Oklahoma City Thunder say their 2024 first-round draft pick, Nikola Topic, is undergoing chemotherapy to treat testicular cancer.
Thunder’s general manager, Sam Presti, said on Thursday that doctors are “extremely positive” about Topic’s outlook.
“Our only expectations for him are to focus on this,” Presti said. “This is his most important priority. He’ll be back playing basketball when he’s able to, but we’re not putting any time length or expectations on that obviously. He has our total support, encouragement and love.”
Presti said the 20-year-old had been diagnosed with cancer at the start of October but had asked the Thunder not to discuss his treatment publicly until he started chemotherapy.
The Serbian guard has yet to make his debut for the Thunder after sitting out last season due to a torn ACL. Presti said there is no exact timetable for Topic’s recovery and eventual return to the team.
Topic was a star for Crvena zvezda in Serbia before he was drafted No 12 overall by the Thunder last season, when they went on to win the NBA title. His father, Milenko, won a silver medal as part of the Yugoslavia basketball team at the 1996 Olympics.
