Thunder Could Get Even Scarier Next Season By Adding Young Serbian Star
The Oklahoma City Thunder are already one of the most terrifying young teams in the NBA, but next season, they might become downright unstoppable. That's because Serbian phenom Nikola Topic, the No. 12 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, is set to make his long-awaited debut next season after recovering from a torn ACL.
For the rest of the league, the scariest part is this: OKC got him with a pick from the 2019 Russell Westbrook trade. Sam Presti is still winning that deal six years later.
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Topic, a 6-foot-6 playmaking guard, was once projected to go as high as No. 2 overall in the 2024 draft. CBS Sports and ESPN both had him ranked in the top five before the knee injury caused his draft stock to slide.
While several teams got cold feet, the Thunder saw value and snatched him at No. 12, a classic Presti move. He wasn't needed to contribute immediately, but he now enters the 2025-26 season joining a fully formed contender.
What makes the addition of Topic so intriguing is that he's not joining a rebuilding team, but one that could already be in the NBA Finals.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander just won MVP. Jalen Williams is blossoming into an All-Star. Chet Holmgren is a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Lu Dort is arguably the best perimeter defender in the league.
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And the Thunder have a war chest of draft capital and depth, and now, another blue-chip prospect.
Topic brings a different dynamic to OKC. In his best season in the Adriatic League (ABA) with Mega Basket during the 2023-24 campaign, he averaged 18.6 points, 6.9 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game, shooting 51.5% from the field and 33.8% from three.
He was the youngest player in league history to lead the ABA in assists, all while displaying advanced pick-and-roll vision, deceptive speed, and outstanding composure for a teenager.
He also played briefly for Crvena Zvezda in the EuroLeague before his injury, where he showed flashes against top-tier competition, including a 17-point, 5-assist performance against Maccabi Tel Aviv. Even in limited minutes, scouts raved about his control of the pace and ability to make advanced reads.
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His combination of size, IQ, and passing ability has drawn comparisons to a young Goran Dragic with a better frame.
Assuming he returns healthy, Topic will give OKC the luxury of another oversized guard who can create for others and take pressure off SGA in ball-handling duties. He may come off the bench early, but his long-term potential suggests he'll be a major contributor as he adjusts to the NBA speed.
Sam Presti's gamble may become a masterstroke. With Topic waiting in the wings, the Thunder could be adding a top-5-level talent without giving up a single asset. That's how dynasties are built by stockpiling talent before the league realizes what's coming.
Next year, when the Thunder unleash Nikola Topic alongside their MVP and a loaded roster, don't say you weren't warned. The West should be very afraid.
Related: Oklahoma City Thunder Currently Hold 32 NBA Draft Picks Until 2031
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