It was about as good a Summer League debut as it gets for Thunder rookie Nikola Subjectall things considered. He certainly looked rusty at times, which led to an excessive number of turnovers, but that should be considered completely normal and expected.
The learning curve for the subject was always going to be steep. First of all, he comes from a professional basketball club in Serbia where the talent pool isn’t necessarily as strong as a league like the NBA. Even in Summer League, these are guys who played at top universities in the United States, other foreign players and a good number of players who have already played full seasons in the NBA. Adjusting to pace, size, and skill deficit was always going to be something Topic had to grow through.
Adding to the learning curve, Topic hasn’t played organized basketball in over a year. He was injured in Serbia, ending his season shortly before last year’s NBA draft. He spent the entire season recovering from a very serious injury and never really got the chance to step up in live action in a training camp-like setting.
In his Summer League debut on Saturday night, Topic played 26 total minutes and added 14 points, four assists and two steals. He was efficient 6 of 11 from the floor and 2 of 4 from 3 points. The department he’ll probably need the most grace in is where he struggled in his opener. Topic committed seven turnovers while trying to initiate the offense and make things happen.
It’s clear that Topic has all the skills necessary to be a potential ball handler in Oklahoma City’s offense, something the team needs and can use. However, the only way for him to unlock his full potential is to get more opportunities, just like Saturday. He will have to explore his limits and determine his strengths to have a big impact on a team as good as the Thunder. This is why, for the moment, Oklahoma City can absolutely live with a high turnover percentage.
Overall, it was a successful first outing for Topic, who can provide a big relief to the Thunder in the coming seasons. Whether it’s Summer League or regular season games, OKC fans need to show grace during his learning period. He will need the same developmental runway as the Thunder’s other prospects.
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