Nikola Topic made his debut for the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, returning to game action after a testicular cancer diagnosis had kept him off the court.
Topic had not played at all this season following the diagnosis. His appearance marked his first game since he missed the entirety of last season because of a knee injury.
A long-awaited return
Thursday’s debut represented a significant step in Topic’s return to basketball after consecutive setbacks that delayed his availability. After losing last season to a knee injury, Topic’s timeline was further interrupted when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer, preventing him from playing earlier this season.
With Topic now making his first appearance, the Thunder added another available player to their rotation as the season continues.