Australian point guard Luke Paul -- a projected lottery pick for the 2028 NBA Draft -- has committed to Duke University, he told ESPN.
Paul is currently playing for the Cairns Taipans as a member of the NBL's Next Stars program; he will complete the 2026-27 season in Australia before joining the Blue Devils ahead of their 2027-28 campaign.
"I want to get to the NBA and be a lottery pick, and I trust in their player development to get me there," Paul told ESPN.
"In saying that, winning a national championship at Duke is the ultimate goal for me."
Paul said he had just one call with Duke's coaching staff -- led by head coach Jon Scheyer -- but he walked away from it with a high level of confidence that it was where he could thrive in what very well could be a one-and-done season playing college basketball.
"The family aspect of the program appealed to me," Paul said. "I jumped on the call with Coach Scheyer and the rest of the coaching staff, and really got the feeling that it's going to be home for me.
"I put trust in them, and they put trust in me, that we'd be able to do something special. I went away from that call with a lot of confidence that it was right for me."
Paul -- who announced his commitment in a sit-down with ESPN's Brian Windhorst for NBA Today on Thursday -- is a 6'6 point guard who announced himself as a potential NBA prospect after a standout showing at the 2026 FIBA U17 World Cup, where he led Australia to a bronze medal, averaging 15.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game, while shooting 55.6% from three-point range. Paul was named to the tournament's All-Star Five, alongside future Duke teammate Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, who starred for the gold medal winning USA team.
"I'm very excited to play alongside him," Paul said of teaming up with Boumtje Boumtje. "He was one of the reasons I chose Duke. To be able to play the middle pick-and-roll with him, or hit him on a pick-and-pop, it's going to be so much fun. I can't wait."
The 17-year-old is regarded as a potential lottery pick in the 2028 NBA Draft, where he's considered a top-three international prospect in the class. Paul had offers from USC, Auburn, Arkansas, and Arizona State, sources said, as well as strong interest from Louisville and Florida, before ultimately choosing the Blue Devils.
In January, Paul became the youngest athlete to ever join the Next Stars program, which has produced multiple NBA draft picks, including LaMelo Ball, Josh Giddey, Alex Sarr, Ousmane Dieng, RJ Hampton, Rayan Rupert, AJ Johnson, Bobi Klintman, Ariel Hukporti, Rocco Zikarsky, and Alex Toohey.
Paul is a big point guard with a high-IQ and elite feel, who's demonstrated a high-level passing game over his junior career in Australia. The native of Perth, Western Australia was previously a scholarship holder at Basketball Australia's Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Canberra, where he attended prior to joining the Taipans in the NBL.
"I've been very impressed with how adaptable Luke is in a professional environment," Taipans head coach Adam Forde told ESPN.
"He's done a good job of being his charming self, and he's got his banter and camaraderie he brings in the locker room. But also on court, he's a real competitor. He gets after it, and is really diligent in his work ethic. We've had him injured for the first part of the season, and he's been really diligent with staying on top of keeping his body in shape stay prepared so, when he does get back on the court, the transition should be pretty smooth.
"Everybody talks about him being a big point guard, and his floor vision and awareness, and there are the comparisons with Josh Giddey, but his ability to shoot it has been very impressive.
"He's someone that can space off the ball as well. If there's an action going on and he ends up on the weak side, he has an ability to be a floor spacer for the catch and shoot. It'll keep building to him pulling up off the bounce for that same type of shots... His stroke's quite nice, and it's probably an underrated part of his game. That's something he'll continue to improve on, but he has a good base for."
Paul has yet to actually suit up for the Taipans as he recovers from an ankle injury sustained in the preseason. He's expected to return from the injury and make his NBL debut sometime in the middle of October.
"The NBL has been great for me," Paul said.
"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 wouldn't be able to go to college next year, so it's a great situation for me."
Paul's decision to commit to Duke is the introduction of a new element of the Next Stars program which has long been, and remains, a pathway from the NBL to the NBA; but now, in the NIL era, it includes preparing young athletes for college basketball.
"Luke has earned this opportunity through his talent, work ethic and character," NBL General Manager of Next Stars Recruitment, Liam Santamaria, said. "The game is evolving, and so are the opportunities available to young players. We are proud to be a key part of Luke's journey and look forward to supporting him this season and beyond."