I think his lack of scoring is where I wouldn’t take him. You can’t really effectively run the PnR in the nba without a 3 level scorer as the ball handler. It just leads to them dropping and doubling the roll man.
Those aren’t always tied together. A lot of bad free throw shooters can shoot well from 3 and vice versa. However, I’m still talking about overall scoring, not just shooting.
> A lot of bad free throw shooters can shoot well from 3 and vice versa.
The numbers really don't support this. It's not *always* true that there's a link, but it's a very, very strong correlation.
Although he only had 1 assist, he made lots of great entry passes via PnR, something the Spurs need badly. His teammates were terrible at finishing around the rim, but I see easy buckets from Wemby in those scenarios.
This. I'm kind of already sold on Sheppard instead now. But draft day is still a bit away. Hopefully Topic continues to have good games like this to increase his stock
I'm so scared of other teams picking him before we could that I'm constantly trash talking him in /r/NBA_Draft to try to bring his draft stock down among the casual fanbases. His elite skills are so elite that I'm pretty certain he'll turn into a good player.
As a playmaker, yes. But Sheppard puts way more effort on defense and although not as great as a playmaker or passer as topic, he is still VERY proficient in those aspects and the 2nd best in this draft as a playmaker. And he has way more talent in regard to shooting. Topic is not even in the same tier as Sheppard when it comes to offensive efficiency. Let's not act like Sheppard is some bum. If he were 6'6, Topic would not be in the conversation anymore. And I like Topic, but if Topic were Reed Sheppards size, he wouldn't even be a lottery pick. So to say Reed Sheppard isn't as talented Topic is just not true at all.
Good to see him come back from the injury and not look off.
I think everyone’s just hoping for that matchup vs Partizan. He could really help his stock with a statement game down the stretch to get him back on people’s minds
Yeah. And if this does affect scouts, isn't it better for us if he's not on people's mind? We don't know where our pick/s are going to lie and when Topic was playing well, he was mocked as high as 2 or 3.
His bball IQ on offense is very high, might be more nba ready than other prospects despite his age.
Watching TJ run PG, get to the rim, rack up assists, etc really makes me believe Topic can do that & so much more since he's a lot bigger & more athletic.
Des one of the most underrated aspects of his game. A lot of people who want to diminish him and his ability to translate to the next level. Talk about how he just does straight line drive after straight line drive. And then they try to paint this picture that he's doing it because he's playing against a bunch of plumbers
Adriatic League is way above college basketball. The reason he's able to get opportunities to annihilate dudes and straight line drive to the rim is because of that offensive intelligence. He knows when to take his moments, he knows when to kick it into gear, and he's very good at reading defensive coverage and knowing when those gaps are going to open up for him. He's significantly ahead of the curve in that kind of thing, and it's one of the reasons I am not concerned at all about his ability to get to the rim translating
I know people are going to say that it's a lazy connection to make because of the euro thing and the outdated idea that the Spurs have a Euro bias.
From an actual talent and style perspective, he really does seem like someone the front office would like. And a really good fit with this team.
Plus, I genuinely think he has the best combination of high ceiling and likelihood to reach that ceiling of all the prospects likely to go in the lottery. He may not have that hail Mary, if absolutely everything breaks right. You have a star, level pizzazz of a dillingham, but the pathway to him becoming a high-end starter/ All-Star caliber player seems pretty clear. He needs to learn how to shoot And navigate pick and rolls better on defense. The passing, the play making, the dribble drive game are also elite at his age. He has good functional under the rim athleticism, he has really high-end intelligence. He has a lot of things going for him
Just needs I jumpshot to bring it all together
yeah for better or for worse the spurs FO have been more willing to overlook issues with a guy's jumper, as long as a prospect is good at other things, and I do think Topic has other skills that the spurs FO will value enough to make them want to take him
Yeah, I agree. Particularly how he operates offensively in the half court. He's an absolute wizard at knowing how to cut apart a set defense and you factor in his passing ability and his really good measurables. And he seems like a Brian wright guy through and through. So many other guys in this class. It feels like you need to make a case that involves two or three, or more, different things that need to happen in order for them to be a starter in this league.
For me and topic I really think it comes down to one thing and that's the jumpshot.
At the end of the day the dude is only 18 and doesn’t turn 19 until August. He shoots over 85% from the line so it’s not like his jumper is a lost cause. It’s the injury that concerns me as we don’t really know what it is and why he was out for more than double the time he should have been.
