2024 Draft Prospect: Nikola Topic

[JMAC3]

https://www.tankathon.com/players/nikola-topic

#1 PG in the Draft
6-6 201 lbs
18.86 yrs old draft night

Perceived Draft Range 1-5

[MPM]

Really, really like this kid. More than happy if we draft him.

[JustBuzzin]

Topic is not #1 on my board, but he's one of the few I wouldn't be mad at if we picked him.

If we taking a pg then he's the only one I would take top 5. Not a fan of Sheppard at all.

[GoBobs]

are you comfortable picking someone coming off a major knee injury?

[MasterIchiro]

Lottery night, I will be watching to see if we slot ahead of the Spurs and Wizards. Jazz jumping into play is not worth the worry.

Basically a coin flip between Wizards, Spurs, and Hornets.

Elite court vision, IQ and playmaking are all coveted on his level. You can't pass on him if he's there.

He goes #1 overall for Spurs, Wizards, Hornets, Jazz.

He changes the game in a draft that won't move the needle for 95% of the teams (or more).

[Diop]

i updated the initial post as you made him a year older than he is, he's a kid, an interesting, promising project.

you can't teach smarts and he seems to have it, so he's up there for me.

[luciano-davidwesley]

Topic is one of the few guys in this draft that seems like he has the attributes that will lead to success at NBA level.

[JMAC3]

Here is what I will say as well about Topic and Melo. There is a difference between playing two 6-2 pgs together and struggling vs playing two 6-6 point guards together.

Realistically the #1 seed in the West is playing 3 college point guards together in SGA, Giddey, Jalen Williams. and that seems to be working out for them.

[JMAC3]

"Topić started progressing in his recovery from his knee injury and was spotted recently shooting and doing other on-court activities with the team. He could be limited in workouts during the pre-draft process, but it appears he will be ready for the start of next season."

[JMAC3]

https://youtu.be/jlc29zl1umU?si=SyDH3Yyn1hKI3Gcp

49 pt game in a prestigious tournament, hits game winner

[GoBobs]

https://youtu.be/jlc29zl1umU?si=SyDH3Yyn1hKI3Gcp

49 pt game in a prestigious tournament, hits game winner

Video says U18, does that mean everyone in this game is under 18? as in high school senior age and under?

[JMAC3]

https://youtu.be/jlc29zl1umU?si=SyDH3Yyn1hKI3Gcp

49 pt game in a prestigious tournament, hits game winner

Video says U18, does that mean everyone in this game is under 18? as in high school senior age and under?

Yes, that is common for Europe.

[JMAC3]

Sucks he went down with injury, but sounds like it isn't longterm. If somehow Topic falls to 6 because he is misses pre-draft stuff I would gladly take him at 6.

[KembaWalker]

I don’t trust pre draft injury reporting
They’ll say and inject him with anything that will get him through this draft process and trick some team but that’s a really scary non contact way to hurt your knee

[Bassman]

I don’t trust pre draft injury reporting
They’ll say and inject him with anything that will get him through this draft process and trick some team but that’s a really scary non contact way to hurt your knee

Repetitive injury to the same area is a BIG red flag. Gamble further down the draft order? Sure. No way at 6 I’m rolling dice on acquiring someone like that to join our walking wounded gang.

[MasterIchiro]

It is a knee sprain not structural damage requiring surgical intervention. It is not an injury that is chronic/subject to recurrence.

[Snidely FC]

A source told ESPN that Topic "froze up" after feeling pain in his previously injured knee, but recovered quickly in the locker room.

While this injury will keep Topic, who is ranked No. 5 in our Top 100, out of the remainder of the Adriatic League finals, he is still expected to be a full participant in a Global NBA pre-draft camp that the league is organizing in Treviso, Italy, from June 4-6. NBA teams will be taking a close look at the medical examination that will be conducted at this NBA combine equivalent in Treviso, which will be dispersed to teams picking in the top-15 portion of the draft according to new rules that were put in place in the CBA signed in 2023. -- Givony

[MasterIchiro]

If I'm his agent, I try tp steer him to Wemby who's looking like a potential historical figure.

So he has to fall past the Wiz @ 2. They're the only team picking before San Antonio needing a PG as much as the Spurs.

He goes 2 or 4. I'm sticking to it.

[MasterIchiro]

Spurs also have a supposed top notch medical staff.

[JMAC3]

I still feel pretty confident that Topic is the best offensive player in the draft.

If he is a heliocentric pg that is giving 20 ppg and 8.5 apg in the next 2-3 years that is probably the pick we should have made.