They loose four games by 5, 2, 2 and 1 point in that span with topic, that could have been the opposite also.
Imo it's about team chemistry and progressing during the year.
I really wanted to see Topic playing with Red Star because of the sketchiness of that Mega team.
I still have in mind what happened with Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot. He was nothing special in France before his agent showcased him for a year in the Mega team and it ended with him being drafted in the first round.
The new young player that is shining with them is Nikola Djurisic, a SG/SF born in 2004.
Now that we've finished the NCAA season and wait on combine results/interviews/ workouts etc, this is my Board at the present time. I've included my personal top 10 Spurs Board, which I don't usually do.
I think there are a few guys that I have top 10 that will be lower on draft day and I'm starting to see some value later in the draft (13-20) that could warrant trading back (or up) in certain scenarios. Guys like Tristan Da Silva, Johnny Furphy, Devin Carter, Kevin McCullar and Kyshawn George, provide various things that would fit or have upside if we are willing to move on from a few guys on the back end of our roster.
2024 NBA Draft Board
Tier 1:
1. Zaccharie Risacher
2. Alex Sarr
3. Nikola Topic
4. Matas Buzelis
Tier 2:
5. Reed Shephard
6. Cody Williams
7. Dalton Knecht
8. Isaiah Collier
Tier 3:
9. Robert Dillingham
10. Tidjane Salaun
11. Donovan Clingan
12. Stephen Castle
13. JaKobe Walter
14. Kyle Filipowski
15. Ron Holland
16. Johnny Furphy
Tier 4:
17. Ryan Dunn
18. Tyler Smith
19. Ke'lel Ware
20. Yves Missi
21. Zach Edey
22. Bobi Klintman
23. Kyshawn George
24. Tyrese Proctor
Tier 5:
25. Pacome Dadiet
26. Trevon Brazile
27. Kevin McCullar
28. Juan Nunez
29. Tyler Kolek
30. Tristan Da Silva
My Spurs Board Top 10
1. Matas Buzelis
2. Nikola Topic
3. Zaccharie Risacher
4. Alexander Sarr
5. Cody Williams
6. Reed Shephard
7. Dalton Knecht
8. Isaiah Collier
9. Tidjane Salaun
10. Robert Dillingham
Thx
Just watched a few vids of him and even if I never know what to make of the opposition, he looks really good! Smooth shot and great defense and size
Why is there no buzz about him?
The Djurisic Park of Nikola Djurisic.
I really think what topic does at his age and position is very different than a lot of mega prospects and offcourse than Timothé Luwawu. I never tought TLC was a nba player during his time in France and mega.
Seems like he hasn't declared for the draft. He was projected in the 2nd round last year, but then withdrew. If he doesn't voluntarily enter this year or next year, he will automatically be eligible in 2026.
[QUOTE=mo7888;
My Spurs Board Top 10
1. Matas Buzelis
2. Nikola Topic
3. Zaccharie Risacher
4. Alexander Sarr
5. Cody Williams
6. Reed Shephard
7. Dalton Knecht
8. Isaiah Collier
9. Tidjane Salaun
10. Robert Dillingham[/QUOTE]
we're gonna disagree here then.
Buzelis is overrated in my books. He's posting the same numbers than Sidy this year in the G leagie at about the same age and is shooting 27% on 3 for the season. Not to mention his social media bravado. He can dunk on G League defenses, OK... but he's not gonna get those lines in the NBA. High risk, pretty low reward pick.
Topic is a PG who can't shoot either, nor defend, whose hype relies on youth compe ion success and driving over stiffs in the Adriatic League... He was transparent in the Euroleague time he played in, and as mentioned earlier, his former Adraitic team has much better success without him.. Factor in, similar players like Teodosic or Micic's recent fail in the NBA and there's a huge bust risk.
We'll just have to disagree then. There are certainly flaws in their games, but that extends to everyone in the top 10. I project Buzelis and Topic to be good (not great) outside shooters (or at least that they have a better chance to achieve that as opposed to Shephard/Knecht becoming a good on ball defender for example.)
Do people realize the player you see at 19 isn't the same player you can see develop at 23?
He played in like one or two euroleague games ?
Sometimes we just want to take all the bad to talk about a prospect, saying topic can't shoot playing one pro year with a team without a lot of spacing and good players is not a sure thing. The FT% are often a good variable and topic is really good.
About his team as i mentionned earlier they loose the majority of their games by a few points, imo there's nothing to do with that.
Topic still my top target, i understand people who have concerns but like sengun ( who was my target back in the day) i think that what he did in the adriatic league at his age, with his work ethic, his IQ he'll pan out as a good nba player.
Last edited by duncan2150; 04-09-2024 at 11:14 AM.
I don't really follow the Euros so only can go by how they are described in here, Topic sounds too much like past Spur experimental euro guards who have disappointed. I am getting Nando DeColo vibes not in his game but how he is described. It worked with MVParker but never did after him. There isn't an obvious great fit, there isn't an obvious consensus #1 overall in this draft either. That being said I would prefer Sarr, not a team fit sure but for me he seems to have the most upside and if he could be gotten to concentrate on molding his game in a complimentary way to Wemby's he could be a very good foundational peace for a young team. Ideally I would like the Spurs to draft say #2 and get Sarr and miraculously if the Raps pick falls to #7 go Dilly there to take a swing at the PG position but that is just me. Sarr can take on the opposing teams C allowing Wemby to play off ball defender. Sarr can dedicate himself to getting rebounds and defense the dirty work glue guy with upside. That for me seems like the best case scenario for this draft. So call me Team Sarr because his description doesn't set off alarm bells like some of the other Euro's description do.
he participated in the draft combine 2023. good hight (6'7'' w/o shoes)
I'm more trashing the whole Mega structure than Topic itself.
