NBL25 season review - Izan Almansa

The talented Next Star came to the Perth Wildcats with one of the greatest junior basketball CVs ever seen, and showed plenty of promise in the four and five spots.

He played 33 games for the season and put up some good numbers, impressing at both ends of the floor with 6.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per game while shooting at 51 per cent from the field.

Almansa’s season started with a 10-point HoopsFest debut in the win over SEM Phoenix, his first of seven double-digit games across NBL25.

The 19-year-old earned 13 starts throughout the season, with his best coming on the road against Melbourne United in early November when he posted a season-high 19 points to go with seven rebounds and two blocks after replacing Keanu Pinder in the starting five.

Four of his double-digit points outings came within a month from late November to late December including a 17-point, eight-rebound performance against New Zealand at RAC Arena on December 1.

He also fell one rebound shy of a double-double against Illawarra on December 6 with 15 points and nine boards.

The athletic big man finished as the Wildcats’ fourth-leading rebounder with 130 and equal-fourth for blocks with 10.

Since the season finished, Almansa has nominated for the NBA Draft as he looks to realise his NBA dreams and follow in the footsteps of fellow Wildcats Next Star Alex Sarr.