Serbian prospect Nikola Topic and French talent Alex Sarr both prioritize winning Olympic gold for their countries over an NBA championship.
Serbian basketball prospect Nikola Topic, projected to be a Top 10 pick in the upcoming 2024 NBA draft scheduled for June 26-27, has named Tyrese Haliburton as the player he tries to model his game after.
Tyrese Haliburton
| Team: |
Indiana Pacers |
| Position: | PG |
| Age: | 24 |
| Height: | 196 cm |
| Weight: | 84 kg |
| Birth place: | Wisconsin, United States of America |
"One of them is, for sure, Tyrese Haliburton. He is a great leader," Topic told BasketNews. "They [Indiana Pacers] hadn't been in the playoffs for a long time, and he brought them back. I want to be a leader like him. He plays very well and makes everybody else better as well."
Currently 18, Topic is recovering from a partially torn ACL, which will force him to miss the Paris Olympics this summer. Serbia will face Team USA in the group stage.
For Serbia, defeating a stacked U.S. team featuring superstars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry will be a significant challenge. However, Topic believes five current European players could lead a team to victory over Team USA.
"Vasilije Micic, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, and Nikola Jokic," he said.
When asked if he would prefer winning an Olympic gold medal with the Serbian national team or an NBA championship, Topic chose the Olympic gold.
"Olympic gold medal," he responded. "The love for my country is unmatched. I'm proud to be Serbian."
This question was also posed to Alex Sarr, a projected Top 3 pick and French talent. He also chose his country's success.
"It depends, but this year, probably the gold medal because it's in France," Sarr replied.
