Nikola Topic talks Summer League playmaking skills: 'I'm just born with it'
Topic finished with seven points on 2-of-6 shooting, 10 assists and one rebound. He shot 1-of-1 from 3 and went 2-of-2 on free throws. He also had two steals.
The Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the Indiana Pacers in a 104-85 Summer League win. It was a blowout victory where everybody chipped in. It was another step in the right direction for Topic.
The deeper Topic plays in the Summer League, the more comfortable he's looked. This was the best he's looked as a playmaker. Some daring passes resulted in buckets for his teammates. He was also sharp in his textbook reads, as his teammates learned to get open from the outside to be fed the ball.
The 19-year-old needed some time to knock off any rustiness from a torn ACL. That was clear through his three Utah Summer League games. Now you're seeing what he looks like when he gains steam. The Thunder offense caught fire once he was in the driver's seat.
"I think just confidence-wise, I feel more confident. Going into a game, sleeping before a game," Topic said on his Summer League experience. "Just everything about that, I feel way more confident."
If you're the Thunder, you have to like what you've seen from Topic. He looks capable of running the second-unit offense when needed. He could bring an element as a creative and talented passer that the NBA champion lacked last season.
"I guess I'm just born with it," Topic said about his passing. "I learned a lot growing up. Played a lot against older players. Had my dad by my side and played against older playmakers having by my side to be my mentor. So I'd say all of that."
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