Wikipedia

Nikola Topić

Nikola Topić (Serbian Cyrillic: Никола Топић, born 10 August 2005) is a Serbian professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He recently played for Crvena zvezda of the Serbian KLS, the Adriatic League and the EuroLeague. Standing at 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m), he plays at the point guard position.

Nikola Topić
No. 44 – Oklahoma City Thunder
PositionPoint guard
LeagueNBA
Personal information
Born (2005-08-10) 10 August 2005 (age 18)
Novi Sad, Serbia and Montenegro
NationalitySerbian
Listed height1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)
Listed weight91 kg (201 lb)
Career information
NBA draft2024: 1st round, 12th overall pick
Selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder
Playing career2022–present
Career history
2022–2024Crvena zvezda
2022→Slodes
2023→OKK Beograd
2023→Mega
2024–presentOklahoma City Thunder
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  Serbia
FIBA U18 European Championship
Gold medal – first place 2023 Serbia Team

Early career

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Topić grew up playing basketball for KK Defense from his native Novi Sad from which he joined the Crvena zvezda youth system in June 2020.[1][2]

Professional career

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Crvena zvezda (2022–present)

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On 28 March 2022, Topić made his professional debut for Crvena zvezda in an ABA League match against Slovenian side Krka at the age of 16. He scored 4 points and had 5 assists over 16 minutes of playing time. At 16 years, seven months, and eighteen days of age, he became the youngest player in club's history to score points for Crvena zvezda in the ABA League.[3][4][5] On 1 April 2022, Topić made his EuroLeague debut in a 82–57 loss to Bayern Munich,[6] becoming one of youngest players to ever play in the EuroLeague at 16 years and 253 days of age.

2022–23 season

At the start of the 2022–23 season, Topić was loaned to the Serbian team Slodes in September 2022.[7] He returned to Crvena zvezda shortly after, and played with the team from October until December of the same year, during which in limited role he averaged 3.4 points over seven ABA League games.

On 9 January 2023, the ABA League declined and cancelled Topić's transfer to FMP Meridian.[8][9] Eventually, he was loaned to OKK Beograd for the rest of the 2022–23 season.[10] With OKK Beograd, he appeared in 19 games of the Serbian League, averaging 17.8 points on 55.2% shooting from the field, 5.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game.

2023–24 season

On 17 July 2023, Topić signed his first professional contract with Crvena zvezda.[11] At the start of the 2023–24 season, Topić was loaned to the Serbian team Mega. He averaged 18.6 points, 6.9 assists and 3.7 rebounds over 13 games, before being loaned back to Crvena zvezda in December 2023.[12] On 4 January 2024, he suffered a knee injury in a game against Partizan Belgrade.[13]

On 10 April 2024, he won the ABA League Top Prospect award after securing more than half of the votes. He averaged 17.9 points, 6.8 assists and 3.6 rebounds when he won the award.[14]

On 27 May 2024, Topić suffered a partially torn ACL in a game against Partizan Belgrade.[15]

NBA

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Oklahoma City Thunder (2024–present)

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On 26 June 2024, Topić was selected with the twelfth overall pick by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2024 NBA Draft.[16]

National team career

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In August 2021, Topić was a member of the Serbian under-16 national team that participated at the FIBA U16 European Challengers in Novi Sad, Serbia. He played only one game, recording 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists in a 83–52 win over the Czech Republic. He represented Serbian national team on his debut on 16 August 2023 where Serbia played friendly match against Puerto Rico. [17][18]

Career statistics

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Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  PIR  Performance Index Rating
 Bold  Career high

EuroLeague

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2021–22 Crvena zvezda 1 0 2.0 .000 — — — — — — 0.0 -1.0
2022–23 2 0 4.0 .000 .000 — 1.0 .5 — — 0.0 0.0
2023–24 2 2 15.0 .375 .000 1.000 1.5 3.5 .5 — 3.5 4.5
Career 5 2 8.2 .273 .000 1.000 1.0 1.6 .2 — 1.4 1.6

