Nikola Topic, who is expected to be one of the first guards selected during the 2024 NBA Draft in June, suffered a non-contact knee injury on Monday while playing in Game 1 of the AdmiralBet ABA League Finals with Serbian club KK Crvena zvezda, according to EuroHoops.
While attacking the lane with his left hand on offense, Topic made a pass to the corner before collapsing to ground on the baseline. He immediately turned over face-down and was in a considerable amount of pain. After staying face-down on the court for a couple of minutes, Topic was helped to his feet and assisted to the locker room by the team's medical staff, as seen in the video Serbian journalist Marko Ljubomirovic posted on Twitter.
Topic, who ranks sixth on ClutchPoints' 2024 NBA Draft Big Board 1.0, was recently projected to go fourth overall to the San Antonio Spurs in ClutchPoints' 2024 NBA Mock Draft 1.0, which was released on Monday.
The 18-year-old guard suffered a left knee ligament injury in January that sidelined him for nearly four months. There were no concerns at the time that Topic would run the risk of further injury upon returning to play.
This is a major injury concern for Topic. Being injured is one thing, but leaving the court without really putting any weight on his leg as a result of this knee injury is alarming. How this impacts his pre-draft schedule and ultimate selection in the 2024 NBA Draft is yet to be known. The European club has not given any further details on their guard's status.
There is a lot to like about Topic as a draft prospect. Topic is a lengthy guard at 6-foot-7 who is the most complete and NBA-ready guard in this year's draft class in terms of his offensive skills. When the ball is in Topic's hands, good things tend to happen. Topic is capable of making any pass, and teams have not been shy about calling him the best facilitator at the top of this draft class.
Along with French wing Zaccharie Risacher, who is also expected to be one of the top picks in the 2024 NBA Draft, Topic was forced to miss the NBA Draft Combine this week due to his international club's season not being over. As a result of his knee injury on Monday, Topic may now be forced to sit out of all pre-draft workouts and competitions. It will be interesting to see how this impacts his immediate draft stock.
Once thought to be a candidate to go first overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, Topic may be forced to sit out due to a knee injury.
Follow Us
Subscribe
