Nikola Topić Returns to the Court with a Powerful G League Debut After Battling Cancer and Injury
On a night when the Thunder celebrated the return of Jalen Williams and a hard-fought win over the Lakers, it was a different kind of comeback that stole the spotlight-one that went far beyond the box score.
Nikola Topić, the 12th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, made his long-awaited professional basketball debut with the OKC Blue, the Thunder’s G League affiliate. It was a moment that had been months-really, years-in the making.
And when he finally stepped onto the court, it wasn’t just about basketball. It was about resilience, perseverance, and a young man who’s already overcome more than most players face in an entire career.
Topić’s journey to this point has been anything but smooth. After tearing his ACL and missing what would have been his rookie season, he made headlines by becoming the first player in NBA history to win a championship before logging a single NBA minute.
Thunder fans got a brief glimpse of his talent during the 2025 Summer League and a single preseason game. Then came a gut-wrenching development.
At just 20 years old, Topić was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
Suddenly, basketball took a backseat. The focus shifted entirely to his health.
Over the last several months, Topić underwent surgery and three rounds of chemotherapy. Through it all, he stayed close to the team, working his way back slowly, methodically, and with a quiet determination that didn’t go unnoticed inside the Thunder organization.
“He hasn’t played a lot of basketball in the last two years,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said before Monday’s game against the Lakers. “He comes off a one-year rehab and immediately has a very surprising diagnosis.
Goes through chemotherapy-three rounds of it. So for him to work himself back to the court is just an unbelievable accomplishment.
We’re incredibly happy for him.”
There’s no overstating what it meant just to see Topić in uniform again. After everything he’s endured, stepping onto the hardwood was a triumph in itself. But he didn’t just show up-he showed out.
In just 16 minutes of action against the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Serbian point guard put together a quietly impressive stat line: 7 points on 3-of-5 shooting, including a perfect 1-for-1 from deep. But more than the scoring, it was his signature skill-playmaking-that turned heads. Topić racked up 7 assists to just 1 turnover, displaying the court vision and passing touch that made him a lottery pick in the first place.
The timing, the feel, the ability to manipulate defenders and find the open man-it was all there. And considering the long layoff, the health battles, and the pressure of a debut that’s been building for nearly two years, that’s no small feat.
Topić is still just 20 years old. He’s missed a season and a half of development, yes-but the talent is unmistakable.
The poise, the basketball IQ, the natural instincts as a floor general-they’re all intact. And now, with his health trending in the right direction and his body back on the court, the Thunder can finally start to see what they have in their young guard.
No one knows exactly how his NBA future will unfold. But if Monday night was any indication, Nikola Topić isn’t just back-he’s ready to compete.
And maybe more importantly, he’s already proven he can fight through just about anything.