SAN ANTONIO — The 2024 NBA Draft is just weeks away, and point guard Nikola Topic's health is in focus.
Topic suffered an injury during a game. It was a non-contact injury to his left knee in Game 1 of the AdmiralBet ABA League Finals versus Partizan Mozzart Bet. It was his second injury to the same knee. He was helped off the floor but returned to the court later.
However, this injury might be causing teams to pause. He was projected to be a top-10 pick, but some mock drafts show his stock has fallen, while some project the San Antonio Spurs selecting him with one of their first-round picks.
And if they do, the team is doing their due diligence.
Topic says he has not met with the Spurs regarding workouts but has spoken to the team's doctor.
"I have talked with their doctor but nothing else," he said.
In the EuroLeague with Mega Basket, he averaged 18.4 points, 7.1 assists, a steal, and 25.9% from the three-point line in 12 games played in the 2023-24 season. He is a dynamic, 6'6" point guard with incredible passing ability and can put pressure on defense in the paint. His defense is sub-par, and his shooting ability can use work.
And if the Spurs select him despite his injury history, he feels confident he can fit with San Antonio or any team that selects him.
"I think I would fit great with any team, not just San Antonio," he said. "As I've said many times, whoever picks me, the approach is the same. I'll do my best to accept the role the coach gives me, and that's it."
Topic says he is focusing on rehabbing his injured knee and body and admits he is not 100 percent as the draft nears.
This might scare teams from selecting him, and it is unclear if the Spurs will use their first-round picks to select the 18-year-old point guard.
The good news is that he is young, and the recent injury wasn't as bad as it looked. It was diagnosed as a sprain.
He does check most of the boxes on the Spurs' point guard needs list (a big guard, creator, young, pressures the rim), but is the risk worth the reward?
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