Alex Condon: The NBA's Next Aussie Big Man?
Alex Condon began playing basketball at 16 years old. Now, he's a national champion. This Australian's combination of brains and brawn might just make him a quality NBA center.
Born and raised in Perth, Australia, Alex Condon grew up playing a number of sports including cricket, water polo, and Australia Rules Football. It wasn’t until the age of 16 that he shifted his focus to basketball. He caught the attention of Florida’s coaching staff and impressed as a freshman. His sophomore year, he became one of the team’s best players and was named third-team All-SEC. Let’s take a look at what what makes Alex Condon an intriguing center prospect and what might be holding him back from being an elite big.
Basic Stats (2024-2025): 24.9 MPG, 10.6 PPG, 2.2 APG, 7.5 RPG, 1.3 BPG, 0.9 SPG, 1.4 TO, 49.3% FG
Pros:
Playmaking
What stands out to me about Condon’s playmaking is his patience. He waits for opportunities to open up and doesn’t force anything
He can be as flashy as you need him to be but can also make the simple plays with great consistency
He’ll often use ball fakes to create more opportunities for himself and his teammates and is a good enough ball handler to put the ball down, draw defenders toward him, and then deliver a cross-court bullet or a sharp bounce pass
He can oftentimes act as an offensive hub and run the offense from the post. This allows him to have a relatively high usage rate for his size (20.6%, 71st percentile)
1.61x Ast/Tov Ratio (91st percentile)
Defense
First and foremost, Condon provides the strong interior presence you would want from a traditional big
He held opponents to only 41.5% at the rim and put up 1.3 blocks per game (91st percentile)
Along with his interior defense, he has the versatility that is being demanded more and more from the modern big man
He has pretty quick feet for his size which allows him to close out on shooters effectively
21.7% opponent 3pt%
Condon was also tested in isolation. He defended isolation on 17.2% of his defensive possessions and allowed only 0.60 PPP (78th percentile)
Toughness and Relentlessness
Condon’s effort would be obvious even to someone who has never watched basketball. He’s a great rebounder, fights for 50/50 balls, consistently closes out, and gets out in transition
98th percentile Off Rebound %
Condon’s effort, that largely stems from his experience in water polo and Australian football, could be a larger indication of a work ethic that will help him improve on his flaws as a player
Cons:
Scoring
This is the only major flaw that I will put here for Condon as its the only thing keeping him from being a quality NBA big. However, his scoring struggles show their face in a variety of ways
Condon has flashed some interior scoring prowess. He’s shown the ability to finish with both hands and uses good ball fakes to get defenders in the air. He put up 1.27 PPS at the rim (74th percentile). While this is solid, it’s not exceptional and not quite what you’d hope for from someone hoping to be a productive interior scorer in the NBA
Condon also doesn’t really space the floor yet as he only shot 32.8% from 3 this past season
His shot is quite slow and has an awkward hitch on the release. He was more than comfortable taking open 3s, which is a good sign, but he will need to improve his mechanics a lot to become a floor spacer
Condon only shot 60.4% from the line. If he wants to continue to be a high-usage big, this will have to improve
Overall, Condon doesn’t have a bread-and-butter skill when it comes to putting the ball in the basket. His scoring will need to improve all around if he wants to hang against NBA defenses
Final Take: When he steps on a basketball court, you can expect Alex Condon to give it his all. He’s a fighter and a great teammate. He’ll dive for loose balls, fight for second chance opportunities, and make his presence felt at the rim. At the same time, he fits the mold for what more and more NBA teams look for in a big. He’s a versatile defender and can act as a secondary or tertiary playmaker, especially out of the post. He’s an intriguing combination of tough and savvy. If Condon can find a way to become a productive scorer in some fashion, he will have all the tools necessary to be a quality NBA big. His effort and attitude on the court suggest he has the work ethic to maximize his potential as a scorer. The only question is: What is that potential? To me, his willingness to shoot and the flashes he’s shown around the rim are very positive signs. His mindset, IQ, and toughness are reason enough to be excited his future.
Draft Projection: Late first round
Player Comp: Steven Adams