Oklahoma City Thunder guard Nikola Topic will be re-evaluated in four to six weeks after undergoing a testicular procedure, the team announced.
Selected 12th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, Topic missed all of last season after suffering a partially torn ACL.
Topic has been an eagerly anticipated talent in the league after winning the FIBA Under-18 European Championship and earning MVP. The 20-year-old is a 6-foot-6 guard with very good court vision.
He featured for the Thunder this past Summer League, averaging 10.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists in six games. He did struggle shooting the ball, making 33.3 percent of his field goal attempts, including just 20.8 percent of his threes.
Topic did not make Serbia’s final cut for its 2025 EuroBasket roster.
The Thunder will tip off the NBA season at home against the Houston Rockets on Oct. 21.
Topic Injury Adds To Thunder’s End Of Bench Woes
Oklahoma City’s backend of the rotation has taken a beating this past month. Rookie center Thomas Sorber suffered a torn ACL in his right knee and underwent surgery on Sept. 16. Veteran forward Kenrich Williams underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee on Sept. 29 and is out at least six to eight weeks.
In some good news, Ajay Mitchell continues to trend in the right decision after having his season interrupted last year due to turf toe. He looked pretty good in Las Vegas, making the Summer League Second Team.
These aren’t major concerns for the Thunder in the early going. The championship rotation is still in place and there isn’t much that needs addressing there.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the starting point guard, with Cason Wallace and Mitchell behind him.
Still, especially with young players like Topic and Sorber, there is valuable time for growth and development being lost.
