NBL young guns get NBA chance

Thursday, May 8, 2025

Perth's Ben Henshall and Illawarra's Lachlan Olbrich were invited to workouts with the Portland Trailblazers.

Photos: Portland Trail Blazers.

Two of the NBL's brightest talents have been handed an early opportunity to shine in the US, with Perth's Ben Henshall and Illawarra's Lachlan Olbrich invited to workouts with the Portland Trailblazers.

The Australian pair were two of just six players invited to early workouts with the NBA team, with the pair having previously nominated for the NBA Draft.

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Henshall, 20, has also been invited to the NBA's Draft Combine, which gets underway across the weekend in Chicago.

In all, six NBL players have nominated for the Draft; Next Stars Rocco Zikarsky, Malique Lewis, Alex Toohey and Izan Almansa, alongside Henshall and Olbrich.

The NBA Draft will be held on Thursday, June 26.