Nikola Topic receives standing ovation from Thunder fans in NBA debut
Nikola Topić missed all of last season with a torn ACL in his left knee, then missed the Thunder’s first 55 games this season after battling testicular cancer.
- Nikola Topic’s debut followed a recovery from a torn ACL and a recent battle with testicular cancer.
- He played 12 minutes in his first game, scoring his first points in the second quarter.
- Teammates and coaches praised Topic’s resilience and expressed their happiness for his return to the court.
Nikola Topic tapped his heart, acknowledging the outpouring of love from Thunder fans.
Then Topic inbounded the ball, and just like that, his NBA career had officially begun.
If only it was that easy.
Topic’s debut was 600 days in the making. That’s how long it’s been since the Thunder drafted the Serbian guard with the No. 12 pick two summers ago. Topic missed all of last season rehabbing from a torn ACL in his left knee. Then, during training camp in October, the Thunder announced that Topic had undergone a testicular procedure. Thunder general manager Sam Presti subsequently shared that Topic was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
Three months later, and after multiple rounds of chemotherapy, Topic checked into an NBA game. The Thunder lost to the Bucks 110-93 on Thursday night, but the blah result didn’t mean all that much in the context of Topic’s return. The human element trumped whatever happened on the hardwood.
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“All he wants to do is play basketball and that’s been taken from him a couple different times, and so for him to work himself to this point, get himself on the floor is a great accomplishment,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “I loved watching the team respond to him both during and after the game.”
On the bench before his name was called, the 20-year-old Topic was telling his teammates how nervous he was, so Jaylin Williams (who else?) gave him a pep talk.
“Bro, you’ve been doing this your whole life,” J-Will told Topic. “Go out there and do what you do.”
It took Topic all of 17 seconds to record his first assist. A dime to Williams, fittingly enough.
Topic, given the emotions of his return, wasn’t ready to talk to reporters after the game, but his teammates shared their perspectives of playing a part in Topic’s debut.
“Just a special moment, man,” Aaron Wiggins told The Oklahoman. “Some things are bigger than basketball … For him to make it through all of that and be able to come out here and compete at a high level and feel good, it’s awesome. Super happy for him.”
Topic, wearing No. 44, played 12 minutes. He scored his first career points on a 14-foot jumper early in the second quarter.
Heading into the All-Star break, “this was just a unique pocket to get him in with our team with very little expectations from a performance standpoint,” Daigneault said.
Added Daigneault: “He’s in the infant stages of returning to full game shape. What chemotherapy does to your body is really remarkable — it’s crazy what it does to you physically. The road back from that is different for everybody and it’s highly challenging … It would be unfair to evaluate him in this context. We’re just happy he got out there tonight and is on that track back. That’s the most important thing.”
Testicular cancer is rare but highly treatable, according to the Mayo Clinic. It’s most common in men ages 15 to 45. There were an estimated 9,720 new cases in the U.S. in 2025, according to the National Cancer Institute, which accounted for 0.5% of all new cancer cases.
Beating cancer is one thing. Doing it and getting back on an NBA court in short order is extraordinary.
“You would expect something like that to take a toll on you,” Wiggins said, “and he never seemed to be going through it.”
Thunder superfan Rob Shahan, known as Thunder Rob, held up a sign with a red heart in the middle. “OKC (hearts) Topic” it read.
Shahan’s sign was projected on the jumbotron as Topic received a raucous, standing ovation from Thunder fans upon checking in.
“Cancer sucks, man,” Shahan said. “Cancer’s the worst. For somebody to have it for three months, just to get back and work in an office is an incredible accomplishment. To see what he’s doing tonight? … I’m so happy. I’m so giddy that he’s here.”
Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at [email protected]. Support Joe’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
