OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault subbed Nikola Topic into his first NBA game only four months removed from a testicular cancer diagnosis in October. Before facing the Milwaukee Bucks, Daigneault addressed Topic’s debut at the Paycom Center without any guarantee that the 2024 first-round pick would actually play.
Then, Topic entered the game toward the end of the first quarter against the Bucks to a standing ovation. Daigneault was elated and couldn’t have been happier for Topic and his family as they navigated an uncertain path toward Topic’s first NBA game with the Thunder.
“Thrilled for him. He’s obviously been through a ton of adversity in his life in his last couple of 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 said. For him to work himself to this point, get himself on the floor, is a great accomplishment. I loved watching the team respond to him both during and after the game, and I can’t help but think of his family, as well.
I have young kids at home, and it’s pretty hard to even think about what his family has gone through at all. It hasn’t been just him. He’s got a wonderful family that loves him very much that was through this with him the entire time. So, I’m thrilled for them, and certainly a very feel-good night for his family, for him, and for our team des
pite the fact that we didn’t play our best game.”
Mark Daigneault on Nikola Topić’s NBA debut for the Thunder: “Thrilled for him. He’s obviously been through a lot of adversity in his life the last couple of years…
For him to work himself to this point, get himself on the floor, is a great accomplishment… can’t help but think… pic.twitter.com/lTHL3GH5A3
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) February 13, 2026
Topic finished with two points, one assist, and one rebound in 12 minutes against the Bucks on Thursday.
Mark Daigneault reacts to Nikola Topic’s Thunder debut
While head coach Mark Daigneault was ecstatic for prospect Nikola Topic’s Thunder debut in Thursday’s game against the Bucks, he knows Topic is still far from 100% following three rounds of chemotherapy.
Still, Topic’s Thunder debut is undoubtedly a step in the right direction.
“What’s important to remember is he played two very short stretches of Blue minutes earlier this week. This was just a unique pocket to get him in with our team, with very little expectations from a performance standpoint,” Daigneault added. “He’s in the infant stages of returning to full game shape. What chemotherapy does to your body is really remarkable. It’s crazy what it does to you physically.
“The road back from that is different for everybody, and it’s highly challenging. If his peak athleticism is a 10 out of 10, he’s not even close to that right now in terms of conditioning, athleticism, strength, all the things that do to your body. It would be unfair to evaluate him in this context. We’re just happy he got out there tonight and is on that track back. That’s the most important thing,” Daigneault added.
The Thunder dropped its third game in five tries in a 110-93 loss to the Bucks at the Paycom Center.
