Mark Daigneault is proud of Nikola Topic returning to basketball for the OKC Blue

Back in October 2025, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Nikola Topic received the worst news with testicular cancer. It is the worst news anyone can get, but that has not stopped Topic from realizing his dream.

Amid his chemotherapy, Topic kept working out. It was an impressive achievement because it proved the 20-year-old Topic is intent on fully realizing his dream. It is even better now because Topic is already playing for the Thunder's G-League affiliate, the OKC Blue.

Daigneault loves that Topic is continuing to follow his NBA dreams

It would have been understandable if Topic stepped away from the game for a while. The Thunder would have fully supported him, but it seems Topic is intent on following his NBA dreams.

He went through chemotherapy, which is evident in his hair loss. However, he has remained physically strong enough to play in NBA G-League games. This has led Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault to be impressed with his young guard.

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Topic played for the Blue on Monday, and he was stellar. He put up seven points, a rebound, and seven assists in only 16 minutes. As a lottery pick from the 2024 NBA Draft, Topic has already impressed behind the scenes.

However, this might be his most impressive accolade, as he is thriving after dealing with cancer. Moving forward, it will be a good precedent for his long-term future.

"Great accomplishment. I just can't say enough about him as a guy. His mental toughness, maturity, and resilience... We're all just collectively thrilled that he's back playing basketball. I know he's missed it a great deal. This is just so good for him mentally to get his feet back underneath him," Daigneault said after Topic's performance with the Blue.

In the long run, this is a great development for Topic. He has gotten past the issues he faced earlier this season. It will be a challenging path, but Topic is prepared to keep fighting for his spot in the NBA.

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