When people discuss the game of OKC Thunder rookie Nikola Topic, many tend to become fixated on two specific things: his elite ball distribution and his lackluster long-range shooting stroke.
While his passing skills have been praised by fans and analysts alike, the 24.7 percent three-point shooting clip he sported while playing overseas, as well as his uninspiring 33.3 shooting percentage from distance during the Las Vegas portion of this year's Summer League, have been panned and have left many questioning how he'll fare in Mark Daigneault's perimeter-heavy offensive scheme.
Last season, they splashed home on the [sixth-most shots from beyond the arc](https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/traditional?Season=2024-25&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&dir=A&sort=FG3M) while shooting north of 37.0 percent on such attempts in each of the past two.
Topic's lack of ability to space the floor has some now even wondering if seeing him consistently make an impact within the Thunder rotation will [take a couple of more seasons](https://thunderousintentions.com/okc-thunder-nikola-topic-realization-fans-must-be-ready-to-make) than initially expected.
However, when considering the club's scoring approach as a whole, there may actually be a middle-ground area of the game the 20-year-old could look to further hone his skills in during training camp and preseason that, if successful, could help him secure a regular spot within coach Daigneault's in-game units.
Nikola Topic could fit into underrated mid-range game for Thunder
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In an era largely focused on high-octane shooting from deep, an area of play where they've clearly dominated, the Thunder still find themselves relying on their mid-range game as a trusty part of their offense.
OKC has ranked second in the entire league in shot attempts in the 10-to-14-foot range in back-to-back seasons now, boasting a 50.6 percent shooting clip along the way.
What bodes well for Topic being in this type of system is the fact that he's someone who far prefers the mid-range compared to taking shots from a distance, and both his improvement in the shotmaking and free-throw percentage (career 87.1 percent clip) departments throughout his tenure out in Europe suggest he has the potential to continue developing his jumper.
Even in Summer League action, the Serbian guard showed flashes of both of these aforementioned traits periodically, as roughly 31.0 percent of his makes came from the mid-range and shot a ridiculously efficient 88.9 percent from the charity stripe between both the Salt Lake City and Las Vegas portions of the tournament.
As we inch closer to the long-awaited debut campaign of the 2024 lottery pick, it goes without saying that no one should be expecting to see him serve as a spot-up marksman from deep or waiting to receive ample kick-out, catch-and-shoot opportunities.
Hopefully, as his career progresses, his three-point shooting will develop.
Instead, in the meantime, if he can manage to make himself useful in the Thunder's surprisingly effective mid-range game, that, along with his mesmerizing dime-dropping capabilities (led the Summer League with 7.3 assists per game) and enviable 6-foot-6 frame, should make working with his perimeter limitations much easier.