High-Profile Prospect Has NBA Debut Put On Hold Yet Again After Cancer Diagnosis

To say Nikola Topic's NBA career has gotten off to a nightmare start would be one of the greatest understatements of all time. It was announced Thursday that Topic, drafted 12th by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2024 NBA Draft, has begun chemotherapy treatment after being diagnosed with testicular cancer. Thunder general manager Sam Presti told reporters that doctors are "extremely positive" about Topic's long-term outlook and that he'll "be back playing basketball when he's able to." The news of Topic's diagnosis and treatment comes after he missed the entirety of the 2024 NBA season after tearing his ACL and undergoing surgery. Both the mental and physical toll of recovering from a torn ACL to then be told you have cancer has to be excruciating. According to ESPN, Topic underwent a procedure in early October at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston to get a biopsy. After receiving the results confirming he had testicular cancer, the 20-year-old Serbian asked the organization not to publicly reveal the diagnosis until he began treatment, Presti explained. Topic became the first player in league history to win a title without ever actually playing in the NBA last season, with the Thunder winning the NBA Finals in seven games over the Indiana Pacers. Collin Gillespie won a title with the Denver Nuggets without ever suiting up for the team that season, but unlike Topic, was on a two-way contract and did play for the Nuggets in the Summer. Topic never suited up for Oklahoma City and signed a four-year contract worth $23 million after being drafted. Topic made his professional debut as a 16-year-old in the ABA League in 2022. Two years later, he was named the league's top prospect while averaging 17.9 points, 6.8 assists, and 3.6 rebounds. He suffered his torn ACL in May 2024, but less than one month later, the Thunder called his name with the 12th pick in the NBA Draft.