wildcats.
- ↑ "Luke Paul Profile". NBL1 (CoE).
- ↑ "Two athletes inducted to Centre of Excellence program in Canberra". Basketball Australia. August 1, 2025.
- 1 2 Aslop, Anthony (September 18, 2025). "Paul Position: WA teen to set pace at CoE". basketball.com.au.
- ↑ "Paul chooses Far North and Forde". Cairns Taipans. June 11, 2026.
- ↑ Uluc, Olgun (June 11, 2026). "'He's got a big future': Luke Paul signs with Taipans as NBL Next Star". ESPN.com.
- ↑ "How an NBA star helped shape Luke Paul's big decision". NBL. June 13, 2026.
- ↑ Bruce, Jasper (June 12, 2026). "Why young Aussie NBA prospect chose Cairns Taipans". Australian Associated Press.
- ↑ "Luke Paul bags home MVP honors, headlines All-Star Five". FIBA. September 7, 2025.
- ↑ "Paul ready for U17 World Cup in Turkey". Cairns Taipans. June 26, 2026.
- 1 2 "Luke Paul Profile". FIBA.
- ↑ "'Now Star' Luke Paul powers Crocs to bronze medal". basketball.com.au. July 6, 2026.
- ↑ "Next Star named among world's best". NBL. July 6, 2026.