The Oklahoma City Thunder The Blue Bombers landed Euroleague point guard Nikola Topic with the 12th pick in the 2024 NBA draft on Wednesday.
Topic, 18, spent most of last season on loan from Red Star to Mega Basket. After returning to his hometown club, he helped Red Star win the Adriatic League championship and the Serbian League title. Topic was named the ABA’s top prospect. He made his debut for the Serbian national team last August.
In January, a left knee injury sidelined Topic nearly four months after returning from loan at Red Star. At the NBA combine, it was revealed that he had suffered a partially torn ACL, limiting his participation in the event.
Biography
Position: Game leader
Club: Red Star Belgrade (Serbia)
Height: 6 feet 5 inches
Weight: 203 books
Wingspan: 6 feet 5 inches
Maximum height difference: N / A
2023-24 Statistics with Red Star Belgrade and Mega Basket:
| General practitioner | %FG | 3PT% | FT% | REB | AST | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 50.5 | 26.5 | 85.9 | 3.6 | 6.8 | 17.6 |
Topic is capable of running a pro offense, pulling the strings in the pick-and-roll to get to the basket or find other players for easy baskets. His three-point percentages aren’t great, but he’s an elite free-throw shooter and has more consistent form when shooting off the dribble, which he’ll do more of as a primary creator in the NBA.
Defensively, Topic is still developing, but there is a world out there where he becomes good enough to stay on the field in big moments.
NBA Comparison: Goran Dragic. Topic is a big, muscular, athletic guard who puts relentless pressure on the rim. While his shot isn’t perfect, he’s quite capable. This is especially true off the dribble, where he can become a weapon at the next level.
