After having been Redshirt for the entire 2024-25 due to a torn ACL and, once authorized for action, showing this year’s NBA summer league, OKC Thunder fans are now preparing for the bit while they are waiting for the first campaign of goalkeeper Nikola Topic.
Considering that it was a talent selected by the lottery in the draft of the NBA 2024 that many believe would have been a selection of the first five If he had been part of the 2025 class, the excitement surrounding his arrival at the rotation is understandable.
However, although belief is that the subject is a talent likely to prosper possibly in association and, in particular, in this thunder scheme, expectations so that it can make a notable difference in the year, one should be seriously tempered.
The subject Nikola will probably need time to acclimatize to thunder
Of course, this does not mean that it is impossible for the recruit to establish itself as a manufacturer of difference during the first year.
Just last season, the fans witnessed the second round choice Ajay Mitchell surprises the masses and cut a regular place in the rotation of the champion of the possible NBA, and he was far from being the subject of high -level perspective.
However, his insertion into the mixture was largely based on three key factors: his reliable shooting skills, his impressive defensive chops and the fact that the alignment of Oklahoma City dealt with a series of injuries throughout the season.
Hopefully there will be no rehearsal of health related difficulties that tormented thunder in 2024-25, which, in the event of the success of these problems, automatically has the third aforementioned factor.
This therefore only presents its ability to draw and play defense as potentially reproducible means of climbing a coherent place in the system.
He has certainly shown lightning of this last capacity, because he measures 6 feet 6 inches, with construction to keep several positions, and On average 2.0 interceptions per game in Salt Lake City And 1.7 in Las Vegas during the summer league.
However, as was the case even during his mandate abroad, there is still much to be desired by his stroke, while he converted on only 31.9% of his shots on the ground this summer.
Although his distribution skills are certainly elite and will help buy him time in the court in the first year, a goalkeeper who has trouble drawing is rather difficult to give an important role, in particular in a team with primary managers like Shai Gilgeous-Aalexander and Jalen Williams, who often vanish for rating opportunities for capture and shots for teammates.
While Thunder fans testify in the past with guys like Russell Westbrook, for example, it is generally a year or two so that the guards develop in the association, in particular those who fight with their shot.
Thus, while the excitement of seeing the old choice of 20 -year -old lottery finally going to hard wood can be quite high, the faithful faithful of Oklahoma City must understand that the subject needs time to fully acclimatize to the NBA game.
