Oklahoma City Thunder confirmed that second‑year guard Nikola Topic underwent a minimally invasive lumbar microdiscectomy on Saturday. The spine surgery was performed by Dr. Andrew Dossett in Dallas with Thunder medical staff on hand, and cleared for non‑contact activities next week. Topic, the 12th overall pick in 2024, missed his entire rookie year after a pre‑draft knee injury and returned this season following a cancer battle.

He debuted on Feb. 12, logging ten regular‑season games before the back issue surfaced. The procedure typically demands months of rehab, meaning Topic will sit out the NBA Summer League slated for July. Nevertheless, Thunder officials project a full recovery in time for the upcoming training camp, preserving his role in a young core, and will focus on core strengthening.

Topic’s health saga underscores the volatility of a promising rookie timeline. Missing both the Summer League and early‑season conditioning could delay his integration, but the Thunder’s medical team expressed confidence in his return. Assuming a smooth rehab, he should be available for the season opener, giving Oklahoma City a potential scoring boost at the point guard slot, if no setbacks occur.