Nikola Topic finds himself as one of the top-rated guard teams looking to get more information ahead of 2024. NBA Draft. Organizations not only want to know more about his skills before the draft, but they are also looking for more information on a non-contact knee injury Topic suffered during the playoffs for his European club just a few weeks ago.
Initially it was reported that The subject suffered a left knee sprain this would keep him sidelined for the rest of the championship series. At the NBA Draft Combine in Italy, Topic’s agent, Misko Raznatovic, revealed that his client had a Partially torn ACL, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. Raznatovic told ESPN that he does not expect this injury to have a major impact on the Serbian guard’s stock due to his youth and the feedback received from doctors who examined his MRI in the United States.
After missing four months of action due to a left knee injury suffered in January, Topic returned for three games in April before suffering his recent non-contact injury in Game 1 of the Adriatic League Playoff Finals . Now, Topic will travel to the United States this week to be evaluated by NBA doctors to determine what his recovery plan and surgery looks like.
This is a significant development just three weeks before the 2024 NBA Draft, as the topic currently is. ranked #7 overall on the latest 2024 NBA Draft Big Board 3.0 from ClutchPoints. He is projected to go fourth overall to the San Antonio Spurs in ClutchPoints 2024 NBA Draft 2.0.
While Topic and his camp don’t believe this injury will impact his draft stock, teams picking inside the Top 10 will now have to consider whether or not they want to risk selecting the talented guard ahead of others. Stephon Castle, Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham are three other guards who were all ranked among the top 10 guard prospects in this draft class.
The Spurs, who have the fourth and eighth selections in this year’s draft, have long been considered the most likely destination for Topic. As they look for immediate roster upgrades to place next to Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio could very well consider their other options outside of Topic with their top two picks. The Detroit Pistons, Portland Trail Blazers and Charlotte Hornets are three other teams that reportedly had rumors of interest in Topic during the pre-draft process.
At this time, there is no timetable for Topic’s return to the field. It’s something that will be discussed once he sees medical professionals in the United States ahead of the NBA draft at the end of the month.
At just 18 years old and doesn’t turn 19 until August, Topic offers one of the highest prospects in this year’s draft. He is undoubtedly one of the best point guards, and his length at the guard position makes Topic a very attractive name for various NBA organizations. While this is certainly a setback for Topic, his overall potential as one of the top talents in the draft remains. Various teams will continue to gather medical records and information on the subject ahead of the June 26 draft.
