Nikola Topic is pictured during the Thunder media day at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

OKC Thunder: A Look Back at Nikola Topic’s Pre-Draft Stock

Originally posted on Oklahoma City Thunder on SI
By Derek Parker | Last updated Sep 9, 2025 10:00 AM ET

With rookie Thomas Sorber now out for the 2025-26 season due to injury, guard Nikola Topic is now the sole focus for those hoping the reigning champion Thunder will add even more talent next year.

Having lost only Dillon Jones due to trade, Oklahoma City is certain to remain the team to beat in the NBA. But it’s never too late to continue getting better, and fans are likely hoping that Topic is able to grind his way into head coach Mark Daigneault’s rotation.

Drafted at No. 12 in the 2024 NBA Draft, he was once thought of to be one of the top players in his class, but fell due to an ACL injury suffered in the pre-draft process. That’s inevitably what allowed him to slide to the Thunder, who had all the time in the world to help him through recovery. In the midst of that, they may have achieved the ultimate goal in winning a league title.

But what actually made Topic one of the top players in the ’24 class prior to injury?

In a YouTube video posted in May of 2024, I evaluated Topic’s draft skillset objectively outside of a Thunder lens, and it gives insight into what kind of player OKC is getting even now:

It’s clear in Topic’s tape that he has immensely high feel for the game, parlaying that into downhill scoring at the rim, as well as some of the best passing and play-making seen among draft prospects.

The good news is that through a Summer League stint, all of those things held true for Topic. Through three games in Las Vegas, Topic averaged an event-high 7.3 assists per game, scoring 11.0 points and adding 1.7 steals in the process. It was clear it was his first time back in a competitive setting in some time, but he was still able to show off his talent.

The Thunder guard rotation is a deep one, featuring some of the best players in the league, including MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. It will be tough for Topic to crack, even with his affinity for at-rim scoring and audacious passing. But Daigneault has a history of giving young players ample chances.

Thunder guard Nikola Topic on getting to watch an MVP-caliber player in Shai this past season,

“It’s not accidental he’s that good,” pic.twitter.com/fgy0vxqW9r
— Derek Parker (@DParkOK) July 11, 2025

If Topic can limit mistakes early in his career — cutting down on turnovers and inefficient shots, as well as staying steady on defense — there will be a place for him in the Thunder rotation.

It remains to be seen whether Topic can truly return to his reputation as one of the 2024 draft class's best players, but the Thunder organization and its fans are certainly hoping so.

This article first appeared on Oklahoma City Thunder on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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