The Oklahoma City Thunder announced Monday that guard Nikola Topić underwent testicular surgery and will be re-evaluated in approximately 4-6 weeks, according to an NBA reporter. Mark Stein.
The 20-year-old missed his entire rookie season due to a torn ACL after being the 12th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Topić probably wouldn’t have played a huge role for the Thunder last year, with players like MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe ahead of him on the depth chart.
That’s potentially the case this year, although Topić remains an intriguing talent.
Like ESPN Jeremy Woo wrote in July, Topić “showed moments of his potential in summer league, showcasing his playmaking skills (averaging 7.3 assists over three games) and basketball IQ, and that skill set could help him earn some backup minutes behind Gilgeous-Alexander. Whether he’s a long-term rotation piece or ends up as a trade asset for the Thunder will play out over the course of the season or two next few years, but he has had some positive flashes and will be worth watching as the defending champions continue to evolve.”
He’s certainly caught the attention of his teammates so far in training camp.
“He was good,” Chet Holmgren told reporters last week. “I played with him several times last week, the way he sees the game really stands out. Even without the ball in his hands, the way he cuts. … He’s going to continue to improve very quickly, he has a serious approach to the game.”
“He’s a lot of fun to play with,” Wallace added. “He is an excellent leader, he sees the field very well and makes few mistakes.”
Missing at least a month in preparation for the 2025-26 season is therefore not ideal, especially after a lost rookie season. But it looks like Topić has some game, and it will be interesting to see if he can carve out a role for himself this season.
