Cancer-Survivor Nikola Topic Makes NBA Debut With OKC Thunder | WATCH

Last Updated:February 13, 2026, 11:33 IST

Nikola Topic, Oklahoma City Thunder guard and No. 12 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, made his NBA debut after overcoming a knee injury and testicular cancer.

After a year and a half of waiting to make his NBA debut, Nikola Topic was surely patient enough to wait till the final minutes of the first quarter on Thursday.

The Oklahoma City Thunder guard rose from the bench Thursday night against the Milwaukee Bucks and made his way to the scorer’s table.

The arena buzzed. One whistle, one dead ball, and his long road back finally came to an end — a long, winding road that included a major knee injury and then the most unexpected hurdle: a battle with testicular cancer.

So when he finally checked in late in the first quarter on Thursday, the ovation inside “Loud City" hit differently.

Fans stood and kept cheering as Topic crossed half court and delivered a crisp first assist to Jaylin Williams.

Moments later, he scored his first NBA points — a smooth mid-range pull-up out of the pick-and-roll with newly named All-Star Chet Holmgren.

He subbed out with two points, one assist and one rebound.

A modest stat line. A massive milestone.

Topic’s journey to the NBA court

For most of the past year and a half, Topic’s NBA life has unfolded quietly.

The Serbian guard, selected 12th overall in the 2024 draft, arrived in Oklahoma City already rehabbing a major knee injury suffered before draft night.

While teammates capped off the franchise’s best-ever season by winning the long-awaited Larry O’Brien Trophy, Topic focused on recovery.

By summer 2025, he was back on the floor. Topic impressed in Las Vegas Summer League, posting the event’s top assists-per-game mark, and looked sharp in a preseason outing against Charlotte.

Then another blow. In October 2025, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.

He underwent a procedure, began chemotherapy soon after and worked with specialists.

Updates were sparse. The work wasn’t. Videos surfaced of solitary jumpers in quiet gyms.

And on Thursday night, all the hard work finally paid off.

News sports nba From Chemo To Court: Nikola Topic Defeats Cancer, Makes NBA Debut With OKC Thunder | WATCH

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