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Tim MacMahon
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Nikola Subject began chemotherapy treatment after being diagnosed with testicular cancer, general manager Sam Presti told reporters Thursday.
Presti said doctors are “extremely positive” about the long-term outlook for Topic, the No. 12 pick in the 2024 draft who sat out last season while recovering from a torn ACL.
Topic underwent a procedure in early October at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston to obtain a biopsy. After receiving the results, he asked the Thunder not to publicly reveal his diagnosis until he began chemotherapy treatments, Presti said.
Topic was able to practice while starting chemotherapy, but Presti said there was no timetable for the 20-year-old Serbian guard to make his NBA debut.
“Our only expectations of him are to focus on that,” Presti said. “That’s his biggest priority. He’ll come back and play basketball when he’s able, but obviously we’re not putting any delays or expectations on that. He has all of our support, encouragement and love.”
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said Topic was in relatively good spirits.
“He is doing very well given the circumstances, which is not surprising,” Daigneault said. “Sam (Presti) mentioned it today, but there is no one at 20 with more of the maturity, discipline and tenacity to handle a situation like this than him.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
