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Former Melbourne United Next Star Ariel Hukporti is NBA Finals-bound with the New York Knicks.

26 May
NBL.com.au

A NBL Next Star will feature in the 2026 NBA Finals, after the New York Knicks swept the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Ariel Hukporti and his Knicks defeated the Cavaliers 130-93 on Tuesday AEST to book New York’s first Finals appearance since 1999.

Hukporti, who added 2 points, 5 rebounds and 1 assist in the Game 4 triumph, and New York will now face the winner of the Western Conference Playoffs between Oklahoma City and San Antonio in the NBA Finals.

The Knicks have won two titles in their existence, with the most recent being in 1973.

German big man Hukporti, who spent three seasons with Melbourne United as part of the Next Stars program, has featured in 90 NBA games for the Knicks across the past two seasons.

The Next Stars program has seen six players drafted in the first round across the last six NBA drafts, including LaMelo Ball (2020), Josh Giddey (2021), Ousmane Dieng (2022) and Alex Sarr (2024), all being selected inside the lottery.

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