THE San Antonio Spurs It’s safe to say that they’ve been a destination franchise for non-American-born players, even before the arrival of French phenom Victor Wembanyama.
Players like Boris Diaw, Tiago Splitter, Patty Mills and Tony Parker have all paved the way for that relationship, and while coach Gregg Popovich maintains that the level of basketball is unchanged between the United States and elsewhere, there is something to be said for the recent influx of foreign talent.
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Players like Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic have taken the NBA by storm, leading to exciting summer competitions but also an overall stronger talent pool across the 30 teams. Wembanyama is the latest addition to that foreign pool and will compete for France in the 2024 Olympics, but even beyond him, there are players looking to break into the league as incoming prospects.
Serbian teenager Nikola Topić is one of them. He’s a projected lottery pick this year, but after tearing his ACL (an injury discovered at the Italian NBA Draft Combine), it seems like a team will have to take a real risk with his health if they decide to take him that high, the Spurs included.
Here’s what you need to know:
Name: Nikola Topic
Age: 18
Position: Game leader
Hometown: Novi Sad, Serbia and Montenegro
Before: Red Star, Serbian KLS
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 203 books
Wingspan: 6’5″
Topic isn’t an oversized guard, but his size gives him an advantage in terms of vision on offense. Topic is a powerful passer, which has been on full display throughout his professional career thus far, so making him the primary playmaker seems like a no-brainer for San Antonio as they look to surround Wembanyama with playmakers.
Inside the arc, Topić has proven himself to be an effective scorer, and his ability to get to the basket is one of his most obvious strengths. The majority of his points have come inside the paint, as the 18-year-old is agile around the basket and very comfortable around the backboard when it comes to acrobatic finishes.
As a point guard, Topić exudes confidence. He is quick-witted and decisive when controlling the attack, so as he develops, that is likely to continue to be the case. That being said, there are still some areas of his game that need to be developed, which leaves the Serbian point guard with some areas for improvement.
It’s way too early to make NBA comparisons to an 18-year-old Serbian guard, but unless Topić’s 3-point shooting improves, many of them won’t be incredibly positive.
Yes, Topić has a strong passing ability and has what the Spurs need next to an impact player like Wembanyama, but with a 3-point percentage below 30 percent on the season, NBA defenses would have a field day preventing him from driving.
That’s not to say he can’t adapt — or in a less ideal scenario, accept a non-scoring playmaking role — but finding a way to make Topić a versatile threat will certainly be a priority for any team that signs him. The other thing to watch, too, is his health when he returns.
Topić had to miss a long period last season with a knee injury before returning for just three games and again leaving with an injury to the same area. The second time, the torn ACL he is currently recovering from, was much more serious and, given that he is not yet 19, it raises concerns for Spurs, who would much rather select a player they can rely on.
Overall, Topić has his strengths. And like any other prospect, he also has his weaknesses. None of them make him unfit to be a lottery pick, but they do raise some concerns.
Ultimately, it will be up to Spurs to decide whether Topić is worth taking a chance on.
