Alex Toohey: The Australian Pipeline Continuation?

Creative Australian Magicians: Josh Giddey, Ben Simmons, Dyson Daniels, is Alex Toohey the next Australian unicorn?

A highly touted international prospect with professional reps immediate expectations to contribute for Georgetown. Despite a disappointing 9–23 season under Ed Cooley, Toohey was one of the biggest spotlights for the team. His feeling, creativity and adaptability for the game has truly been spectacular for an underclassman. As he explores his next move through the portal or draft waters, let’s take a closer look at Toohey’s profile and see if he’s ready to take that next leap.

The rare physicality of Toohey, which truly sets him apart from other Australian imports (RookieWire)

Basic Stats (2024-2025): 32.3 MPG, 16.9 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.6 STL, 0.6 BLK, 2.4 TOV, 48.4FG%

Pros:

• Excellent Ball Handler for His Size

  • Demonstrates great dribbling skills that allow him to shake off bigger defenders, creating offensive mismatches consistently.

  • Effective in isolations, particularly against larger opponents, leveraging agility to exploit gaps.

• Strong Defensive Awareness and Instincts

  • Exhibits strong anticipation and defensive IQ, making effective stops against opponents who lack elite speed.

  • Despite slower lateral quickness, consistently shows passion, intensity, and team-first defensive effort.

• Versatile Offensive Creator

  • Comfortable handling offensive possessions independently, especially utilizing screens to cut toward the arc and initiate attacks.

  • A significant threat when driving to the rim, frequently uses floaters and clever finishes to convert difficult shots.

• Crafty and Efficient in Transition

  • Excels in transition opportunities, capable of going coast-to-coast and effectively finishing plays using spins and rhythmic euro steps.

  • Displays creativity and smoothness in the open court, often maneuvering past multiple defenders.

• High-Potential Off-the-Ball Shooter

  • Able to swiftly come off screens and launch three-point attempts with confidence.

  • Possesses potential to develop into an elite off-ball perimeter shooter, making him challenging for defenders to guard effectively.

• European-Style Playmaking

  • Exhibits a fluid, rhythmic style of play reminiscent of European players, capable of dissecting defenses without relying solely on explosive speed.

Cons:

• Tendency to Over-Dribble and Take Contested Shots

  • Can be overly sticky with the ball, frequently attempting tough contested shots that negatively impact team efficiency and compromise transition defense.

• Needs Greater Patience and Playmaking Discipline

  • Should improve his patience when initiating pick-and-roll plays, better timing his passes and shot selections to maximize offensive flow.

• Defensive Lateral Quickness Concerns

  • Limited lateral quickness occasionally results in vulnerability against quicker perimeter players; must enhance his agility to contain faster opponents.

• Physicality and Contact Avoidance

  • Playstyle heavily influenced by defender’s size and strength, sometimes avoiding direct physical confrontations with stronger defenders.

  • Despite having explosive dunk highlights, he rarely initiates contact, preferring finesse and crafty finishes over physical play.

Final Take: Toohey is a versatile modern forward who can both finish off the screen and make plays himself. However, to strive at NBA-level, he needs to improve on his inconsistent beyond the arc shooting performance, be not afraid to initiate contact against bigger and stronger defenders, and improve on his defense lateral quickness. Overall, Toohey displays the typical playing style and cratiness of European player and exhibits great potential.

Draft Projection: late first round to early second round

Player Comparison: Deni Avdija, Trey Murphy III, Corey Kispert