The Paycom Center erupted in an emotional roar Thursday night as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Nikola Topic finally made his long-awaited NBA debut.
The 20-year-old Serbian, drafted 12th overall in 2024, stepped onto the court after a grueling two-year journey that included a major knee surgery and a courageous battle with testicular cancer.
After missing his entire first season with a torn ACL, Topic was diagnosed with cancer this past October.
Following three rounds of chemotherapy and months of recovery, he checked into the game against the Milwaukee Bucks late in the first quarter to a standing ovation from fans and players alike. Early in the second quarter, he hit a mid-range jumper for his first official NBA points.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault was moved by the milestone, stating after the game, “just thrilled for him. He’s obviously been through a ton of adversity, for him to work himself to this point and get himself on the floor is a great accomplishment.”
Though Topic finished with two points and an assist in 12 minutes, his return was the night’s true victory. Daigneault added, “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,” making this “feel-good night” a triumph of human spirit over the final box score.
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