Is Serbia’s Nikola Topic poised to be the name everyone is talking about for the first name on the board in the 2024 NBA Draft?
It seems that there is no clear No. 1 – ESPN’s latest mock had Isaiah Collier from USC first. In our second simulation of Bryan KalbroskyTopic was the No. 18 player chosen in the first round.
But in Latest draft from SB Nation, Topic is the first off the board for the Detroit Pistons. Why is that? How did he go from first round to maybe first overall? Is this a sign of things to come?
Here is the reasoning from Ricky O’Donnell of the site:
In a disappointing draft class, Topic’s superb production in the Adriatic League has positioned him as my early favorite for the No. 1 pick. The success of Luka Doncic and Alperen Sengun has shown that dominating a European league at a young age during your pre-draft year is a major precursor to success in the NBA. Topic’s combination of size and speed for a lead point guard helps him pass the eye test even without a plus jumper, and his overall production is why he deserves serious consideration for the top pick.
So! Don’t forget to check our latest NBA Mock Draft from Kalbrosky!