One of Australia’s brightest young talents, Luke Paul, has signed with the Cairns Taipans for the Hungry Jack’s NBL27 Season.

After committing in January to become an NBL Next Star, etching his place in history as the youngest-ever athlete to sign with the prestigious program, the next stop on Paul’s basketball journey will be in Cairns, under the guidance of head coach Adam Forde.

“I talked to multiple teams, but the pitch the Taipans gave to me was hard to turn down,” Paul said.

“I walked away going, ‘I really like this place, and I really like what they're putting together’, so it wasn't a hard decision, and it’s all really exciting.”

Part of the pitch that excited Paul was the Taipans’ track record of developing talent, which includes Taran Armstrong, Keanu Pinder and Bul Kuol.

Another convincing element was the club’s strong NBL27 core, which includes Boomers Jack McVeigh and Reyne Smith.

“Fordey has a proven track record of developing players and getting the best out of everyone,” Paul said.

“All players want to win, and Fordey’s not going to bring guys in that don't want to win.

“I also don’t want to go into an environment where no one cares about me, and I know that won’t be the case with Cairns and Fordey, who I know are going to push me and help me get where I want to be.

“Each time we step on the court, we’re all going to push each other, and help get Cairns back to playoff basketball, which I’m confident we can do with the likes of Jack and Reyne already on the roster.”

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Forde, who recently re-signed with the Taipans on a new two-year extension, is excited to get to work alongside Paul and help the 17-year-old achieve his NBA dream, while comparing him to other top Australian point guards.

“Luke Paul's exciting, he's just turned 17, and he’s massive at 6’6",” Forde said.

“He’s got big hands and really good vision, so there are obviously similarities with him and the likes of Josh Giddey and Taran Armstrong.

“His ability to navigate the screen, look for his teammates and pick his moments makes him an exciting prospect.”

Paul, a product of the Perth Wildcats Academy and Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence, will lead Australia in the FIBA U17 World Cup in Istanbul, Turkey, later this month.

Following that event, the talented teen will head to Far North Queensland to begin preparations for his rookie season in the NBL.

“He's got a big future, and it's a two-year plan that we're looking at Luke with,” Forde said.

“During those two years, we’re planning how we can progress him to the point where he’s NBA-ready.

“We’re fortunate that Luke, his family and team are trusting us to take care of that process for him.

“He's of the right mindset, too. What I love about Luke as a Next Star, he knows that nothing's promised, nothing's given, and he's going to have to earn everything.”

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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