Nikola Topic’s path to the NBA didn’t follow a typical rookie timeline.

But on Thursday night, February 12, the 20-year-old finally stepped onto an NBA court, marking a long-awaited milestone for both the Oklahoma City Thunder and the young Serbian guard.

According to ESPN, he entered the game against the Milwaukee Bucks late in the first quarter, drawing a strong reaction from the home crowd. It didn’t take long for him to get on the board—he knocked down a jumper near the free throw line early in the second quarter, recording his first NBA points.

He finished with two points, one rebound, and one assist in Oklahoma City’s 110-93 loss.

For Topic, the moment carried weight beyond the stat line. Selected 12th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, he had yet to play a single NBA game prior to this week. A knee injury suffered before the draft sidelined him for an entire season, delaying his transition to the league. Then, just as he was working his way back, another challenge emerged.

During the preseason, Topic underwent a medical procedure that led to a diagnosis of testicular cancer. He had surgery in October 2025, followed by chemotherapy, all while continuing to work toward a return to basketball.

The Thunder organization later confirmed that Topic had asked to keep his diagnosis private until he began treatment.

Before his NBA debut, Topic logged minutes with the Oklahoma City Blue, the team’s G League affiliate. In his first game action since the diagnosis, he posted seven points and seven assists in a win earlier in the week—an early sign that he was progressing physically.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault acknowledged the significance of Topic’s return, saying, “Just thrilled for him.”

He added, “He’s obviously been through a ton of adversity in his life in the last couple years. He’s a young guy that all he wants to do is play basketball and that’s been taken from him a couple of different times.”

Daigneault also emphasized that Topic is still building toward full conditioning. “This was just like a unique pocket to get him in with our team with very little expectations from a performance standpoint,” he said. “We’re just happy he got out there tonight and is on that track back. That’s the most important thing.”

At 6-foot-6, the Novi Sad native built his reputation overseas playing for Crvena zvezda and Mega, earning the ABA League Top Prospect award in 2024.