I find that Topic is a legit intriguing prospect. He isn't just a product of an agent. I have doubts on how his game will translate to the NBA and it really sucks that we weren't able to see him facing the more athletic Euroleague teams. He also deserves some credits for coming back to red star last December instead of staying "hidden" in Mega.
yes i know you're not trashing him and understands the doubts
Totally agreed about the euroleague, that's the part that could have make him a more solid prospect.
nope. this is the first any of us have heard of that concept
I would draft Pate if he is allowed to enter this upcoming draft.
https://fansided.com/posts/dink-pate...n-01htzq77tswt
It happens constantly on this board and some of the other worse message boards. "I just can't have a non-shooter." "He makes bad decisions." "He lacks skills."
No ing . He's 19.
It infects 'evaluations' of all young players, our own and on other teams.
"He sucks, he can't x. We need a player that does tuvwxyz and so player one needs traded right now."
Like, this ain't a video game. Right? We know that, right? The player you see right now is not the player that will exist in the future. Does everybody not understand this? I just want to check on brain damage here, because this franchise has seen many players develop. Do people just stab their brains with forks all the time or what? Because even a basic memory level is low.
yeah but it has to be based on a reasonable projection. you cant just assume that the player will magically get better at everything and fix all their flaws.
His team point differential is significantly better without Topic (and the games are shorter, with much less points than in the NBA, so every point matter more)
But more than modestly not believing in Topic, which I gave the reasons why, I'd be interested to know (besides the hype), why one objectively should, specially that high in the draft, good or not, and why spurs should...
I watch today's NBA and what you should emphasize on (size, atheticism, versatility, fundmentals, IQ, shooting) and wonder what should factually make Topic worth spurs pick, and make him that high in the draft?
- Size
As "do ented", and it clearly shows on tape, Topic isn't THAT particularly big for a guard. his listed size (let's wait for the combine, both visually and technically) doesn't really shows on the court.
- Atheticiism:
If anything, he should be listed as your typical unathletic,white euro PG whio mostly plays under the rim (dont bring Luka who actually is athletic in his own way)
-IQ:
Hard to say, giving the compe ion he ever faced. Seems ok, but I'm not seeing Rubio level of genius here or striking passing game and angles. He doesn't appear as a playmaker who van break NBA defense, specially if he can't shoot. But truth is besides his two bad euroleague games, we've never seen him in strong compe ion.
-fundamentals:
Same, seems OK, even if handles actually look a bit suspect and I'm not seeing Kyrie or CP3 smoothness and natural feel for the game
Shooting:
Can't really shoot now. Sure FT%s are OK but that's not always an indicator. Shooting 2/21 on 3 in the U18 he played in could be one.
- His play in the Adriatic League:
Who even ever watched? As mentioned, he played on a team built to showcase him. And all we have is highlights of him driving like a grandpa for an easy lay up over a bunch of plots.
- His play in the euroleague:
2 awful games (very short sample size, but still, there's that, he didn't belong the minutes he played there, hence the uncertainty.
- His play in the U18 Euro:
He dominated and that's basically where his hype entirely comes from. But I could list a bunch of players who dominated in international youth compe ions and never made anything on the NBA. that's one thing to dominate against euro teens, another against world best BB players.
So yeah, technically, and besides the hype, I'm interested to know what EXACTLY should make Topic our pick, and generally worth even a top 10 pick? YT Adriatic League highlights? Being a PG from eastern Europe whose name ends on "ic".
Last edited by JPB; 04-09-2024 at 12:17 PM.
I feel like as much as Cody Williams benefits off of being Jalen Williams brother, Topic benefits from having a last name that ends in "-ic" in a time when Jokic and Doncic are your top MVP candidates.
Don't really want either of them.
two euroleague games is nothing, it's not even a sample size and that means something for you but in the adriatic he played well cause it was a bad compe ion and they showcased him ?and with the u18 where he played well, it's like a lot of others players ... You're not objective about this part.
Remember that he was the MVP in that compe ion and that he was already good in the Adidas Next Generation Tournament prior to that ( a good youth tournament where a lot of prospects shines)
What's interesting is that you say dominating teens is one thing but he did the same with grown men.
size : he has a really good size for a pg, 6'6 with a good wingspan of at least 6'9, really not a good argument there.
Athletism : yes he is not a vertical athlete but he's quick enough to be a correct athlete in the nba
shooting : a guy who shoots a 80-90 % at the line is a good indicator, i'm not saying he is a good shooter but saying he can't shoot or never will is strange... during the two adidas next gen he shoots 45 % (14/31) for example.
The hype came from his play with mega, and what exactly make topic our pick for me is simple :
we want a pg, he has good size, he showed really good things in a decent league while being really young. He has a good IQ, i trust his background...
More about his qualities, he's a good passer with a lot of variety in his passing games, good PNR player ( he can go letf or right with ease). Since he was young he's an offense initiator. He has good game control also, not easy at his age, he is a good finisher at the rim tough we'll see what he can do against a better compe ion but that's the same for all the prospects.
He also has a quick first step and he can create his shot decently.
And to finish off course he has some flaws, the shoot is not a sure thing as i say i think he's a capable one but he could not pan out in that area and the other flaw is the D, he's more suited to defend some 2 or 3 than some speedy PG's. He's not really quick laterally and he's a better off the ball defender that one on one.
Last edited by duncan2150; 04-09-2024 at 03:07 PM.
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