His priority at the moment is to recover from his knee injury. As he prepares to be drafted, Nikola Topic has been deprived of basketball activities in recent weeks due to a sprain contracted in mid-May during the Adriatic League final between Red Star Belgrade and Partizan.
Injury which should have an impact on his positioning at the time of being chosen. Even if the Serb already knows what he can bring to his next team. In this case, behave like “ a leader, a real leader with a vision for the game, a guy who doesn't just play for himself, but for everyone and who will try to make everyone better “.
“ I think I would be a great fit for any team. As I have said many times, whichever team chooses me, my approach will be the same. I will do my best to accept the role that the coach gives me, and really, that's it “, continues the 18-year-old taking the examples of “ Atlanta, San Antonio or Detroit » as possible destinations.
However, it is difficult for his future team to get an idea of him as he stands, because he is not able to follow the usual pre-Draft tests. Before this new knee injury, however, he had given a good overview of his abilities in Belgrade.
LeBron James fan above all
The Serbian is an excellent ball handler, who enjoys the pick-and-roll both to find his partner and to finish at the circle, with the right amount of touch and absorbing contact. A way of doing things which, for some peoplecan recall another playmaker from the Balkans: the Slovenian Goran Dragic.
“ It's great to hear that they are comparing me to him. He's a great player. I'm really grateful to them. It's amazing to be compared to him “, enthuses the Serb who logically compares less well with his compatriot Nikola Jokic: ” Everyone wants to be like him. Me too of course. In Serbia, of course, a lot of kids started playing basketball because of him, because they want to be like him one day. »
Rather than the center of the Nuggets, Nikola Topic rather grew up being a fan of all the teams in which LeBron James played, praised for his IQ. While obviously having more European influences, starting with his father, and “ best friend », Milenko who had a career in Serbia, Italy or Greece before becoming a coach.
The latter had not been drafted, contrary to what awaits his son. “ It's a great feeling to know that something you've worked for is getting attention and everyone is looking at you. But the work begins now. […] I think I'm ready, I can't wait to show it on the pitch », displays Nikola.
