2024 NBA draft notebook: Topic returns home, Filipowski's leap and the freshmen who might stay in school

A rare midseason transfer of an elite NBA prospect happened when Nikola Topic, the Serbian point guard ranked No. 6 in the ESPN 2024 draft rankings, was called back this week to the team he grew up with, Red Star, in the EuroLeague. The 18-year-old is a potential top-five pick and spoke with ESPN's Jonathan Givony about his departure from Mega MIS and the similarities between Topic's game and Luka Doncic.

Also in this week's NBA draft notebook, Jeremy Woo and Givony look at why the first-round prospects are older than usual, the freshmen players who could potentially benefit from another year in college and the rise of Duke's Kyle Filipowski.

What does Nikola Topic's departure for Red Star mean for his draft value?

Topic's loan to Mega MIS ended prematurely this week, as he was called back to EuroLeague squad Red Star, the team he grew up with, for the remainder of the season.

"My dream for many years has been to play for Red Star," Topic told ESPN. "I grew up a fan of this club. It will mean everything for me to play in front of 20,000 Red Star fans. I couldn't say no to playing basketball in the EuroLeague.