OKC Thunder PG Nikola Topic Makes NBA Debut 4 Months After Cancer Diagnosis

Nikola Topić -- the Oklahoma City Thunder first-round draft pick in 2024 -- made his NBA debut four months after he was diagnosed with testicular cancer ... receiving a standing ovation from the crowd!

The powerful moment all went down with under two minutes left in the first quarter of Thursday's contest. Topić was set to inbound the ball when the Paycom Center erupted in cheers for the 20-year-old after his long-awaited return to the court.

Topic tapped his heart in a gesture towards the crowd before inbounding the ball and getting the action back underway. In 12 minutes of action, he scored two points with one assist and one rebound.

"He's obviously been through a ton of adversity in his life in the last couple years," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "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, and so for him to work himself to this point, get himself on the floor is a great accomplishment."

Daigneault is referring to a knee injury that Topić suffered before the NBA draft, which knocked him out for the entirety of the 2024-25 NBA season.

After a biopsy revealed he had the disease, NT underwent three rounds of chemotherapy, according to his coach. He went on to work his way back into shape, made his return in the G League on Tuesday and joined OKC just before the All-Star break.