"General manager Sam Presti said Topic asked the team not to disclose his diagnosis until he began treatment. Our only expectations for him are to focus on this, Presti said at a press conference. This is his most important priority. He'll be back playing basketball when he's able to, but we're not putting any time length or expectations on that, obviously. He has our total support, encouragement and love."
"Topic, a Serbian native, was selected by the Thunder with the 12th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft but missed all of the 2024-25 season with an ACL injury while his teammates won the franchise's first title in Oklahoma City. Entering the season, he was expected to provide a scoring boost off the bench for a Thunder squad battling several injuries. He has all the tools that you could ask for somebody to take on and conquer the situation, Presti said Thursday."
Nikola Topic, a 20-year-old guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder, is undergoing chemotherapy for testicular cancer after a biopsy in Houston earlier in October. Topic asked the team not to disclose his diagnosis until he began treatment. General manager Sam Presti said the team expects Topic to focus on his health and offered total support, with no set timeline for a return to play. Topic was the 12th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and missed the 2024-25 season with an ACL injury. Nearly 10,000 U.S. cases occurred in 2025; localized five-year survival is 99%.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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