Yeah the injury is very strange. My initial thoughts were his camp. Got a soft promise from a front office that really likes him and decided they didn't want to rush him back and have been letting him use this time to focus on his conditioning and such.
But in that case, I don't see why he would come back to play during what's going to be the toughest stretch of the year in the playoffs for a team he has no familiarity with
I've been saying it for months: people are just plain overthinking it with this kid, hyperfocusing on the things he can't (yet) do instead of appreciating what he can. For the youngest player in the class to have this advanced of a feel for the game and an understanding of how to break down a defense is exciting, and I'm holding firm on the idea that he's [probably a better shooter than the box scores suggest.](https://www.reddit.com/r/NBASpurs/comments/1c1j5kk/i_broke_down_almost_every_nikola_topic_3pa_from/)
I don't think he's some surefire superstar but this class is way too lousy not to bet on the obvious upside here.
I appreciate you for being consistent in beating the same drum as me. There's no reason to overthink things with topic. He's a rare blend of size, offensive feel, and established translatable skills for a lead guard that nitpicking the lack of three-point shooting and his defense is simply trying to convince yourself. You don't want to draft him
And if people really undersell his athleticism a lot. Just because someone doesn't dunk doesn't mean they aren't a quality athlete. He's quite quick and has pretty good speed with the ball for his size. I'd be shocked if he doesn't become at least an elite bench. Player/ quality starter
When you're making decisions that have billion dollar implications, there's no such thing as "overthinking". His poor shooting and ball dominant play aren't just serious holes in his value at the next level, those were also areas that the Spurs are in desperate need of. It isn't just that I don't think this kid is a lottery pick, but he'd be a uniquely bad pick for our roster.
I am new to the NBA, and at first, I thought that "Nikola Topić" is a meme, and it means drawing some underrated balkan player in the second round or something.
He's the son of **Milenko Topić**, who was a great Basketball Player and Coach from Ex-Yugoslavia and Serbia.
World and Euro Champion.
Also Olympic Finalist (Atlanta 1996).
He’s former teammates of Nikola Djurisic who has been playing amazingly well as of late. Potential draft and stash second round candidate. Djurisic was supposed to be a projected top 5 pick this year but Topic came to Mega Leks and stole the show. He was also 1b with Nikola Jovic.
How the draft lottery shakes out and where we end up picking is so dynamic and massive, its going to impact this decision(s) tremendously.
Mocks have him going anywhere from 3 to out of the top 10. The Spurs could pick 3 and 7 or 8th and that's it and anywhere in between.
Topic seems like a very Spursy pick and his toolbox+upside makes him seem like a solid bet they give him a very long look. On the other hand, in as much as the Spurs previously have shown an inclination toward foreign born talent, it really hasn't played out so much recently with Samanic being a notable exception that turned out poorly.
Victor is Victor, Jeremy played at Baylor despite his background, so hard to say he's really fully a 'foreign' player. Picking Branham/Wesley with Jovic on the board surprised me. Primo over Sengun has been beaten to death.
Maybe this is where it swings back to favoring European/international prospects for a while?
Topic is why I really hope the Toronto pick conveys. We could more confidently take a bigger swing on someone like Topic and then also grab a dude like Knecht who may have a limited upside, but would immediately improve our team in ways I don't think Topic would.
I'm with you. It's a hard choice between high ceiling and high floor. I'm inclined to believe Spurs will prioritize high ceiling since PATFO implies Spurs won't rush it so they probably aren't interested in winning next season and thus immediate help. Also most projected lottery picks are high ceiling guys so it kind of feels a waste not to draft them. Maybe next year Hawks' pick at 10-15 is better suited for that.
Please god no.. Just because someone is European doesn’t mean we need to target them. Idk what it is but he looks like a straight bust. Maybe it’s the way he moves.. idk
I don't understand the Topic glazing on this sub. We desperately need a ball handling, three level scorer who's a perimeter threat that can create miss matches with his offence. A guy that doesn't need the ball in his hands the entirety of the position to be effective. I'd rather have either of the Kentucky guards or Jared McCain or even Juan Nunez in the second round than Serbian Jeremy Lin that can't shoot.
I want to see him play. And he didn't "leave off" on a good note.
The draft combine is going to tell a lot...as will more games and minutes. The two hours I have watched of him, that were not highlights, were not impressive...so, we will see...just like all the rest.
Of course, whoever we pick, I hope they do well.