Adriatic League

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Regular season

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2021–22 Crvena zvezda 2 1 11.5 .200 .000 1.000 1.0 3.0 1.5 .000 2.0 -1.0
2022–23 7 0 8.0 .630 .250 1.000 1.0 0.7 0.3 .000 3.4 3.1
2023–24 Mega Basket 13 13 33.5 .524 .288 .850 3.7 6.9 .9 .2 18.6 20.5
Crvena zvezda 1 1 24.0 .200 .000 1.000 3.0 5.0 0.0 1.0 8.0 6.0

Playoffs

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2023–24 Crvena zvezda 4 0 13.6 .500 .570 .000 1.5 2.8 1.0 .000 5.5 6.3

Personal life

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Nikola is a son of Milenko Topić, a Serbian basketball coach and former player.[19] A power forward, Milenko spent most of his career in the YUBA League playing for Profikolor, BFC Beočin, Crvena zvezda as well, Budućnost, and Hemofarm. In later career, Milenko played in Italy and Greece. Nikola's father also represented the Yugoslavian national team internationally (representing FR Yugoslavia), with whom he won gold medals at the EuroBasket 1997 and the 1998 FIBA World Championship, a silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics, and a bronze at the EuroBasket 1999.[20]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Nikola Topić profile". kkcrvenazvezda.rs. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  2. ^ "Novi potpis u Zvezdi – ugovor za sina legende kluba". b92.net. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  3. ^ "Crvena zvezda mts youngster Nikola Topić sets new club record as the reigning champions beat Krka". aba-liga.com. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  4. ^ "Mladići borovi: Mali Top zakoračio na crveno-beli put Slavnića, Stojakovića, Radmanovića, Kapičića..." mozzartsport.com. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  5. ^ "Youngster Nikola Topic enters Zvezda's history books in win over Krka". eurohoops.net. 28 March 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  6. ^ "FC Bayern Munich 82 57 FINAL Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade logo Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade". euroleaguebasketball.net. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Nikola Topić i Lazar Trifković na pozajmici u Slodesu". blic.rs (in Serbian). 3 September 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  8. ^ "Veliki problemi za Zvezdinog pleja: Nikola Topić ne može da igra za FMP". mozzartsport.com. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  9. ^ "Ništa od transfera, ABA zabranila registraciju Nikole Topića za FMP". b92.net. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  10. ^ "Nikola Topić u OKK Beogradu". mozzartsport.com. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  11. ^ "NIKOLA TOPIĆ POTPISAO PRVI UGOVOR I POSTAO PRVOTIMAC CRVENE ZVEZDE!". kkcrvenazvezda.rs (in Serbian). 17 July 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  12. ^ "NIKOLA TOPIĆ SE VRATIO SVOJOJ KUĆI U CRVENU ZVEZDU!" (in Serbian). 26 December 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  13. ^ "NIKOLA SE POVREDIO NA DERBIJU, MORAO U SVLAČIONICU! Ova fotografija će zabrinuti crveno-bele, BOLI GA!". mondo.rs. 4 January 2024. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  14. ^ "Nikola Topic named 2023-24 ABA League Top Prospect". basketnews.com. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  15. ^ Boone, Kyle; Finkelstein, Adam (June 5, 2024). "Nikola Topić injury: Projected top-10 pick in 2024 NBA Draft could see stock fall after partially torn ACL". CBS Sports. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  16. ^ Valdez, Joshua (June 26, 2024). "Thunder headline 2024 NBA Draft biggest 1st-round winners". ClutchPoints. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  17. ^ "2021 U16 Serbia #14 - Nikola TOPIĆ Point Guard". fiba.basketball. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  18. ^ "Groups B & C - Group C - CZE SRB 52-83". fiba.basketball. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  19. ^ "KAKAV OTAC – TAKAV SIN: Nikola Topić nastavlja stazama legende Zvezde!". meridianbetsport.rs. 28 March 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  20. ^ "NOVI ZVEZDIN TRENER Ko je Milenko Topić, miljenik navijača i čovek koji je pobedio Olimpijakos u Beogradu". sport.blic.rs. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
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