Thunder guard Nikola Topić is set to miss extended time after being diagnosed with testicular cancer.
Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti announced that the second-year guard, who is just 20 years old, had a biopsy done, and is undergoing treatment. The team announced earlier this month that Topić underwent a testicular procedure.
“That procedure was necessary and done at MD Anderson in Houston to determine if Nikola was dealing with a case of testicular cancer. The procedure was necessary in order to do a biopsy, and the results of the biopsy have returned, and he is dealing with a case of testicular cancer now,” Presti said.
Topić was selected in the first round (No. 12 overall) of the 2024 NBA Draft ahead of current rotation-level contributors such as Jared McCain, Kel’el Ware, and Dalton Knecht.
The Thunder reported that Topić is in great hands with his medical team, and the issue doesn’t appear to be life-threatening.
“He has a tremendous group of oncologists both at OU [Health] [and] MD Anderson,” Presti continued. “They are extremely positive about his outlook in dealing with this situation. It’s important to note that testicular cancer is the most curable form of cancer among males, but the treatment option for him right now, recommended by the oncologist, is chemotherapy.”