Oklahoma City Thunder guard Nikola Topic has begun chemotherapy treatments after being diagnosed with testicular cancer, team general manager Sam Presti said Thursday.
Presti said doctors are “extremely positive” about the long-term recovery of Topic, the 12th pick in the 2024 draft, who missed last season with a torn ACL.
Topic underwent surgery in early October at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston to undergo a biopsy. After receiving the results, he asked the Thunder not to publicly reveal his diagnosis until he began chemotherapy treatments, Presti said.
Topic was able to practice while starting chemotherapy, but Presti said there was no planned timetable for the 20-year-old Serbian guard’s NBA debut.
“Our only expectation is that he focuses on that,” Presti said. “It’s his top priority. He will return to basketball as soon as he can, but obviously we are not setting any time frame or expectations on that. He benefits from all our support, encouragement and affection. »
