Nikola Topic Deserves Extended Grace Period as He Works Through Wrinkles

OKC Thunder’s rookie guard will take some time acclimating to the pace of the NBA.

Nikola Topic is pictured during the Thunder media day at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. / NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It was about as good of a Summer League debut for Thunder rookie Nikola Topic, all things considered. He certainly looked rusty at times, which led to an excessive amount of turnovers, but that’s should be considered completely normal and expected.

Topic’s learning curve was always going to be steep. First of all, he’s coming from a professional basketball club in Serbia where the talent pool isn’t necessarily as strong as a league like the NBA. Even in Summer League, these are guys that have played at the top colleges in the United States, other overseas players, and a good amount of players who have already played full seasons in the NBA. Adjusting to the pace, size, and skill gap was always going to be something Topic had to grow through.

On top of the learning curve, Topic hasn’t played organized basketball in over a year. He was injured in Serbia, ending his season short before last year’s NBA draft. He spent all season rehabbing a very serious injury, and never really got the chance to ramp up live action in a setting similar to training camp.

During his Summer League debut on Saturday night, Topic played 26 total minutes and added 14 points, four assists, and two steals. He was an efficient 6-of-11 from the floor and 2-of-4 from 3-point range. The department where he'll likely need the most grace in is the department where he struggled in his opening game. Topic committed seven turnovers while trying to initiate the offense and make things happen.

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It's clear that Topic has all the ability needed to be a potential ball handler in Oklahoma City's offense, which is something the team has needed and can use. The only way he's going to be able to unlock his full potential, though, is having more opportunities just like Saturday. He'll need to explore his limitations and figure out his areas of strength to have a big impact for a team as good as the Thunder. That's why, for now, Oklahoma City can absolutely live with a high turnover percentage.

All in all, it was a successful first outing for Topic, who can provide a big relief for the Thunder in the coming seasons. Whether it's Summer League or regular season games, OKC fans need to give grace during his learning period. He'll need the same runway of development that the rest of the Thunder's prospects got.

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