NBA Summer League 2025

[DefenseWinsChamps]

I did not realize Nikola Topic had been playing in SL.

At the NBA Summer League, during a broadcast of the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets game at the Thomas and Mack Center, ESPN's Bobby Marks joined the broadcast. The conversation was shifted onto the Thunder rookie, where Marks revealed a bold assessment from a league scout.

"This was after the Utah Summer League, I talked to a scout and I asked him if Topic was in this year's draft where would he got...I had a scout tell me [Topic] would've been a top-five pick in this draft," Marks said.

Considering who was at the top of this year's class names, such as Cooper Flagg, VJ Edgecome, Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, Kon Knueppel, Tre Johnson, etc. This is an impressive appraisal of the Thunder rookie.

I haven't seen Topic play yet in this year's SL. He would be one of the more exciting young player to see.

I watched his Utah summer league games. He definitely has good court vision, but in the "normal floor general" way, not the exciting way. As far as style, he's far more Chris Paul than Tyrese Haliburton, if that makes sense. He's a less athletic, less exciting version of Josh Giddey.

He definitely did not look like he was trusting his knee yet. He was slow in his scouting report last year before his injury, but he looked timid on his feet still.

It'll be interesting to see how he develops, because the Thunder system is not really built around his strengths as a floor general. And I'm not really sure there's enough playing time and usage to go around with all their players.

Definitely an intersting guy to watch.

[Goldstar88]

VJ is nasty. Philly made the right call.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

VJ is nasty. Philly made the right call.

That play where he made the driving layup from the top of the key, literally going so fast he was out of bounds past the goal and further out of bounds than any player, and then sprinted all the way back and was the first back to break up a layup the other way...

There aren't many players in the NBA that move like that. I agree. He's special.

[Goldstar88]

VJ is nasty. Philly made the right call.

That play where he made the driving layup from the top of the key, literally going so fast he was out of bounds past the goal and further out of bounds than any player, and then sprinted all the way back and was the first back to break up a layup the other way...

There aren't many players in the NBA that move like that. I agree. He's special.

That was the play that sparked my comment. 

He?s going to be fun to watch.

[Goldstar88]

Tyrese Proctor went off today. In 28 mins of play: 35pts, 4ast, 3rebs, 2stls. He was 11-24 from the field. 9-9 from the line.

I was hoping Brad would have drafted him and/or Caleb Love in the second round.

[Moranis]

VJ is nasty. Philly made the right call.

That play where he made the driving layup from the top of the key, literally going so fast he was out of bounds past the goal and further out of bounds than any player, and then sprinted all the way back and was the first back to break up a layup the other way...

There aren't many players in the NBA that move like that. I agree. He's special.

That was the play that sparked my comment. 

He?s going to be fun to watch.

Forget who asked, but when I had a proposed trade before the draft with Philly including #3, George, and McCain for Brown, I said I thought he was the real deal and why I would have been willing to make that trade.  Obviously summer league isn't a real gauge of things, but VJ definitely has a chance to be a star in this league.