Nikola Topic is the #1 prospect here at FanSided. His promotion to Euroleague star Crvena Zvezda, where he learns behind all-time basketball genius Milos Teodosic, was recently cut short by injury. He is expected to miss approximately six weeks, which could impact his draft stock. It is too early to tell.
Regardless, being the “#1” prospect in 2024 doesn’t mean as much as it usually does. There are about five different No. 1 prospects depending on where you look. It will matter, personal preferences will matter. Memphis doesn’t need to land at the top to take a chance on Topic. In 12 Adriatic League games with Mega MIS before his recall by Red Star, Topic averaged 18.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 7.1 assists (3.2 turnovers) on splits of .523 /.259/.855.
The subject, listed at 6-foot-6, presents himself as the kind of big playmaking guard that NBA teams are beginning to covet. The Grizzlies already have a heavily used point guard in Morant, but there is logic behind building your offense around multiple play valves. The subject is the main driver of the project. He’s good at putting defenders to sleep before hitting the NOS button and exploding to the rim. It doesn’t breed for fancy finishes, but Topic has touch and craftsmanship for days.
There are legitimate concerns regarding Topic’s limited 3-point success and his potential as an all-around scorer at the next level. He should create plenty of opportunities through paint pressure, but Topic isn’t a prolific pull-up shooter and the 3s aren’t falling at the desired clip right now. He’s also a troublesome defender, which makes the pairing with Morant particularly tricky on paper.
Topic should be expected to begin his career as a backup point guard if he lands in Memphis. It’s not the most conventional use of a high lottery pick, but if the Grizzlies want to gamble on talent and upside, Topic is worth considering.
