Nikola Topic Shows High Potential To End Rookie Season

The 2025-26 NBA regular season for Nikola Topic was the definition of a person turning tragedy into triumph. After missing the entire 2024-25 season with a torn ACL, becoming the first player to win the NBA Finals before appearing in a game, the No. 12-overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft missed the first part of his official rookie season as well, after having to win the battle against a testicular cancer diagnosis.

After jumping nearly every hurdle possible, Topic made his NBA debut on Feb. 12 against the Milwaukee Bucks, knocking down a jumper in front of the home Paycom Center crowd to announce his return. To end his rookie season, the guard has shown immense potential.

In games 81 and 82, Topic tallied double-doubles. On the season's final day, he tied a franchise record.

On April 10 against the Denver Nuggets, Topic accounted for 14 points, 11 assists, two rebounds and four steals. Despite turning the ball over eight times in his first game with high usage at the NBA level, he tallied his first career double-double.

Against the Phoenix Suns Sunday night, Topic scored 18 points on 8-for-16 shooting. He assisted on 14 made shots with only five turnovers as well.

“I couldn’t be more impressed with [Topic's] resilience, mental toughness, maturity, team-orientation," Thunder Head Coach Mark Daigneault said after the game against the Suns.

His 14 assists tied the Oklahoma City record for assists by a rookie in a single game. Current Chicago Bull Josh Giddey's performance on Jan. 2, 2022, against the Dallas Mavericks, the game in which he set the record for the youngest player ever to record a triple-double, is the other at that mark.

Topic showcased the playmaking ability he was hyped up for coming into the 2024 draft, running the Thunder's offense at a fast pace, but also showed a strong shooting touch. The former Crvena zvezda standout knocked down two 3-pointers in both games, ending the season shooting exactly 40% from behind the arc.

“I think the last couple of games showed that while he's really inexperienced obviously, he's really talented and can really play,” Daigneault said.

While it is not likely that Topic will take part in OKC's main playoff rotation, the young player has shown plenty of flashes at both the G League and NBA levels. The guard has a chance to be a major part of the Thunder's plans past 2026.