NBA Comparison: Vasilije Micic
Strengths: Good size point guard for his 6-6 point guard position… Plays matches at a high pace and his style is contagious to his teammates… Knows how to control the tempo of the game… Really mature for his age… Excellent sense of the game. game…Has a high basketball IQ…He’s not an elite athlete by NBA standards, but he has sneaky athleticism that helps him against athletic opponents in ISO and Pick and place situations Roll… He’s a playmaker in his blood… An elite passer with great court vision, his passing is the most translatable skill at the next level… Knows his way around ball screens and takes advantage of any situation… Pick and Roll maestro and great decision maker from a young age, he can either find the rolling big, a player on the weak side or finish the play himself… If he is surrounded by a rolling big and from three shooters, he can be deadly… He can make almost any pass thanks to his size, instincts and IQ… A joy to watch in transition as the ball handler, he knows how to make his teammates happy… He loves to attack the basket and is a very good – and creative – finisher in the paint despite having below average athleticism… Commits a lot of fouls due to his style of play… Showed potential as a shooter in Pull Up 3s, if he can become more consistent, he could become a level 3 scorer… His free throw percentage is in the mid-80s, which is encouraging for his development as a shooter… Strong rebounder for his position… Knows how to use his size to compensate for lack of speed on defense… Smart defender, can jump passing lanes and make steals…
Weaknesses: He’s considered an average athlete by NBA standards… He has a good – but not great – first step, which could make it difficult for him to break out and create his own shot at the next level against more competitive opponents. faster and more athletic… He has to do it. bulk up a bit to maintain NBA physicality and pace… May have some issues against aggressive ball pressure from smaller guards… Finishing against contact could become a problem at the next level against length and elite athleticism… He needs to add a more reliable player. float in his arsenal to be able to use it… He’s an inconsistent mid-range shooter so far… Not much of a threat in Spot Up 3… Shooting numbers haven’t proven he’s above average, despite a shot that looks solid… He needs the ball in his hands to be most effective at the moment, he might struggle at the next level at first if he plays without the ball… He needs to prove that ‘He can make Pull Up shots consistently against Drop coverages in Pick and Rolls at the next level if he wants to unlock his true potential and become the best version of himself… Defense seems to be one of his challenges majors against the speed of NBA guards… Has average lateral quickness by NBA standards… It’s a question mark on who he’ll guard at the next level… Could increase his defensive intensity at times… Has issues against smaller, quicker opponents on defense… Sometimes gets stuck behind ball screens in Pick and Rolls, leaving the ball handler open… Struggles to chase players around screens… Off-ball defense needs to work, sometimes he is too focused on the ball and loses his player… Bigger opponents can punish him in the post…
Outlook: Nikola Topic is considered one of the best international players of his generation, who was exposed at a very young age to the senior level and who not only held his own, but even excelled… A true Pick and Roll maestro, capable of making every pass, Topic is a special playmaker, who is at a constant Jump Shot from becoming a real offensive threat… He enters the NBA draft with a lot of hype, but he missed much of that which was supposed to be both a development season playing against the best in Europe as well as a “prove it” season, in which he never really proved it at the highest level (for Red Star as opposed to Mega)…has a special quality that will probably make him a star in Europe if he does. I don’t have the goods for NBA level…
Remarks: He is reported to have a wingspan of 7 feet, but in fact his wingspan is closer to his height (in the range of 6-5 to 6-6)… Only played 2 games for Red Star after his transfer from Mega MIS, due to injury….
Stefanos Makris 05/08/24
