The 2024 NBA Draft has long been considered a bit of a disappointment, sandwiched between two highly regarded classes loaded with potential generational talent.
And while the class as a whole certainly still has talent, these thoughts have merit, with few college prospects standing out above the rest in terms of top ten or five finishes.
The Serbian Nikola Topic, however, seeks to change this discourse.
In nine games with Mega MIS of the ABA league – the same league that Nikola Jokic, Nikola Jovic, Ivica Zubac and many others come from – Topic scored 18.8 points, dished out 7.0 assists and made 1.2 interceptions per game. He also managed to shoot blanks 51% overall and 28% from beyond the arc, which is still a work in progress.
At Basketball Without Borders, Topic measured 6-foot-6 without shoes with a 7-foot wingspan – extremely solid measurements for a guard who is still expected to be 18 on draft night.
His measurements, combined with his excellent statistics, have made him a highly sought-after name in the NBA draft world.
On various expert drafts in recent days, Topic has been a lottery mainstay, coming in at No. 13 via Sam Vecenie of The Athleticand finishing at No. 2 on Jonathan Wasserman’s most recent mockery on Bleacher Report.
Suffice it to say, Topic is no longer a hidden gem in the class, but rather a lightning-fast student who could cement his top-five status with even more consistency in the Adriatic league.
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