The NBA’s scouting schedule became cloudier Friday, as two projected top picks playing overseas were both ruled out for most of January.
In Australia, Alex Sarr, ESPN’s projected No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, will miss approximately 2-3 weeks due to a mild hip strain. The 7ft 1in French big man slid onto the field during Perth’s resounding NBL win over Adelaide on December 28, limiting him to 13 minutes of action.
Perth said an MRI confirmed Sarr’s hip strain and he would be re-assessed next week.
Sarr, 18, is in the midst of a breakout season in Australia, ranking among the NBL’s top shot blockers and helping Perth win nine of their last 11 games to claim second place in the standings. He started the season strong, posting 43 points, 19 rebounds and 12 blocks in two games against G League Ignite in early September, and has seen his draft stock rise steadily since.
In Serbia, Nikola Topic, ESPN’s projected No. 5 overall pick, will miss at least four to six weeks with an injury he suffered during Red Star Belgrade’s EuroLeague victory over rival Partizan Belgrade. Topic was playing his third match with the team after returning from a loan spell at Mega MIS Belgrade.
Topic, a 6-foot-7 point guard with exceptional court vision and playmaking creativity, was putting up historic numbers – 18.6 points, 6.9 assists per game – for an 18-year-old in the Adriatic League, helping to significantly elevate its position. in the eyes of NBA executives. The FIBA ​​U18 European Championship MVP is not expected to play again until March, a source told ESPN.
The EuroLeague regular season ends on April 11 and Topic’s Adriatic League season is expected to extend until the end of May, with the club also participating in the Serbian league, which ends in June.
The 2024 NBA Draft is scheduled for June 27 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analysis service used by the NBA, NCAA and international teams.
