The Oklahoma City Thunder announced that rookie guard Nikola Topic underwent successful surgery to repair a left ACL tear. Topic is expected to miss the entirety of the 2024-25 season to rehab from the injury.
The Thunder drafted Topic with the 12th pick in the first-round of the 2024 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-6 point guard was injured while playing for Crvena zvezda in Serbia in mid-May. Topic may have initially suffered the ACL tear in early-January, but was diagnosed with a sprained left knee. He returned to play in late-April before being injured approximately three weeks later.
Oklahoma City has experience dealing with a first-round pick missing their first NBA season. Chet Holmgren missed the 2022-23 season due to a fractured foot. Holmgren then returned to have a success rookie season in 2024-24.
