The Oklahoma City Thunder confirmed Thursday that Serbian guard Nikola Topic has been diagnosed with testicular cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. The diagnosis came after a biopsy following a testicular procedure at MD Anderson in Houston earlier this fall.
Topic, a 19-year-old pick from the 2024 draft, began treatment recently and his medical team says the outlook is very positive. Thunder president Sam Presti spoke candidly to reporters, explaining the medical findings and the team’s stance.
“The biopsy confirmed that is the case,” Presti said, noting Topic has “a tremendous group of oncologists both at OU and MD Anderson” who are optimistic about his prognosis. Presti also explained that Topic chose to wait to make the news public until after starting treatment.
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Presti outlined the recommended plan. Topic will undergo chemotherapy as advised by his doctors. He emphasized that testicular cancer is among the most treatable cancers in men and that the organization’s focus is wholly on Topic’s health. “Our only expectations of him are to focus on this. This is his most important priority,” Presti said, praising Topic’s maturity and resolve and calling him “remarkable.”
Topic’s early playing career has faced setbacks, a knee injury kept him out of much of his rookie season. Still, he showed promise in summer league and preseason action before this diagnosis. The Thunder made clear there is no timetable for his return, recovery and treatment come first.
Support has poured in from teammates, fans and the wider NBA community. Medical data cited by the organization points to high cure rates for testicular cancer, and Thunder officials reiterated their full support for Topic as he begins this difficult journey.
The team asked for privacy while Topic focuses on treatment, sending strength to the young guard and his family too. As Presti also added, “He’s got to focus on this right now and not basketball.”
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