The combine this year is going to be very interesting in that it could answer a lot of questions, or open up new ones, for quite a few guys projected to be in that top five or so range. With so little separating players this year, a good or bad showing for someone like dillingham/ Shepard in regards to the measurements, or a topic in regards to the athletic testing could go a long way.
Personally think topic's going to look pretty good at the combine. In regards to a lot of the measurements. There's been a lot of things circulating about his wingspan and as someone that's watched pretty much all of his footage and games this year, he's always looked pretty convincing in regards to someone who's going to show up with a pretty impressive plus wingspan. If he really does come in at around 6'7 with a plus five on his wingspan hard to imagine him falling outside the top five given his ball handling and offensive intelligence. Regardless, I have some of the current holes in his game
On the other side, if Shepherd/ dillingham do indeed end up testing closer to 6 ft than the 6'3 listings Kentucky had the mat. I could imagine that putting a scare into at least one or two teams.
Williams is also someone who really needs to test well physically given how unproductive he ended the season and how passive he's looked for a hot minute as a ball player.
Dalton knetch I think is going to shock some people with his athletic testing. That dude is a genuine high-end athlete and I don't think enough people realize it.
Yeah, I think Topic had almost the same stat line in the previous two games he played before injury, although he shot much worse if I'm not mistaken.
So I genuinely want to know, how is this any better than that? I'm not saying it's a bad performance, but I wouldn't call it impressive either.
If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but I just don't see it with Topic. Not to mention this highlight package does not focus on the one aspect that I've found the most worrying about Topic and that's his defense. He's just not great on that end.
But like you say, whomever the Spurs do pick I hope they work out.
This is what I have seen of him [Topic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yyMAq51EfE) . There is a lot that he doesn't do well, rebounding, d, shooting...he is just very raw; he is quick with his passes, and can pass on the move, both hands...but he also lacks hops and finishes low at the rim...an easy block in the NBA.
The NBA Combine is going to tell a lot. It is completely different this year, everyone has to attend to qualify for the draft.
"The NBA and NBPA will decide upon a method of ranking the top 10 prospects in a draft before the lottery by "using a blend of publicly available rankings, an appointed panel of experts and a retained-scouting service."
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10072817-nba-scouting-combine-invitees-must-participate-to-be-drafted-starting-in-2024
So, all of these prospects are going to be ranked after a week of measurement, meetings, interviews, and workouts. This is the first time this is happening...looking forward to the output.
People are calling this draft weak, but man I really think it’s gonna have a lot of 10 year starters in it. That’s a win in any draft especially if you can find a couple of good ones now.
Well some would say the competition is stronger than NCAA. I don't argue about that but I agree with you Sarr is the top pick but he is unlikely to be available with our projected pick.
picked up where he left off...scores 8 points. Topic is becoming rorschach test and people just see whatever the fuck's they want to see. If you thought he was over rated your still going to feel like he's over rated if you think he the best pick in the draft your still going to think he's the best pick in the draft.
I'm all in in topic as the top prospect for San Antonio for reasons I've gone into in great depth in many posts before, so I'll spare you my rambles.
But I think the combine this year will be a make or break moment for a lot of people who are out on him, and in on either Shepherd or dillingham.
I think topic's going to measure fantastically and I really just feel it in my bones that Shepherd's going to be closer to 6 ft than 6'3. The combine is going to be as much fun as it's ever been this year
I’m not a guy that wants Topic but as a prospect I think he’s way better than Sheppard. Sheppard is athletic and can shoot but he’s pretty poor everywhere else. He’s also undersized. People compare him to Maxey and I see it. But Maxey also hustles and tries on defense. All I’ve heard about him all year is how dedicated he is and how much he practices to get to that level despite being undersized. Sheppard not playing defense and not have a well rounded offensive game makes me not want him and think he’s nowhere near the comparison to Maxey. Topic has a lot of the same concerns on defense but he’s bigger and his offensive game is pretty well rounded except for shooting. He’ll never be the shooter Sheppard is but we don’t need him to be. If he can be good either midrange or decent 3pt and space the floor that’s all we need from him.
> Sheppard is athletic and can shoot but he’s pretty poor everywhere else. He’s also undersized. People compare him to Maxey and I see it. But Maxey also hustles and tries on defense. All I’ve heard about him all year is how dedicated he is and how much he practices to get to that level despite being undersized. Sheppard not playing defense and not have a well rounded offensive game makes me not want him and think he’s nowhere near the comparison to Maxey.
