THE Oklahoma City Thunder opened the 2025 NBA Summer League against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. While the Thunder lost the game 92-80, they received strong performances from two of their young players, who have Oklahoma City fans dreaming of repeating as NBA champions.
There is no doubt that the Thunder can win more championships in the coming seasons. Although it’s never guaranteed, the Thunder became the youngest team in 48 years to win an NBA championship. As the team continues to add young talent, Oklahoma City is positioned to win more titles.
Ajay Mitchell and Nikola Topic shine in summer league opener
Thunder guards Ajay Mitchell and Nikola Topic both had impressive performances in the summer league opener. Mitchell scored 24 points on 10 of 18 shooting from the field.
Mitchell was drafted by the New York Knicks with the 38th pick in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft before being traded to the Thunder. During his rookie season with Oklahoma City, Mitchell averaged 6.5 points per game, 1.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 36 games played.
One player to watch for the Thunder, who has yet to play a single regular season game with Oklahoma City, is Nikola Topic. In Saturday’s summer league opener, Topic scored 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field and 2-of-4 from three-point range.
Oklahoma City selected Topic with the 12th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and he has the potential to become a solid NBA player. Missed last season due to a partial ACL he suffered in May 2024 before the NBA draft.
The topic will have a significant impact on the Thunder’s quest for a repeat
Now that Topic is fully healthy, Thunder fans are excited to see how he fits in next season and are optimistic that he can make a significant impact on the team’s goal of winning a second straight NBA championship. A 14-point performance in his NBA Summer League debut isn’t a bad start for a 19-year-old Serbian guard.
If all goes well for Topic in Summer League, he will be a valuable option off the bench for the Oklahoma City backcourt. behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort. With an improved backcourt, the Thunder’s chances of repeating look very promising if they can stay healthy.
The Thunder will play their second summer championship game tomorrow in Utah against the Philadelphia 76ers.
