2024 NBA Mock Draft: Pistons face difficult decision in No. 1 spot

Nikola Topic was recalled to Red Star, only to get injured a couple of games into his Euroleague tenure. It was a minor setback, but it shouldn't impact his draft stock. The 18-year-old Serbian is the No. 1 prospect on the FanSided board. His positional size, knack for rim pressure, and advanced playmaking chops serve as the foundation for arguably the draft's best creator.

He doesn't possess elite athletic tools, but Topic is a preternaturally gifted slasher. He knows how to time his drives, often lulling defenders to sleep with expertly timed hesitations before smashing the gas pedal and gliding down the lane. Topic is an elite finisher due to his size, touch, and craft. He needs to up the 3-point volume, but there's reason to buy the jumper long-term.

Topic unconventional, but more and more, we are seeing tall, high-I.Q. guards reinvent how we understand the game. The Rockets could see him as the heir apparent to Fred VanVleet.

Zaccharie Risacher has been a primary beneficiary of the perceived weakness of this draft class. While he doesn't possess the highest ceiling, teams will naturally gravitate toward the 6-foot-10 wing that can shoot, drive, and defend at a high level. Risacher has done next to nothing as a self-creator, but he hits catch-and-shoot 3s up at a high clip, he's an active off-ball mover, and he tends to make sound decisions in the flow of the offense.

In addition to his highly coveted 3-and-D attributes, Risacher qualifies as one of the best perimeter defenders in the draft. He can switch 1-4. Few players his size navigate screens and contain the point of attack so elegantly. Away from the ball, he's a timely help defender with the length to erase passing lanes.

He's the perfect plug-and-play wing next to Trae Young in Atlanta.