Nikola Topic completed a long road back to make his NBA debut Thursday night.
The Oklahoma City Thunder guard came off the bench against the Milwaukee Bucks to a standing ovation after recovering from a major knee injury and treatment for testicular cancer.
Topic was the No. 12 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft but has barely played any basketball since. He made his G League debut earlier this week, collecting seven points and seven assists in 16 minutes for the Oklahoma City Blue on Monday.
“We’re all just collectively thrilled that he’s back playing basketball,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said earlier this week. “I know he’s missed it a great deal, and this is just so good for him mentally to get his feet back underneath him.”
Topic missed his first full NBA season after being drafted due to a torn ACL. He returned last summer to play in the Summer League and some pre-season games, but in October, it was announced he would undergo chemotherapy for testicular cancer.
Now, nearly two years after first being drafted, Topic has completed his long journey back and can resume his basketball career.
“Great accomplishment,” Daigneault said earlier this week. “Just can’t say enough about him as a guy, his mental toughness, maturity, resilience. … He hasn’t played a lot of basketball over the last two years, and he comes off a one-year rehab and immediately has a surprising diagnosis and goes through chemotherapy, three rounds of it. So for him to work himself back onto the court is just an unbelievable accomplishment, and we’re incredibly happy for him.”
— With files from The Associated Press.
