A promising talent from Serbia, Nikola Topic’s parents played a significant role in shaping his basketball career. Topic’s father, Milenko Topić, is a Serbian former basketball player-turned-coach who won a gold medal at the 1998 FIBA World Championship.
Milenko formerly served as an assistant coach at the Košarkaški klub Crvena Zvezda, where Nikola would begin his professional journey to hoops. The young basketball star earned notable accolades, like the 2022 ABA League and the 2024 Serbian Cup, with the team.
Additionally, Topić has represented his country, Serbia, internationally. He helped his team win a gold medal at the 2023 FIBA U18 European Championship and became the tournament MVP.
With his calling for a potential pick in the first round of the 2024 NBA draft, concern about his parents and siblings is rising. Read further for details.
Nikola Topic’s Parents: Milenko And Gordana Topić
The Crvena zvezda alum Nikola is the son of Milenko Topic, and Gordana Budisavljevic Topic.
His father, Milenko, born March 6, 1969, is a former professional basketball player-turned-coach. So, it’s no wonder his family’s athletic environment inspired his son to pursue a professional basketball career.
Milenko Topic (Serbian Cyrillic: Миленко Топић) played professionally for three decades, from 1988 to 2008. Having started from Sloga Banatsko Novo Selo in 1988, the 6 feet 8.5 inches (2.04 m) tall power forward saw stints in many YUBA League teams, including Crvena Zvezda and Budućnost.
Throughout those years, he also represented Yugoslavia’s national team internationally, winning gold medals in the 1997 FIBA European Championship and 1998 FIBA World Championship. He also won a silver medal in the 1996 Olympic Games and a bronze medal in the 1999 FIBA European Championship.
Having retired in 2008, it was after seven years that Milenko resumed his journey in basketball in 2015- this time as a coach. He was an assistant coach at the Hungarian team SZTE-Szedeák (2015-16) before joining Crvena Zvezda on July 21, 2017.
Mr. Topic contributed to the team’s achievements: two Serbian League trophies (2018-19), the 2019 Adriatic League Champion, and the 2018 Adriatic Supercup winner.
On the other hand, there is very little to no information about Nikola Topic’s mother, Gordana Budisavljevic Topic. According to her Instagram bio, she is a psychotherapist by profession. Her Facebook profile states that she joined Psiholosko Savetovaliste Center in January 2017 in her hometown of Novi Sad, Serbia.
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Stepped Into Father’s Footsteps To Basketball
Since Nikola’s father has a legacy of his own, so there’s no doubt he is the inspiration behind his success in basketball. Apart from being a supportive dad, Milenko has been his son’s mentor and guide throughout his formative years.
Growing up, he was a fan of his father’s former club, Crvena Zvezda, where the latter won three league titles (one as a player and two as a coach).
Under his father’s guidance, Nikola saw exponential growth in his performance. Having started his professional career at 16, he has kept growing and improving throughout the years.
When asked about joining Crvena Zvezda, Nikola said, “My longtime dream was to play for Red Star. I grew up as a fan of this club. Playing in front of 20,000 Red Star fans will mean everything to me. I couldn’t say no to playing basketball in the Euro League.”
Following in his father’s footsteps, he will carry on his legacy and probably surpass him, creating his legacy.
Unlike his father, who was undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft, Topic is projected to be a top-10 pick in the 2024 NBA draft. It’s a proud moment for his dad.
As for his mother, despite not being on the front foot, her contribution to his career is as important as Milenko’s.
Does Nikola Have Siblings?
Besides his professional endeavors, Nikola likes to have other aspects of his life outside the media’s spotlight, especially his family. Many wonder if the Serbian basketball prodigy has siblings- whom he looks forward to or is an inspiration for. However, no report on Topic’s brother or sister ever came up.
The 18-year-old basketball player is active on Instagram under the handle @nikola14topic but has very few posts. Nothing specific about his family members or relationships is out on his social media.
Therefore, it is difficult to confirm his siblings’ identity as there are no publicly available details about them. Apart from the father-son duo, limited information regarding his family members is out.
Sources alleged that he is his parents’ only child, while some claim that his siblings are undercover to avoid unwanted attention.
Read More: Zaccharie Risacher’s Parents: Stephane and Sandrine; Does He Have A Sister?
Is Nikola Topic Related To Nikola Jokic?
No, Topic is unrelated to the 2023 NBA champion, Nikola Jokic, nicknamed “The Joker.” Both are from Serbia and share the first name “Nikola,” but they do not have any familial connection. Instead, they share a strong compassion for basketball.
Born on February 19, 1995, Jokic is the second-round pick of the Denver Nuggets in the 2014 NBA draft. Currently, he is the center for the Nuggets. Conversely, Nikola Topic has yet to set his feet on the NBA ground and is a potential top-10 pick in the 2024 NBA draft.
Nikola Topic Injury Update: What Happened To Him?
Many have their eyes on Topic, who is a first-round prospect in the 2024 NBA draft. The young basketball star recently suffered an injury while managing to avoid serious injury during the ABA Finals.
Nikola suffered a knee injury during the game. This is the second injury to his left knee after his injury in January, creating concerns regarding his position in the NBA draft.
He underwent an MRI to determine the severity of the injury. Crvena Zvezda has also announced that the player won’t require surgery, but he will need rest. Although he avoided a severe injury, he will not continue to play in the ABA League finals but is expected to join the NBA pre-draft activities.
Nikola Topic’s position at the draft may be jeopardized due to his repeated injury just after a knee injury four months ago.
The Serbian prospect only has six weeks to recover from his injury before the NBA draft on June 26 and 27.
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A Softwarica College graduate, Anish Thapa’s passion for insightful articles led him to content writing to uncover and create impact-driven content that delivers value to readers. With more than three years of expertise as a seasoned content writer combined with his fascination for Hollywood and Sports, his well-curated articles reflect his dedication to quality and excellence.
