The Oklahoma City Thunder selected Serbian Nikola Topic with the 12th pick in the 2024 NBA draft.
The topic started last season with the ABA’s Mega MIS. He quickly established himself as one of the top international prospects. The 18-year-old put up monstrous numbers as a primary point guard.
He averaged 18.4 points on 52.3% shooting, 7.1 assists and 3.6 rebounds. He made 25.9% of his three-point shots on 4.5 attempts. He made 85.5% of his free throws.
At 6’6″ and 200 pounds, Topic has elite size for a guard, but he’ll need to add muscle to his slender frame. Given his young age, that shouldn’t be a problem as he matures.
He suffered a knee injury in January that cost him four months. His return in April was short-lived as he suffered a partial tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in the same knee.
With the Thunder, he will likely have to redshirt next season while he recovers from his injury. Once he returns, he is considered a long-term project who could become a top-tier backcourt starter if he reaches his ceiling.
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