The Oklahoma City Thunder have been struggling in recent weeks to find their championship-winning formula, but Nikola Topić’s significant step may come as some encouragement.
Topić has had a breakthrough in his recovery from testicular cancer, with his agent Miško Ražnatović revealing some heartwarming news for Thunder and basketball fans alike.
Nikola Topić Set To Return to the NBA
According to his agent, the young Thunder star has completed chemotherapy and is expected to return to the G League and NBA this season.
Ražnatović said, “The chemotherapy was successfully completed, and he is now returning to the training process, although he was active during the therapy as well. It’s hard to pinpoint a timeline, but I sincerely hope he gets minutes this year, not only in the G League but on the NBA floor as well, if everything goes the way it is right now.”
Selected as the 12th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Topić has had a torrid time since realizing his dream and coming to America. The Serbian native missed the entirety of the Thunder’s championship-winning campaign last season after suffering an ACL tear and was expected to return this season.
Instead, he heard the heartbreaking news that no man ever wants to hear, learning of his diagnosis just before the start of the 2025/26 campaign. The 20-year-old had a procedure on Oct. 6 at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston to take a biopsy. He has since been on the mend and is ready to make his full return.
What Can NBA Fans Expect From Topić?
Topić is a 6’6 ” point guard who can make plays from all over the floor and can score the ball at will. He is a two-time ABA League champion (2022, 2024), a Serbian League champion (2024), and a Serbian Cup winner (2024). He was named to the All-ABA league team in 2024.
In 13 games for KK Mega Basket during the 2023/24 season, Topić averaged 18.6 points, 6.9 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game. The Thunder have one of the deepest rosters in the NBA, but in recent weeks, their offensive and defensive frailties have come to fruition.
Since a record-equaling 24-1 start to the season, the Thunder have lost six of their last 13 games, putting them at 31 wins and seven losses. In their most recent outing against the Utah Jazz (12-24), it took overtime and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scoring 46 points to get the victory.
The Thunder have fallen flat and don’t look like the championship-winning team of last season, but can the news of Topić’s return inspire them to get back to their title-winning level?
