ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst has compared Cairns Taipans Next Star Luke Paul to Hall of Fame point guard John Stockton, after the 17-year-old committed to play college basketball at Duke University.
Paul, a 6'6" guard, announced his commitment to Duke's Class of 2027 during ESPN's NBA coverage. NBL.com.au reported the news on Friday in a story headlined "Hand-picked: The Next Star already drawing comparisons to a legend".
Windhorst's comparison places Paul alongside Stockton, the former Utah Jazz guard who remains the NBA's all-time leader in assists and steals and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Paul is part of the NBL's Next Stars program, which lets elite young Australian prospects play professionally in the league before moving on to college or NBA careers. He will complete the 2026-27 Hungry Jack's NBL27 season with Cairns before relocating to Durham, North Carolina, to join Duke for the 2027-28 NCAA campaign.
ESPN has described Paul as a projected lottery pick for the 2028 NBA Draft.