One mock draft has the Utah Jazz taking a Euro guard, but he may not be the answer

I'm not sold on Nikola Topic, the Serbian point guard who is currently seen as a contender for first overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. He's a 6'6 point guard and someone who adds size to the team like the Jazz who desperately needs it. He's gotten a lot of traction recently and is seen as someone who would be a good get for a point guard-needy team like the Utah Jazz.

Now, the Jazz need a point guard, say what you will about Keyonte George, but he may not be the team's star of the future, and if you have the chance to land a point guard in the draft, you take it. Especially one who can body opposing defenders. The only problem is that Topic isn't like most Euro-prospects in recent years who have a solid body of work against grown adults.

At just 18, Topic hasn't found the same kind of success on the court as other pro prospects who were drafted out of Europe and turned into pros. Guys like Luka Doncic played 73 games, and started 54 of them in his final year not in the NBA, playing for the main Real Madrid men's team in the ACB, Euro League, and Spanish Cup. Those were all grown men Doncic played against, and he dominated them.

Nikola Jokic started 37 of 38 games for Mega Bemax, another men's league. He too dominated competition. Yet, Topic's only strong outing before he gets drafted was for a U-19 team (18 and under), Crvena zvezda U19, and then for Jokic's old team, Mega Bemax. While Topic should some scoring acumen at 18, averaging over 18 points per game, he shot just under 29% from three.

His lack of three-point shooting has me concerned that he can't fit in the modern NBA. For context, Jokic shot better than Topic in the same league.

Despite the concerns of his shooting, a lot of hoop figures, like Hoop Reference have the Jazz taking Topic in the draft. Topic can pass but his three-point shot is suspect and his defense doesn't scream elite in a much more physical ABA League.

He could absolutely turn into a great pro prospect, after all, Giannis Antetokounmpo had very little experience outside of the semi-pro, under-19 squads and he turned out alright. Right now, if there were no limits, Reed Sheppard is still who I'm going with to help give the Jazz some help on the perimeter, which is what they need to address the most this offseason.