Oklahoma City Thunder Rookie Watch - Nikola Topic

The Oklahoma City Thunder’s championship celebration will officially come to an end on October 21 when they welcome the Houston Rockets to open the 2025-26 season on “Ring Night.” Primed to return as favorites to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals once again this season, the Thunder welcome 2024 12th-overall draft pick Nikola Topic to the lineup. After missing all of last season with a partially torn ACL, the Serbian point guard is finally healthy and ready to contribute to the Thunder’s quest for back-to-back championships.

What makes Topic’s journey to the league and his championship intriguing is the flashes of potential he showed during Summer League and his European pedigree. In three games this July, Topic showed why the Thunder were so high on him a year ago, averaging 10.8 points, 5.8 assists, and 3.2 rebounds. A two-time ABA League champion, as well as a Serbian League and Serbian Cup winner, Topic has elite playmaking skills and championship experience that are well-suited for the young Thunder roster.

Ideally, coming off the bench behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Topic will give coach Mark Daigneault lineup flexibility with his court vision and size. On one of the NBA’s youngest rosters, he should fit right into a culture built around developing talent together. Rather than being the odd man out on a veteran roster, Topic joins a core of players aged between 22 and 26 years old.

Whereas SGA and Alex Caruso bring scoring and gritty defense, respectively, Topic brings a more pass-first approach to the court, reading defenses and finding teammates in transition for early and easy hoops.

For the 2025-26 season, expect meaningful average numbers of 16-20 minutes with 6-8 points, 3-5 assists, and 3-4 rebounds. If the 20-year-old can minimize his turnovers, something which was an issue in Las Vegas, while showcasing his natural playmaking ability, Topic could see more meaningful minutes than an average rookie on a championship team.