Thunder's Nikola Topic makes NBA debut after cancer battle - VIDEO

Nikola Topic made his long-awaited NBA debut for the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night, marking his return to professional basketball after treatment for testicular cancer.

The Serbian guard scored his first NBA points in the game, News.Az reports, citing ESPN.

Selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Topic had yet to appear in a regular-season game prior to Thursday. He missed his entire first season due to a knee injury suffered before the draft and was sidelined again this season after being diagnosed with cancer during the preseason. Topic underwent a medical procedure in October, followed by chemotherapy, before gradually working his way back into playing condition.

He checked into the game against the Milwaukee Bucks late in the first quarter to a loud ovation from the crowd. Early in the second quarter, he scored his only basket of the night on a jumper from near the free-throw line. Topic finished the contest with two points, one rebound, and one assist in a 110–93 defeat.

Nikola Topic makes his OKC debut after being diagnosed with cancer in October 2025 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/2PGxviPaU5

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 13, 2026

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault praised the young guard’s perseverance.

“Just thrilled for him,” Daigneault said. “He’s obviously been through a ton of adversity in his life in the last couple years. He’s a young guy that all he wants to do is play basketball and that’s been taken from him a couple of different times. For him to work himself to this point and get himself on the floor is a great accomplishment. It was certainly a really good feel-good night for his family, for him, and for our team despite the fact that we didn’t play our best game.”

Daigneault noted that Topic is still in the early stages of regaining full game fitness.

“This was just a unique opportunity to get him in with our team with very little expectations from a performance standpoint,” he said. “We’re just happy he got out there tonight and is on that track back. That’s the most important thing.”

Earlier in the week, Topic played 16 minutes for the Oklahoma City Blue, the Thunder’s G League affiliate, recording seven points and seven assists in a 137–135 overtime win over the Sioux Falls Skyforce on Monday night.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev