Shockwaves were sent throughout the 2024 NBA Draft process when it was reported that projected lottery pick Nikola Topic was suffering from a partial ACL tear.
The extent of the injury is unknown, but it is the latest example of a worrying trend. He suffered a knee injury in January which cost him four months. His return in April was short-lived as he suffered a torn ACL in the same knee three games later.
The 18-year-old could take the redshirt route in his first year recovering from a knee injury. If so, it will seriously hurt his draft stock.
In that of Jonathan Givony, ESPN draft expert prospect rankinghe noted the Oklahoma City Thunder as a possible destination if they fall to 12th place.
“San Antonio (No. 8), Utah (No. 10), Oklahoma City (No. 12) and Portland (No. 14) are considered by teams as potential landing spots based on comprehensive evaluations from doctors at team on their medical exams, which have not yet been distributed. Only teams ranked in the top 15 will have access to them, according to the new CBA rules.
The strategy behind this risky selection is to trust Topic’s recovery process and take a top-five talent with the 12th pick. The Thunder can afford the luxury of not needing him for his first year. They can slow down his rehabilitation in the context of another competitive season.
The subject is considered a project offering a real chance to become a high-end playmaker. The jumper needs to improve, but the 6-foot-7 guard has the potential to be a great traditional playmaker.
In 12 games last season with the ABA’s Mega MIS, he averaged 18.4 points on 52.3 percent shooting, 7.1 assists and 3.6 rebounds. He shot 25.9% on 3-of-4.5 attempts. He shot 85.5% from the free throw line.
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