| No. 11–Brisbane Bullets | |
|---|---|
| Position | Center |
| League | NBL |
| Personal information | |
| Born | 11 July 2006 Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia |
| Listed height | 220 cm (7 ft 3 in) |
| Listed weight | 103 kg (227 lb) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Brisbane Grammar School (Brisbane, Queensland) |
| Playing career | 2023–present |
| Career history | |
| 2023 | BA Centre of Excellence |
| 2023–present | Brisbane Bullets |
Rocco Zikarsky (born 11 July 2006) [1] is an Australian professional basketball player for the Brisbane Bullets of the National Basketball League (NBL).
Zikarsky was born on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, [2] to German Olympic medal-winning swimmer Björn Zikarsky [3] and Australian champion ironwoman Kylie Zikarsky. [2] He excelled in Queensland representative teams and was a standout player at the NBA Global Academy in Canberra. [4] He attended Brisbane Grammar School throughout his early teenage years. [5]
In 2023, Zikarsky played for the BA Centre of Excellence in the NBL1 East, averaging 9.9 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in seven games. [6]
On 7 July 2023, Zikarsky signed with the Brisbane Bullets of the National Basketball League (NBL) as part of the NBL's Next Stars program. [7] At 16 years old, he became the youngest player in the program's history. [8] On 7 January 2024, he had six points and four blocks in 10 and-a-half minutes against the Sydney Kings. [9] He played in 27 of the Bullets' 28 games in the 2023–24 season, averaging 3.2 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.0 blocks on 59.7% shooting in 7.0 minutes per game. [10]
Zikarsky returned to the Bullets for the 2024–25 NBL season, [11] entering his second season as one of the top prospects for the 2025 NBA draft. [12] In the Bullets' season opener, Zikarsky played six minutes, scored four points and grabbed three rebounds. [13] He struggled to break into the starting lineup ahead of fellow centre Tyrell Harrison. [14] On 29 November 2024, he made his first NBL start with Harrison out with illness, as he recorded 13 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in a 117–89 loss to the Perth Wildcats. [15]
In 2022, Zikarsky played for Australia at the FIBA U16 Asian Championship and the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup. [16] In 2024, he led Australia to victory at the Albert Schweitzer-Tournament, earning MVP honours. He averaged 18.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks in 26 minutes per game on 73.1% shooting. [17] [18]
Zikarsky debuted for the Australian Boomers during the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers. [16] [19]