Nikola Topić Bio
Nikola Topić (Serbian Cyrillic: Никола Топић, born 10 August 2005) is a Serbian professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing at 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m), he plays at the point guard position. Born in Novi Sad, he emerged as one of the most highly regarded Serbian prospects of his generation before joining the NBA in 2024.
Topić came up through the Crvena zvezda youth system and gained senior experience on loan in the Serbian League before being selected twelfth overall in the 2024 NBA draft. Although a knee injury delayed his NBA debut, he became a member of a championship team during the 2024–25 season. In late 2025, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer and began chemotherapy while continuing to work out with the Thunder.
Early Life and Background
Nikola Topić was born on 10 August 2005 in Novi Sad, Serbia and Montenegro. He grew up in a basketball household and began playing organized youth basketball at KK Defense in his hometown. His early development in a competitive Serbian youth environment shaped his understanding of the point guard position from a young age.
In June 2020, Topić joined the Crvena zvezda youth system, one of the most respected player development programs in Serbia. Working within that structure allowed him to train alongside top Serbian prospects and progress toward a professional career at a rapid pace.
Path to Basketball
Topić’s rise through the Serbian basketball system moved quickly. In August 2021, he represented Serbia at the FIBA U16 European Challengers in Novi Sad, recording 17 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists in a win over the Czech Republic in his only appearance of the event. The performance offered an early look at his scoring and playmaking ability at the international youth level.
On 28 March 2022, at 16 years, seven months and eighteen days of age, Topić made his professional debut for Crvena zvezda in an ABA League match against Krka. He scored 4 points and added 5 assists in 16 minutes, becoming the youngest player in club history to score in the ABA League. Days later, on 1 April 2022, he made his EuroLeague debut against Bayern Munich, becoming one of the youngest players ever to appear in the competition.
Nikola Topić Career
Early Career (2022–2023)
Topić began his senior career with Crvena zvezda in the 2021–22 season, splitting time between the first team and reserve competitions. At the start of the 2022–23 season he was loaned to Slodes in September 2022, then returned to Crvena zvezda for a short stretch from October through December, averaging 3.4 points across seven ABA League appearances in a limited role.
In January 2023 he was loaned to OKK Beograd for the remainder of the 2022–23 season. With OKK Beograd he appeared in 19 Serbian League games, averaging 17.8 points on 55.2 percent shooting from the field, along with 5.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game. On 17 July 2023 he signed his first professional contract with Crvena zvezda.
Crvena zvezda Breakthrough (2023–2024)
Topić opened the 2023–24 season on loan at Mega, where he averaged 18.6 points, 6.9 assists and 3.7 rebounds across 13 games before returning to Crvena zvezda in December 2023. On 4 January 2024 he suffered a knee injury against Partizan Belgrade, interrupting his momentum.
Despite the setback, he posted averages of 17.9 points, 6.8 assists and 3.6 rebounds across the season and won the ABA League Top Prospect award on 10 April 2024, securing more than half of the available votes. On 13 May 2024 he suffered a partially torn ACL against Partizan Belgrade, an injury that shaped the next stage of his career.
Oklahoma City Thunder Era (2024–Present)
On 26 June 2024, Topić was selected with the twelfth overall pick by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2024 NBA draft, and he signed with the team on 6 July 2024. Because of the ACL injury, he was expected to miss the entirety of the 2024–25 season while recovering from surgery. Even without appearing in a game, he was part of the Thunder roster that won the 2024–25 NBA championship, becoming the third-youngest NBA player to win a title.
On 6 October 2025 the Thunder announced that Topić would miss at least four to six weeks following a testicular procedure. General manager Sam Presti confirmed on 30 October 2025 that a biopsy performed at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston had confirmed a testicular cancer diagnosis. Topić asked the organization to keep the diagnosis private until he began chemotherapy, and he has continued to work out while receiving treatment, with no timetable yet set for his NBA debut.
Driving Style and Strengths
Topić is a tall, creative point guard whose 6 ft 6 in frame allows him to see over defenders and initiate offense from the top of the key. He combines scoring efficiency with strong passing vision, posting elite assist averages during his Serbian League loan stints. His poise at a young age and ability to operate in pick-and-roll situations have drawn comparisons to modern European lead guards.
Notable Events and Milestones
Topić became the youngest scorer in Crvena zvezda ABA League history in March 2022 and one of the youngest EuroLeague debutants ever shortly afterward. He added the ABA League Top Prospect award and All-ABA League Team honors in 2024, and in 2025 he became an NBA champion as a member of the Thunder, all before turning 20.
Nikola Topić Career Wins
Topić has assembled an impressive list of team titles and individual honors despite his young age. With Crvena zvezda he contributed to ABA League championships in 2022 and 2024, a Serbian League title in 2024, and the Serbian Cup in 2024. He also earned the ABA League Top Prospect award and a place on the All-ABA League Team in 2024, and was named MVP of the FIBA U18 European Championship in 2023.
ABA League Highlights
Topić was part of Crvena zvezda’s ABA League title-winning squads in 2022 and 2024, providing guard depth during both championship runs. In 2024 he was recognized as the league’s top young player and earned All-ABA League Team honors while averaging nearly 18 points and almost 7 assists per game. Those performances helped establish him as a first-round NBA talent later that summer.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his club titles, Topić was named MVP of the 2023 FIBA U18 European Championship after leading Serbia’s age-group national team. He also represented Serbia’s senior national team in a friendly match against Puerto Rico on 16 August 2023, marking his senior debut. In 2025 he became an NBA champion with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Nikola Topić Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Topić is the son of Milenko Topić, a Serbian basketball coach and former player who spent most of his playing career in the YUBA League with Profikolor, BFC Beočin, Crvena zvezda, Budućnost and Hemofarm. Milenko later played professionally in Italy and Greece, and he represented FR Yugoslavia internationally.
With the Yugoslavian national team, Milenko won gold medals at EuroBasket 1997 and the 1998 FIBA World Championship, a silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics, and a bronze medal at EuroBasket 1999. Growing up around that environment gave Nikola direct exposure to high-level basketball training and competition.
Personal Life
Topić maintains close ties to his family in Serbia while pursuing his professional career in the United States. Public details about his personal relationships, marital status and children are not widely documented. In October 2025, he publicly shared his testicular cancer diagnosis through the Oklahoma City Thunder, thanking his family, teammates and medical staff for their support as he began chemotherapy.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar year has been defined as much by medical battles as by basketball for Topić. He remained on the Oklahoma City Thunder roster throughout the 2024–25 NBA season while recovering from ACL surgery, and he was part of the team that captured the 2024–25 NBA championship. He became the third-youngest NBA player ever to win a title, even without appearing in a regular-season or playoff game.
His return to on-court activity was set back in October 2025 when he underwent a testicular procedure, later confirmed as cancer treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Thunder general manager Sam Presti said Topić had been able to keep working out while beginning chemotherapy, though no timeline was set for his NBA debut. The team’s support has been central to his recovery process.
Looking ahead, Topić’s primary focus remains his health and continued rehabilitation from both the ACL injury and cancer treatment. Once cleared, he is expected to compete for a rotation role in the Thunder backcourt, joining a championship core that will rely on his size and playmaking. His long-term outlook as an NBA point guard remains strong, provided he can return to full strength in 2026.