Topic totaled 11 points (2-13 FG, 0-6 3Pt, 7-8 FT), five assists, three rebounds and three steals across 28 minutes in Monday's 89-78 Summer League win over the 76ers.
Topic was active in Monday's win, struggling from the field -- including an 0-for-6 mark from three -- but flashing his playmaking ability with five assists and three steals. The guard was selected No. 12 overall by the Thunder in the 2024 NBA Draft but has yet to make his regular-season NBA debut after spending the 2024-25 season rehabbing a torn ACL. Viewed as a versatile prospect with intriguing upside as a playmaker, the team hopes Topic can find his rhythm in Summer League and earn a role in the rotation for the 2025 season and beyond.
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Thunder's Nikola Topic: Debuts in Salt Lake City
Rotowire
Topic (knee) recorded 14 points (6-11 FG, 2-4 3Pt), four assists, two steals and one rebound across 26 minutes of Saturday's 92-80 loss to the Grizzlies in the Salt Lake City Summer League.
The No. 12 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Topic didn't play for the Thunder this past season while completing his recovery from the surgery he underwent last July to repair a torn ACL. Topic was given a clean bill of health ahead of the start of the Salt Lake City Summer League, and the 19-year-old looks like he'll be given the keys to the Oklahoma City offense throughout the summer slate. The 6-foot-6 guard showcased some intriguing playmaking skills in his debut Saturday, though he committed seven turnovers in that contest. If Topic can clean up the mistakes and prove that he can effectively direct the offense over the remainder of the summer and during training camp, he could open his rookie season as the top backup to reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Topic (knee) was spotted taking part in light shooting drills on the court prior to the Thunder's 105-92 win over the Celtics last Sunday, Clemente Almanza of USA Today reports.
Almanza notes that the 19-year-old hadn't been involved in warmups in any of the Thunder's first 34 games of the season, so Topic seemingly took the first notable step forward in his recovery from the partially torn ACL he suffered last May. With the expectation that the knee surgery would keep him sidelined for the entire 2024-25 season, Topic's stock in the 2024 NBA Draft plummeted before the Thunder nabbed him with the No. 12 overall pick. Topic remains on track to miss the entire season, but assuming he avoids further setbacks with his knee while ramping up over the next few months, he could be ready to play in the Las Vegas Summer League. The 6-foot-6 guard offers intriguing playmaking upside and could end up being one of the better long-term assets in his draft class, despite effectively taking a redshirt this season.
Topic underwent a successful left ACL procedure Wednesday and will miss the 2024-25 season, Clemente Almanza of USA Today reports.
It was previously reported that Topic would miss the entire 2024-25 season, but the Thunder will be relieved that the surgery was a success and the rookie can slowly begin his rehab process. The No. 12 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Topic will be an exciting prospect for the Thunder to develop in the coming years.
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Thunder's Nikola Topic: Unlikely to play for OKC in 2024-25
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Thunder general manager Sam Presti said Thursday that he doesn't expect Topic (knee) to play for Oklahoma City during the upcoming season, Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman reports.
Even a fully healthy Topic would have faced an uphill battle to earn meaningful minutes as a 19-year-old rookie on a deep Thunder roster, so Oklahoma City is content to view the 2024-25 season as a redshirt year for the No. 12 pick in the draft, who suffered a partial ACL tear in his left knee in late April. Per Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman, Topic said that he doesn't have a full grasp on a recovery timeline for his injury, which will likely depend on the type of surgery he undergoes on the compromised ACL. He'll first meet with the Thunder training staff before a treatment plan as well as a recovery timeline are established. Listed at 6-foot-6 with a 6-foot-11 wingspan, Topic is a big point guard who's a gifted passer but a shaky perimeter shooter, making his skill set somewhat reminiscent of Josh Giddey, whom the Thunder recently traded to the Bulls. Though he won't be a factor in the Thunder rotation during the upcoming campaign, Topic is expected to be around the team and conduct his rehab in Oklahoma City, much like 2022 No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren did in his first professional season while recovering from a foot injury.
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Thunder's Nikola Topic: Goes 12th overall to Thunder
Rotowire
Topic (knee) was selected by the Thunder with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
While the Thunder, who owned the Rockets' pick, had a chance to add an instant-impact player, they instead opted to add a future piece in Topic. The 18-year-old out of Serbia is one of the more intriguing guards in the draft, possessing excellent scoring and playmaking ability at 6-foot-6. However, he's recovering from a partially torn ACL in his left knee, and his availability for the upcoming season is uncertain. Even if he's cleared to play at some point in 2024-25, the Thunder view Topic as a developmental player, so he's unlikely to make much of an impact in Year 1 for one of the best rosters in the Western Conference.
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