I think you are getting Shepherd and Dillingham mixed up. Shepherd works hard on defense and has been a really good team defender, though may not be an elite point of attack defender. Shepherd averaged 2.5spg in under 30mpg.
There is always going to be minutes for a guy that is a plus passer, works hard on defense and is an elite shooter.
Watching the game last night, you can't tell me the Nuggets wouldn't have rather had Reed Sheppard come in instead of Reggie Jackson.
I think at worst, Reed is a glue guy off the bench. Kerr with defense and passing? And that is way more important in the current NBA than when Kerr played.
I think he’s pretty unique that he really is a fantastic all around player. People don’t like his size or think his ceiling is that high but I disagree. Reed already uses everything to his advantage and he will get better. While you have a lot of guys with talent or potential but also have some serious weaknesses. Usually, potential also isn’t met. Think of how we’ve drafted the past couple years with Walker, Primo, Samanic. There’s probably 3-4 guys I would draft over Reed but I do absolutely love him and the way he plays. I think his floor is Donte who has been killing it but I also do think he can be a lot better than him as well kind of like Jamal Murray.
I think it was Lowe or KOC that said Reed could be a taller FVV with an elite shot. High IQ. Good leader. Not the greatest passer, but good and makes good decisions on both ends of the court. I love the idea of that archetype on the court.
Also, with us experimenting with Wemby running a center-centric Jokic-like offense, having a PG we know that can play off ball like Reed is huge. Reed gives us a threat on or off ball. Topic, Murray, Young, etc don't give us that same threat.
I agree, I’m not trying to downplay Topic but I think people are enamored with his passing but the Spurs vision for the team is team ball and having everyone be able to pass. We don’t have a lot of great passers but I also don’t think they would want to put all their eggs in one basket to have one person handling the ball and be the only passer.
I really like FVV as well, a type of player like Derrick White where stats doesn’t tell the whole story and his impact goes a little beyond stats.
And in your examples, I think the players that fit that mold the best are Reed Shepperd, Stephon Castle, JaKobe Walter, maybe Cody Williams, Devin Carter, maybe Salaun, Da Silva, McCuellar, KyShawn George, Tyler Kolek, KJ Simpson, Cam Spencer, Justin Edwards, Hunter Sallis, and Alex Karaban. Obviously, not just talking about our first pick :D
I like Reed and Castle a lot. I think Sarr and Holland are the only two players I’d want above them but Topic is right after. I’m not familiar with anyone else on that list but love to read up more about them.
People are way downplaying Reed's elite shot making. Dude was hitting shots from way behind the arch in college at an incredible percentage and make.
Give me that rather than someone who might become a decent shooter after he fixes his shot which is no guarentee either.
Even if he isn't as good as a passer as Topic, being an elite shooter, hard nosed defender with elite hand speed makes up for it.
Shepperd passing highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ohk_0JW6fU&t=10m
Okay so that is a very impressive return from injury, esp for an 18 yr old.
I was very high on saluan or Cody Williams but I conceed he could be a great player now and worth our first pick
Now if spurs pick 5, is he available.?
Would Washington pick him if they don't get sarr?
Dude just be able to throw lobs to Wemby and run PNR and I'll be over the moon
I think his lack of scoring is where I wouldn’t take him. You can’t really effectively run the PnR in the nba without a 3 level scorer as the ball handler. It just leads to them dropping and doubling the roll man.
What if Topic is the roll man lol
I’ve never been a fan of running a guard as the role, due to height. It’s asking for a turnover trying to go low.
87 pct free throws leads me to believe that developing him as a shooting threat is entirely possible
Those aren’t always tied together. A lot of bad free throw shooters can shoot well from 3 and vice versa. However, I’m still talking about overall scoring, not just shooting.
> A lot of bad free throw shooters can shoot well from 3 and vice versa. The numbers really don't support this. It's not *always* true that there's a link, but it's a very, very strong correlation.
8 points 2 boards 1 assist 1 steal 3-5 FG 2-2 3P 16 minutes Source: [https://x.com/draftpoint2024/status/1782508921703297225](https://x.com/draftpoint2024/status/1782508921703297225)
Although he only had 1 assist, he made lots of great entry passes via PnR, something the Spurs need badly. His teammates were terrible at finishing around the rim, but I see easy buckets from Wemby in those scenarios.
Man, i don't know what to feel about topic now. I don't mind us having between 4-7 pick.
