NBA Star Nikola Topic has returned to training with the Oklahoma City Thunder after completing chemotherapy following testicle injury cancer diagnosis last year.
In October, it was revealed that the former first-round pick had been diagnosed with the illness, just months after the Thunder won the NBA championship.
Since then, Topic has reportedly been working hard to get back on the court, and in December he was seen taking part in a pre-game warm-up with the Thunder team.
Earlier this week, he was reportedly spotted again, this time involved in a defensive workout alongside Thunder rookies Brooks Barnhizer and Chris Youngblood.
It has now been confirmed that his chemotherapy has finished and it is hoped that he will be able to return to the NBA before the end of the season.
Topic’s agent, Misko Raznatovic, recently said: “The chemotherapy ended successfully and he is now returning to the training process, although he remained active even during the therapy.”
Nikola Topic returned to training with the Thunder after completing chemotherapy
Subject was diagnosed with testicular cancer in October
“It’s hard to pin down a timeline, but I sincerely hope that this year he gets minutes not only in the G League but also on the NBA courts, if everything goes the way it is right now.”
“If he stays healthy, and I believe he will, everything that has happened over the last two years will only strengthen his character.
“If he managed to overcome these two obstacles, nothing will be difficult or inaccessible to him in the future,” Raznatovic added.
Topic has yet to get his first taste of NBA basketball after missing the entire 2024-25 season with an ACL injury.
Although he did not play a single game, he won the NBA championship with the Thunder that year, becoming the third youngest NBA player to win a title.
News of Topic’s cancer diagnosis was announced by Thunder general manager Sam Presti in October.
“He had testicle surgery early in training camp. This procedure was necessary…to determine whether Nikola was suffering from a case of testicular cancer,” the CEO said.
“The biopsy results have been returned and he is dealing with a case of testicular cancer. He has a wonderful group of oncologists…and they are extremely positive about his view of the situation.
Presti added: “Tope did not want to make this information public until he started the actual treatments, which he recently did. He’s been here, he’s been training, he’s been training – throughout this whole process, he’s been able to do it.
Although he didn’t play any games, he won the NBA championship with the Thunder last year.
Topic has yet to get his first taste of NBA basketball after missing the entire 2024-25 season.
“But as we all know, it will be a difficult treatment process to follow, but the team of doctors around him are extremely positive about his long-term prospects.”
The general manager said the Thunder’s “only expectation” of Topic — a 2024 first-round pick — is to focus on his battle with cancer.
“That’s his biggest priority – he’ll come back and play basketball when he’s able to, but obviously we’re not expecting anything on that,” Presti said.
“He has all our support, encouragement and love. The guys on the team were incredible. Tope is a truly remarkable guy… extraordinarily mature and composed.
“It has all the tools you could ask for, for someone to be able to face and overcome this situation.”
