Nikola Topic Has Flashes of Genius in NBA Summer League Debut

International players dominated the top of the 2024 NBA Draft. French forwards Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr took the top two spots, respectively, and a third French forward, Tidjane Salaun, ranked sixth overall for the Charlotte Hornets. But the best international player in the Class of 2024 may not be one of those three. Serbian point guard Nikola Topic fell to 12th overall due to knee injuries that would keep him out for the duration of his rookie season. Sam Presti and the Oklahoma City Thunder signed him because he wouldn’t be a problem for them.

In fact, Topic remained on an NBA roster for the duration of his first season. He watched from the bench as Jared McCain and Stephon Castle presented their rookie of the year cases. He watched the Thunder run wild throughout the regular season, prevailing in a close game against fellow teammate Nikola Jokic in the Western Conference semifinals and ultimately winning the NBA championship by defeating the Indiana Pacers in Game 7.

An injured rookie will be removed from a contending team’s list of talking points. The subject has been lurking in the shadows and last weekend he finally made his debut with the Thunder in the Salt Lake City Summer League. Topic’s performance wasn’t dominant, but he had flashes of brilliance and reminded spectators why some considered him potentially the top prospect in the 2024 class before his knee issues.

Topic finished the game with 14 points, four assists, two steals and seven turnovers on 6-of-11 shooting from the field and 2-of-4 shooting from deep. He made an impact on both ends of the court. Defensively, he anticipated well and played in the passing lanes, while using his strength and balance to become physical against opposing matchups.

It is of course on the offensive level that Topic stood out. He showed a level of comfort and confidence rare for young guards. He controlled the court, keeping his dribble tight and using touch and strength to enter and finish. He manipulated defenses, waiting until the last possible second to pass to a teammate on multiple occasions, leading to opponents not being ready for the dish and his teammates converting open threes.

Seeing Topic shoot the three with such confidence was perhaps the most encouraging part of his debut. Topic shot 31 percent from deep on 85 attempts during his shortened preliminary season. The shot also looked flat, and at times he passed up open looks, leading to concerns about confidence in his three-point shot. In youth competitions the previous season, Topic shot 37 percent on 130 attempts, which believers pointed out, while skeptics cited the decline against professionals.

Topic’s three-point shooting, along with his health, will be a key factor in whether or not he can reach NBA superstar level. With the Thunder, he’ll have plenty of time to play alongside top professionals and in five-man units that will complement his game well. Based on what we saw last night, Topic could play a big role in the Thunder’s potential long-term dominance in the NBA.