2005 | 6’6 | 7’0 MD | 201 pounds
Team: Red Star of Zvezda (Serbia)
Best overall mock draft rankings: 1 / Worst ranking: 15
Agent: Misko Raznatovic
In 13 Adriatic League games, Topic averaged 18.6 points and 6.9 assists per game, with a 52.4 percent shooting rate from the field and a 28.2 three-point percentage. percent. He also recorded 0.9 steals and 3.1 turnovers per game.
His father, Milenko Topic, is a former professional basketball player, head coach and gold medalist of the Yugoslav national team.
Strengths:
*Large size lead guard with efficient use of size
*Efficient scorer inside the arc with 52.4% shooting accuracy
* Ability to play with or without the ball, excelling as a shot creator
* Mastery of the notation of the three levels
* Creative touch and movements under the basket to finish around the rim
* Impressive passing ability with good vision and delivery
* Dynamic pick-and-roll operator, skilled in distribution and scoring
* Elite transition player with excellent floor reading ability
* Encourage defensive effort, anticipation and hustle, averaging 1.5 to 2.0 steals per game
* Shows potential as a sneaky good defender in the NBA
Weaknesses:
* Inconsistent three-point shooting (28.2%)
* Average athleticism, likely to be beaten by faster players
* Questions about defensive abilities at the NBA level
*Uncertainty about ability to be an elite shot creator in the NBA
* Health issues following a recent knee injury
* Undecided on whether to continue development overseas or move immediately to the NBA
Scotto’s preliminary notes:
“I love Topic’s brains and physique,” an NBA executive told HoopsHype. “I like his attitude and he has played at a high level overseas. I think he’s reaching fifty at the edge. One part of his game that he will need to develop is his outside shot. If you want to be a point guard in the NBA, you have to be able to come off highball screens and knock down shots. You have to be able to pull the defense away from the rim to be able to get to those drives and in looks pass to the shooters around you.
“He feels smaller than 6-foot-7,” another NBA executive said. “I feel like since he doesn’t have great length, he’s more functionally like a 6-foot-4 guard, which is always good for that position. I think he’s a guy you can put in an NBA game today and be confident that he’ll be productive with the right guys around him. I don’t know if he’ll be an elite player, but I think he can play at a high level right now in his first year.
“The subject is 6 feet 7 inches tall and he can handle the ball, so some people will compare him to Ball LaMelo“, an NBA scout told HoopsHype. “I don’t trust his shot yet. Is he going to stay overseas for a year?
