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After the high-profile NBA lottery ceremony, the Houston Rockets came out on top. Successfully obtained the Nets' first-round pick, adding a lot of hope and vitality to the team's future development. Although this year is considered a small year for the draft, it is undoubtedly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Rockets.
According to local media outlet Ringer's mock draft list, the Rockets are expected to select young star Nikola Topic from Serbia for the pick. In addition, the Rockets have the opportunity to select Wake Forest's 21-year-old guard Hunter Salis with the 44th pick in the second round, which will further enhance the team's roster depth.
The Rockets were able to get the pick thanks to an earlier trade that sent James Harden to the Nets, and the Nets ultimately failed to perform well, finishing only 11th in the East and not even making the play-in tournament, so they handed the first-round pick to the Rockets. Based on the current draft market, Nikola Topic has a good chance of being selected with the top three picks, behind only Alexander Sarr and Zachary Risache. The rising star of defender from Serbia is expected to become the next Goran Dragic.
However, despite Nikola Topic's solid fundamentals and all-around skills in terms of technique and his adept at leveraging his high ball quotient, he could face some challenges in the NBA, especially when it comes to physical confrontation and defensive intensity. Due to his current relative skinny stature, he may have some difficulties on the defensive end, but this is also one of the issues he needs to overcome.
Hunter-Salis, on the other hand, is a relatively safe bet. While the second-round pick was an inconspicuous year in the draft, Hunter Salis' performance at Wake Forest University was remarkable. He averaged just 4.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game last season, but after moving to Wake Forest, he quickly improved and became the team's main point of attack. In addition, Hunter Salis also has excellent performances on the defensive end, and if he can quickly adapt to the pace of the NBA game, he is expected to be one of the favorite players on the Rockets' coaching staff, especially coach Amy Udoka.
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