There has been a lot of hype surrounding the NBL Next Star program this offseason, and the Hawks were one of the first in the league to secure a talented young player for their upcoming campaign.

AJ Johnson, 18, elected to sign with the Hawks under the Next Stars program after de-committing from the University of Texas, an NCAA Division I program that has produced NBA All-Star players like Kevin Durant and sent over 35 of their alumni to the NBA.

The 6’6 guard explained his decision to become a Next Star factored in the style of play surrounding the NBL.

“The college environment is a bit more controlled and about X's and O's and not as much about playing off of feel and freedom,” Johnson told 247Sports.

Johnson hopes to follow in the footsteps of previous Next Stars like LaMelo Ball and Josh Giddey.

"I feel like me and LaMelo have similar styles and we both like to play off of feel and just making plays in space. I'm trying to go off the same things that he and Giddey did, and I feel like they came into the league a lot better prepared than many other players because of it.”

The high school sensation will arrive in the Illawarra in August and is currently projected to a first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

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The Next Stars program was launched in 2018 after Terrance Ferguson, an American prospect, elected to join the NBL for the 2017-18 season instead of attending college in the US.

After his season Down-Under he was drafted in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft.

This was a catalyst for the NBL to create the Next Stars program in a bid to help young talents, who would otherwise enter the US college system to develop their game and get noticed by NBA teams, whilst increasing the league's exposure internationally.

Next Stars are selected by a panel of experts, who are then able to enter a contract with the League and be picked up by an NBL team. After playing at least one season with an NBL Club, the Next Stars typically nominate for the NBA Draft the following year.

The Hawks have previously had two Next Stars don the red and black: Justinian Jessup in NBL21 and NBL22, and LaMelo Ball in NBL20.

Ball used his time with the Hawks to showcase his skills and versatility on the court, where he averaged 17 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1.7 steals per game, and helped increase the Hawks’ competitiveness in the league and drew attention from NBA scouts.

His performances allowed him to be selected as the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, making him the highest-drafted player from the NBL in history.

Jessup spent two seasons with the Hawks, where he showcased his versatility on the court and proved to be an asset in the teams’ finals campaign during NBL22.

Following his Next Stars stint, Jessup signed with Casademont Zaragoza in Spain and remained an option for the Golden State Warriors, who had drafted him 51st in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft.

The NBL Next Stars program has undoubtedly proven to be a valuable pathway for young prospects seeking to develop their skills, gain valuable experience, and attract the attention of NBA scouts, with other notable NBL Next Stars like R.J. Hampton and Josh Giddey achieving success.

R.J. Hampton joined the New Zealand Breakers for the 2019-2020 NBL season, and made an immediate impact on games, averaging 8.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game.

Following his successful stint in the NBL, Hampton was selected as the 24th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Josh Giddey, an Australian guard, joined the Adelaide 36ers for the NBL21 season as a Next Star where his passing skills and basketball IQ were on display as he averaged an impressive 10.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game.

Giddey's performances in the NBL propelled him into the NBA spotlight, and he was subsequently selected as the 6th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Johnson's decision to join the Illawarra Hawks as an NBL Next Star adds to the growing legacy of talented players who have used the league as a stepping stone to the NBA, and as the program continues to attract top draft prospects it solidifies the NBL's status as a competitive league.

The future looks bright for Johnson, with his desire to play with feel and freedom aligning with those of the successful Next Stars before him suggesting he has the potential to make a lasting impression.

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