The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to be one of the most interesting teams in the NBA, finishing first in the Western Conference, winning a playoff series, and still earning the 12th overall pick. Better yet, they’ve been able to use those picks wisely over the last few years.
In the 2024 NBA draft, the Thunder selected Nikola Topic with the twelfth overall pick.
Their newest prospect will join one of the most talented young cores in the league with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace and more.
Topic is arguably the best passer in this class. He stands 6’3” and has pure playmaking skills. Although his season was up and down due to injuries in Serbia last season, Topic averaged 14.5 points and 5.5 assists per game while shooting just over 30 percent from three-point range. Had he not been dealing with a knee injury that could keep him out for a significant amount of time, he could have been a guaranteed top-five pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
By Draft Digest’s previous scouting report on the subject:Given his high skill level, Topic is effective at every guard position. He is a fantastic passer with a high assist rate and very advanced reads. With either hand, he makes very difficult passes and sees things that many other players his age would not see. His ability to beat his primary defender allows him to draw help defenders on drives, which he can exploit with drive-and-kick passes to open up his teammates.
All eyes now turn to the 2024 NBA Summer League, which kicks off on Saturday, July 6 with the California Classic. The annual summer showdown featuring all 30 teams will take place from July 12-22 in Las Vegas.
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