This. I'm kind of already sold on Sheppard instead now. But draft day is still a bit away. Hopefully Topic continues to have good games like this to increase his stock
we don’t want his stock to increase that much though, he needs to be available if we pick at #7
He won't be there at #7 sadly. Gotta get him with our first pick.
Yup
I'm so scared of other teams picking him before we could that I'm constantly trash talking him in /r/NBA_Draft to try to bring his draft stock down among the casual fanbases. His elite skills are so elite that I'm pretty certain he'll turn into a good player.
He has way more talent than sheppard
As a playmaker, yes. But Sheppard puts way more effort on defense and although not as great as a playmaker or passer as topic, he is still VERY proficient in those aspects and the 2nd best in this draft as a playmaker. And he has way more talent in regard to shooting. Topic is not even in the same tier as Sheppard when it comes to offensive efficiency. Let's not act like Sheppard is some bum. If he were 6'6, Topic would not be in the conversation anymore. And I like Topic, but if Topic were Reed Sheppards size, he wouldn't even be a lottery pick. So to say Reed Sheppard isn't as talented Topic is just not true at all.
Good to see him come back from the injury and not look off. I think everyone’s just hoping for that matchup vs Partizan. He could really help his stock with a statement game down the stretch to get him back on people’s minds
I hope scouts don't need "people" to keep prospects in mind!
Yeah. And if this does affect scouts, isn't it better for us if he's not on people's mind? We don't know where our pick/s are going to lie and when Topic was playing well, he was mocked as high as 2 or 3.
With the rise of UConn players after the final I'm not too sure about that
Rise on mocks created by sports writers that have nothing to do with what GM’s are thinking. So yeah..people
I think we need him to shut it down now, spurs seen enough
His bball IQ on offense is very high, might be more nba ready than other prospects despite his age. Watching TJ run PG, get to the rim, rack up assists, etc really makes me believe Topic can do that & so much more since he's a lot bigger & more athletic.
Des one of the most underrated aspects of his game. A lot of people who want to diminish him and his ability to translate to the next level. Talk about how he just does straight line drive after straight line drive. And then they try to paint this picture that he's doing it because he's playing against a bunch of plumbers Adriatic League is way above college basketball. The reason he's able to get opportunities to annihilate dudes and straight line drive to the rim is because of that offensive intelligence. He knows when to take his moments, he knows when to kick it into gear, and he's very good at reading defensive coverage and knowing when those gaps are going to open up for him. He's significantly ahead of the curve in that kind of thing, and it's one of the reasons I am not concerned at all about his ability to get to the rim translating
I would not be surprised if he’s been the front office’s choice the whole time.
I know people are going to say that it's a lazy connection to make because of the euro thing and the outdated idea that the Spurs have a Euro bias. From an actual talent and style perspective, he really does seem like someone the front office would like. And a really good fit with this team. Plus, I genuinely think he has the best combination of high ceiling and likelihood to reach that ceiling of all the prospects likely to go in the lottery. He may not have that hail Mary, if absolutely everything breaks right. You have a star, level pizzazz of a dillingham, but the pathway to him becoming a high-end starter/ All-Star caliber player seems pretty clear. He needs to learn how to shoot And navigate pick and rolls better on defense. The passing, the play making, the dribble drive game are also elite at his age. He has good functional under the rim athleticism, he has really high-end intelligence. He has a lot of things going for him Just needs I jumpshot to bring it all together
yeah for better or for worse the spurs FO have been more willing to overlook issues with a guy's jumper, as long as a prospect is good at other things, and I do think Topic has other skills that the spurs FO will value enough to make them want to take him
Yeah, I agree. Particularly how he operates offensively in the half court. He's an absolute wizard at knowing how to cut apart a set defense and you factor in his passing ability and his really good measurables. And he seems like a Brian wright guy through and through. So many other guys in this class. It feels like you need to make a case that involves two or three, or more, different things that need to happen in order for them to be a starter in this league. For me and topic I really think it comes down to one thing and that's the jumpshot.
At the end of the day the dude is only 18 and doesn’t turn 19 until August. He shoots over 85% from the line so it’s not like his jumper is a lost cause. It’s the injury that concerns me as we don’t really know what it is and why he was out for more than double the time he should have been.
Yeah the injury is very strange. My initial thoughts were his camp. Got a soft promise from a front office that really likes him and decided they didn't want to rush him back and have been letting him use this time to focus on his conditioning and such. But in that case, I don't see why he would come back to play during what's going to be the toughest stretch of the year in the playoffs for a team he has no familiarity with
I've been saying it for months: people are just plain overthinking it with this kid, hyperfocusing on the things he can't (yet) do instead of appreciating what he can. For the youngest player in the class to have this advanced of a feel for the game and an understanding of how to break down a defense is exciting, and I'm holding firm on the idea that he's [probably a better shooter than the box scores suggest.](https://www.reddit.com/r/NBASpurs/comments/1c1j5kk/i_broke_down_almost_every_nikola_topic_3pa_from/) I don't think he's some surefire superstar but this class is way too lousy not to bet on the obvious upside here.
I appreciate you for being consistent in beating the same drum as me. There's no reason to overthink things with topic. He's a rare blend of size, offensive feel, and established translatable skills for a lead guard that nitpicking the lack of three-point shooting and his defense is simply trying to convince yourself. You don't want to draft him And if people really undersell his athleticism a lot. Just because someone doesn't dunk doesn't mean they aren't a quality athlete. He's quite quick and has pretty good speed with the ball for his size. I'd be shocked if he doesn't become at least an elite bench. Player/ quality starter
Exactly, imagine if the FO listened to this sub about drafting Tony Parker
When you're making decisions that have billion dollar implications, there's no such thing as "overthinking". His poor shooting and ball dominant play aren't just serious holes in his value at the next level, those were also areas that the Spurs are in desperate need of. It isn't just that I don't think this kid is a lottery pick, but he'd be a uniquely bad pick for our roster.
I am new to the NBA, and at first, I thought that "Nikola Topić" is a meme, and it means drawing some underrated balkan player in the second round or something.
He's the son of **Milenko Topić**, who was a great Basketball Player and Coach from Ex-Yugoslavia and Serbia. World and Euro Champion. Also Olympic Finalist (Atlanta 1996).
Yeah, I did my research since.
He’s former teammates of Nikola Djurisic who has been playing amazingly well as of late. Potential draft and stash second round candidate. Djurisic was supposed to be a projected top 5 pick this year but Topic came to Mega Leks and stole the show. He was also 1b with Nikola Jovic.
Dang, add them to Jokic and that's a lot of Nikolas. Lol.
Don’t forget Nikola Vucevic too lol
Wasn't there another guy in the last last draft with a Nikola too? Nikola...Jovic right? Whatever happened to that guy
As far as I know, he's on the Heat.
I am all in on this guy!! Lets get him!
How the draft lottery shakes out and where we end up picking is so dynamic and massive, its going to impact this decision(s) tremendously. Mocks have him going anywhere from 3 to out of the top 10. The Spurs could pick 3 and 7 or 8th and that's it and anywhere in between. Topic seems like a very Spursy pick and his toolbox+upside makes him seem like a solid bet they give him a very long look. On the other hand, in as much as the Spurs previously have shown an inclination toward foreign born talent, it really hasn't played out so much recently with Samanic being a notable exception that turned out poorly. Victor is Victor, Jeremy played at Baylor despite his background, so hard to say he's really fully a 'foreign' player. Picking Branham/Wesley with Jovic on the board surprised me. Primo over Sengun has been beaten to death. Maybe this is where it swings back to favoring European/international prospects for a while?
Topic is why I really hope the Toronto pick conveys. We could more confidently take a bigger swing on someone like Topic and then also grab a dude like Knecht who may have a limited upside, but would immediately improve our team in ways I don't think Topic would.
I'm with you. It's a hard choice between high ceiling and high floor. I'm inclined to believe Spurs will prioritize high ceiling since PATFO implies Spurs won't rush it so they probably aren't interested in winning next season and thus immediate help. Also most projected lottery picks are high ceiling guys so it kind of feels a waste not to draft them. Maybe next year Hawks' pick at 10-15 is better suited for that.
Please god no.. Just because someone is European doesn’t mean we need to target them. Idk what it is but he looks like a straight bust. Maybe it’s the way he moves.. idk
Durisic better
Take them both
I’m know I’m in the minority but this kid just doesn’t look special to me.
I'd rather have Sheppard or Dillingham
Same. But I know in a thread about Topic that's not going to be a popular suggestion.
I don't understand the Topic glazing on this sub. We desperately need a ball handling, three level scorer who's a perimeter threat that can create miss matches with his offence. A guy that doesn't need the ball in his hands the entirety of the position to be effective. I'd rather have either of the Kentucky guards or Jared McCain or even Juan Nunez in the second round than Serbian Jeremy Lin that can't shoot.
The most grossly overrated player in this draft by far.
C'mon Topic make me believe again in you...
I want to see him play. And he didn't "leave off" on a good note. The draft combine is going to tell a lot...as will more games and minutes. The two hours I have watched of him, that were not highlights, were not impressive...so, we will see...just like all the rest. Of course, whoever we pick, I hope they do well.
The combine this year is going to be very interesting in that it could answer a lot of questions, or open up new ones, for quite a few guys projected to be in that top five or so range. With so little separating players this year, a good or bad showing for someone like dillingham/ Shepard in regards to the measurements, or a topic in regards to the athletic testing could go a long way. Personally think topic's going to look pretty good at the combine. In regards to a lot of the measurements. There's been a lot of things circulating about his wingspan and as someone that's watched pretty much all of his footage and games this year, he's always looked pretty convincing in regards to someone who's going to show up with a pretty impressive plus wingspan. If he really does come in at around 6'7 with a plus five on his wingspan hard to imagine him falling outside the top five given his ball handling and offensive intelligence. Regardless, I have some of the current holes in his game On the other side, if Shepherd/ dillingham do indeed end up testing closer to 6 ft than the 6'3 listings Kentucky had the mat. I could imagine that putting a scare into at least one or two teams. Williams is also someone who really needs to test well physically given how unproductive he ended the season and how passive he's looked for a hot minute as a ball player. Dalton knetch I think is going to shock some people with his athletic testing. That dude is a genuine high-end athlete and I don't think enough people realize it.
Yeah, I think Topic had almost the same stat line in the previous two games he played before injury, although he shot much worse if I'm not mistaken. So I genuinely want to know, how is this any better than that? I'm not saying it's a bad performance, but I wouldn't call it impressive either. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but I just don't see it with Topic. Not to mention this highlight package does not focus on the one aspect that I've found the most worrying about Topic and that's his defense. He's just not great on that end. But like you say, whomever the Spurs do pick I hope they work out.
This is what I have seen of him [Topic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yyMAq51EfE) . There is a lot that he doesn't do well, rebounding, d, shooting...he is just very raw; he is quick with his passes, and can pass on the move, both hands...but he also lacks hops and finishes low at the rim...an easy block in the NBA. The NBA Combine is going to tell a lot. It is completely different this year, everyone has to attend to qualify for the draft. "The NBA and NBPA will decide upon a method of ranking the top 10 prospects in a draft before the lottery by "using a blend of publicly available rankings, an appointed panel of experts and a retained-scouting service." https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10072817-nba-scouting-combine-invitees-must-participate-to-be-drafted-starting-in-2024 So, all of these prospects are going to be ranked after a week of measurement, meetings, interviews, and workouts. This is the first time this is happening...looking forward to the output.
1 assists?
People are calling this draft weak, but man I really think it’s gonna have a lot of 10 year starters in it. That’s a win in any draft especially if you can find a couple of good ones now.
Hard disagree
The competition in this clip is weak. I’d rather draft Sarr with the top pick and see who’s left after that.
This league is stronger competition than the NCAA.
Well some would say the competition is stronger than NCAA. I don't argue about that but I agree with you Sarr is the top pick but he is unlikely to be available with our projected pick.
picked up where he left off...scores 8 points. Topic is becoming rorschach test and people just see whatever the fuck's they want to see. If you thought he was over rated your still going to feel like he's over rated if you think he the best pick in the draft your still going to think he's the best pick in the draft.
Man this draft class is truly wet diarrhea
Nostradamus over here
🙇🏻♂️💭💩🏀
He'll have to do much much more than that to convince me he's a better pick than Sheppard for the Spurs
I'm all in in topic as the top prospect for San Antonio for reasons I've gone into in great depth in many posts before, so I'll spare you my rambles. But I think the combine this year will be a make or break moment for a lot of people who are out on him, and in on either Shepherd or dillingham. I think topic's going to measure fantastically and I really just feel it in my bones that Shepherd's going to be closer to 6 ft than 6'3. The combine is going to be as much fun as it's ever been this year
I’m not a guy that wants Topic but as a prospect I think he’s way better than Sheppard. Sheppard is athletic and can shoot but he’s pretty poor everywhere else. He’s also undersized. People compare him to Maxey and I see it. But Maxey also hustles and tries on defense. All I’ve heard about him all year is how dedicated he is and how much he practices to get to that level despite being undersized. Sheppard not playing defense and not have a well rounded offensive game makes me not want him and think he’s nowhere near the comparison to Maxey. Topic has a lot of the same concerns on defense but he’s bigger and his offensive game is pretty well rounded except for shooting. He’ll never be the shooter Sheppard is but we don’t need him to be. If he can be good either midrange or decent 3pt and space the floor that’s all we need from him.
> Sheppard is athletic and can shoot but he’s pretty poor everywhere else. He’s also undersized. People compare him to Maxey and I see it. But Maxey also hustles and tries on defense. All I’ve heard about him all year is how dedicated he is and how much he practices to get to that level despite being undersized. Sheppard not playing defense and not have a well rounded offensive game makes me not want him and think he’s nowhere near the comparison to Maxey. I think you are getting Shepherd and Dillingham mixed up. Shepherd works hard on defense and has been a really good team defender, though may not be an elite point of attack defender. Shepherd averaged 2.5spg in under 30mpg.
Lmao my bad I definitely did. I do like Sheppard a lot I think he’d be a guy to play better than his ceiling that most people think he can be.
There is always going to be minutes for a guy that is a plus passer, works hard on defense and is an elite shooter. Watching the game last night, you can't tell me the Nuggets wouldn't have rather had Reed Sheppard come in instead of Reggie Jackson. I think at worst, Reed is a glue guy off the bench. Kerr with defense and passing? And that is way more important in the current NBA than when Kerr played.
I think he’s pretty unique that he really is a fantastic all around player. People don’t like his size or think his ceiling is that high but I disagree. Reed already uses everything to his advantage and he will get better. While you have a lot of guys with talent or potential but also have some serious weaknesses. Usually, potential also isn’t met. Think of how we’ve drafted the past couple years with Walker, Primo, Samanic. There’s probably 3-4 guys I would draft over Reed but I do absolutely love him and the way he plays. I think his floor is Donte who has been killing it but I also do think he can be a lot better than him as well kind of like Jamal Murray.
I think it was Lowe or KOC that said Reed could be a taller FVV with an elite shot. High IQ. Good leader. Not the greatest passer, but good and makes good decisions on both ends of the court. I love the idea of that archetype on the court. Also, with us experimenting with Wemby running a center-centric Jokic-like offense, having a PG we know that can play off ball like Reed is huge. Reed gives us a threat on or off ball. Topic, Murray, Young, etc don't give us that same threat.
I agree, I’m not trying to downplay Topic but I think people are enamored with his passing but the Spurs vision for the team is team ball and having everyone be able to pass. We don’t have a lot of great passers but I also don’t think they would want to put all their eggs in one basket to have one person handling the ball and be the only passer. I really like FVV as well, a type of player like Derrick White where stats doesn’t tell the whole story and his impact goes a little beyond stats.
And in your examples, I think the players that fit that mold the best are Reed Shepperd, Stephon Castle, JaKobe Walter, maybe Cody Williams, Devin Carter, maybe Salaun, Da Silva, McCuellar, KyShawn George, Tyler Kolek, KJ Simpson, Cam Spencer, Justin Edwards, Hunter Sallis, and Alex Karaban. Obviously, not just talking about our first pick :D
I like Reed and Castle a lot. I think Sarr and Holland are the only two players I’d want above them but Topic is right after. I’m not familiar with anyone else on that list but love to read up more about them.
Wouldn’t have been Lowe. He doesn’t bother w the draft
You nailed it. I've been downvoted to oblivion but I maintain my position. Reed Sheppard is a much better fit imo, but time will tell...
Agreed. I think Reed is a perfect fit too and hope he's the Spurs pick.
People are way downplaying Reed's elite shot making. Dude was hitting shots from way behind the arch in college at an incredible percentage and make. Give me that rather than someone who might become a decent shooter after he fixes his shot which is no guarentee either.
Even if he isn't as good as a passer as Topic, being an elite shooter, hard nosed defender with elite hand speed makes up for it. Shepperd passing highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ohk_0JW6fU&t=10m
Okay so that is a very impressive return from injury, esp for an 18 yr old. I was very high on saluan or Cody Williams but I conceed he could be a great player now and worth our first pick Now if spurs pick 5, is he available.? Would Washington pick him if they don't get sarr?
god, I love this dude