2024 Draft Prospect: Nikola Topic

[wilson115]

Spurs need this kid. Wizards demanding 4 and 8 as we speak. Probably. Ought to be.

[MasterIchiro]

Spurs need this kid. Wizards demanding 4 and 8 as we speak. Probably. Ought to be.

Agree. I think they should be demanding more than that. A pure PG is exactly what you need for Wembanyama.

Wizards can and should engage in extortion.

[KingCat]

Don't even see a point in getting excited about him. Only way he gets to 6 is if that knee is super concerning.

[Diop]

Spurs need this kid. Wizards demanding 4 and 8 as we speak. Probably. Ought to be.

Agree. I think they should be demanding more than that. A pure PG is exactly what you need for Wembanyama.

Wizards can and should engage in extortion.

i think even i could throw lobs successfully to Wemby his reach is so long. He can also play bit like Jokic when he wants to. I think spacing is their biggest need to try an isolate him.

[Snidely FC]

ESPN has dropped Topic all the way down to #9 due to the concerns over his knee injuries

Topic's season ended with a knee injury suffered in the Adriatic League Finals, his second in this calendar year, a development that will be studied closely by teams once NBA doctors are able to conduct a thorough physical examination. Several teams have pointed out that European doctors often have different philosophies from their American counterparts regarding ligament injury treatment as well as their likelihood for recommending surgery. So it's all but a certainty that his MRIs will be scrutinized closely and might have an impact on his draft stock if his availability for next season comes into question.

Topic's playmaking prowess -- as a 6-7 pick-and-roll maestro with possibly the fastest processing speed of any prospect in this draft -- should help overcome those question marks, as he was gaining momentum for consideration as one of the draft's top prospects before his season was derailed.

[MPM]

Love Topic, but would feel par for the course to draft him and have him need knee surgery.

[Bassman]

I’m passing on Topic even if available. Need an iron man on this team of delicate croissants.

[JMAC3]

Yeah need more info, the last I heard is he is expected to be healthy enough to go through team workouts prior to the draft.

[JMAC3]

Admittedly a favorite of mine as I have really taken on a lot in terms of expanding my basketball knowledge outside the states the past 6 months. Felt like a lost hope he could fall a month ago, but due to injury scare the chance he is there at 6 has at least doubled if not more.

Positives
Very young- Still 18 on draft night
Elite production profile in Fiba & ABA for his age
Elite positional size at 6-7 200lbs
Good first step
Elite FT shooter (88%)
Rim Finishing (70% at rim)
Passing and vision elite- both on kickouts and creating layups off penetration
Good pedigree- Dad played professionally, now coach
Good finisher with both hands
Draws fouls

Weaknesses
Shooting- 3pt shot a work in progress, 4.5 3pa per game promising
Not a vertical athlete- very few dunks on tape, maybe none
Knee injury concern
Mid-range game is elementary- little pull up and floater game
Does not showcase difficult finishes frequently in layup package
Tends to play standing straight up
Defense is a true negative now due to 18 yr old strength- does read passing lanes well

[JMAC3]

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[MPM]

Remains my top guy barring bad knee news.

[yosemiteben]

Yeah I'm thinking he's probably just my top guy without qualification, unless there's like irreparable knee damage.

[MPM]

Yeah I'm thinking he's probably just my top guy without qualification, unless there's like irreparable knee damage.

Yep, should have qualified bad knee news as (very) bad knee news.

[fatlever]

not sure melo's ego can handle us taking a strictly pass-first pg. i could see us staying away from topic for this reason, justified or not. castle and reed are better fits next to melo, if we were to take a pg/combo. topic also makes micic obsolete by year 2, not that micic should dictate decisions. but his the step up from micic to topic really that big other than age? topic only reaches value for us if - he replaces melo enough to trade melo for picks/players or can defend or shoot well enough to effectively fit next to melo. i don't trust melo, for a myriad of reasons, but not sure new front office is ready to alienate melo in their 1st summer. just my early thoughts.
if topic was in a tier above all others and he fell, then fine, but in this draft, i'd maybe look elsewhere or find trade partner for team wanting topic and pick up assets.

[JMAC3]

not sure melo's ego can handle us taking a strictly pass-first pg. i could see us staying away from topic for this reason, justified or not. castle and reed are better fits next to melo, if we were to take a pg/combo. topic also makes micic obsolete by year 2, not that micic should dictate decisions. but his the step up from micic to topic really that big other than age? topic only reaches value for us if - he replaces melo enough to trade melo for picks/players or can defend or shoot well enough to effectively fit next to melo. i don't trust melo, for a myriad of reasons, but not sure new front office is ready to alienate melo in their 1st summer. just my early thoughts.
if topic was in a tier above all others and he fell, then fine, but in this draft, i'd maybe look elsewhere or find trade partner for team wanting topic and pick up assets.

I think you are sleeping Topic ability to score the ball.
He was #2 in scoring and #1 in assists before getting hurt in the ABA League.
Here he is scoring 49 pts in one game in a Euroleague U18 tourney

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Vasa is cool, but he turns 31 this year. Let him mentor Topic for a year before we send him to a contender.
Idk if Melo and him are the perfect to play together, but with their size it could be an interesting pairing.
Especially with Topic being on attack to the rim every time he has the ball with Melo and Miller as such good shooters.

I am pretty confident Topic will be a better shooter in the NBA than Castle based on what I have seen.

[luciano-davidwesley]

Yeah I'm thinking he's probably just my top guy without qualification, unless there's like irreparable knee damage.

Yep, should have qualified bad knee news as (very) bad knee news.

Agreed. I see this guy as probably the best player from the 2024 draft in 5 years if his knee holds up.

[JMAC3]

Yeah I'm thinking he's probably just my top guy without qualification, unless there's like irreparable knee damage.

Yep, should have qualified bad knee news as (very) bad knee news.

Agreed. I see this guy as probably the best player from the 2024 draft in 5 years if his knee holds up.

The guys in the NBA that can spam pick and roll and fire the ball all over the court are the most valuable players in the game right now. Luka, Haliburton, Melo, Cade, Trae, Harden, Brunson... if you feel like Topic has this upside it is hard to turn down at 6th.

A big common factor among those guys is they are all bigger guys who can see over the defense (minus Trae/Brunson).

[fatlever]

i should have said... as a guy who plays on the ball majority of time, not pass first.
can topic play off-ball equally well? is melo willing to cede on-ball to topic? i'm not sure he would.
that being said, i'd love melo off-ball more (for same reasons why when considering scoot last year)
but i'm not convinced melo is willing to play that role

[yosemiteben]

Saw a scouting video on YouTube that said he has a 7' wingspan, is that true?

That would be crazy.

Perhaps to state the obvious, but I cannot imagine a team drafting someone like Castle over someone like Topic.

[wilson115]

I've seen claims of a 6'7" wingspan, but it's hard to argue with actual measurements. Definitely the best PG in the draft.

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