Next Star praises Taipans ahead of debut

07 Oct 2026

Cairns coach Adam Forde outlines his plan for Luke Paul in his NBL debut against Brisbane.

By

NBL.com.au

He may not have stepped on an NBL court just yet, but Next Star Luke Paul knows the impact the Cairns Taipans have made on his hoops journey.

Ahead of his debut on Thursday night against the Brisbane Bullets, the 17-year-old outlined that his season with Adam Forde's side will be so crucial in his development before heading to the United States to attend Duke University.

“Training in this NBL environment is accelerating my development,” Paul said.

“I'm thankful to the Taipans, coach Adam Forde, the Next Stars program and everyone involved for helping me to improve.

“To be able to get into a professional environment as early as I can, and see what it takes to make it in that sort of environment, is super beneficial for me. I get to learn from professionals every day.

“I'm excited about committing to Duke, as it's a dream come true and I'm equally excited about giving absolutely everything I have to Cairns this season.”

Some basketball fans might hope to see Paul on court for a long stint at the Cairns Convention Centre on Thursday, but coach Forde explained his young star would be eased into it.

“He has been on court, and has been really, really good,” Forde said.

“It's just a matter of building confidence in the ankle. He's had a bunch of good sessions with contact.

“If we can get five to eight minutes out of him just to build up his level of comfort, it'll be very handy.”

Forde went on to say he and the whole Far North Queensland club appreciate being part of the prodigy's journey.

“We're really proud of Luke and how he has embraced our Club and our program in such a short time,” Forde added.

“It's a privilege he chose us first, and we love that the Taipans will always be synonymous with his journey.

“He's going to learn a lot while he's here with us this season, and he'll be even more elite for Duke with that experience.”

Thursday's Round 4 clash between Cairns and Brisbane tips off at 7.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN.