Image Source: NBA Sports
[Saba Sports News] Nikola Topic, a top prospect in the 2024 NBA Draft, suffered a concerning injury during Game 1 of the AdmiralBet ABA League Finals.
Topic appeared to sustain a non-contact injury on Monday, silencing the crowd at Aleksandar Nikolic Hall in Belgrade, Serbia.
The Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet guard drove to the basket and passed to the corner near the rim before crumpling to the floor along the baseline, staying down for several minutes. He was carried off the court by two security personnel and left the game with two points and one assist in seven minutes.
Topic had previously injured the same knee in January, which sidelined him for nearly three months. Despite his injury, he returned to the bench to support his team. Crvena Zvezda held on to win 85-82 over Partizan Mozzart Bet, taking a 1-0 series lead in the best-of-5 championship round.
The 6’6″ guard was a consensus top-5 pick in June’s NBA draft before this latest injury, which could impact his draft stock. Topic wasn’t the only prospect whose draft prospects may have been affected on Monday.