Nikola Topic, one of the top prospects in the 2024 NBA draft pool, made his long-awaited return from a knee injury on Monday.
The 6-foot-6 point guard had an up-and-down year, starting his season with Mega MIS in the Adriatic League before moving to Red Star of the EuroLeague and injuring his knee shortly after.
In his first game since early January – a battle against Studentski centar in the ABA – Topic scored eight points, grabbed two rebounds, had a steal and dished out an assist in just over 15 minutes.
Perhaps more importantly, Topic was able to hit two triples on Monday, one of the key points scouts will be looking at without a consistent sample of made shots thus far.
By Previous Draft Digest Scouting Report: “He also has a smooth jumper that should translate well to the next level. Especially with NBA spacing, he should be an even more effective off-ball player when he’s not the primary facilitator.
So far, Topic has proven that his talent can go beyond the ABA. In 12 games with Mega, he averaged 18.4 points, 7.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 52% overall. And his two-game stint in the ABA with Crvena zvezda was just as good.
Topic was only able to play two EuroLeague games before his knee injury, but he didn’t really stand out in either game. Still, as a slippery point guard with great passing ability, he probably won’t need much playing time.
Remarkably, Topic will still be -18 when draft night rolls around, so his flashes in professional leagues around the world might already be enough if teams buy into his upside at 6-foot-6 with a reported 7-foot wingspan but no confirmed.
Topic will certainly get a few more chances to play before entering the 2024 NBA Draft, and organizations will likely be watching him closely.
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