Topic active in Thunder training camp signals on track rehab

The Oklahoma City Thunder flexed their power over the NBA this past offseason with their sweeping moves, earning them a top spot among the league’s title contenders. However, the franchise raised some eyebrows when it elected to select injured Serbian prospect Nikola Topic with the No. 12 overall pick in June’s draft.

While the teenage point guard was originally slated to be a top-ten draft pick, a pair of knee injuries leading up to the 2024 NBA Draft led to his stock plummeting. For a team like the Thunder, who are notorious for selecting talents that can come and contribute immediately, this was certainly a new sight and one that many people disagreed with.

It was, however, another glaring indicator that the team has moved up the rankings and is now more than talented enough to rely on its existing roster to carry it to a boatload of tallies in the win column. In the meantime, the injured 20-year-old can progress through rehab and return ready to make a striking impact.

Thunder’s top draft pick is seen getting some early action

While Oklahoma City gears up for a season loaded with pressure and expectations, Topic will watch the action unfold from the sidelines as he is in the early stages of his rehab. Although Nikola’s partial ACL tear was untimely, he perhaps landed with an organization that is best suited for his prompt recovery and development on the court.

Despite undergoing successful surgery on his knee in July and being ruled out for the entire 2024 season, it hasn’t stopped the former international star from joining the Thunder’s training camp and working with the coaching staff to help accelerate his rehab.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault recently spoke on Topic’s rehab and said that “he’s on track,” giving fans optimism that he is ahead of schedule in his recovery and will comfortably make his NBA debut in the 2025 NBA season.

Drafted in the late lottery, the guard will have significant expectations on his shoulders once he is ready to return. Particularly with the Thunder’s need for a facilitator off the pine, Topic’s opportunity may be there for the taking if he comes prepared.

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