Two of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s highly touted draft picks, Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber, will be limited in training camp, signaling a tough start for the squad looking to fill out its roster. While the good news is these aren’t *new* injuries, the fact remains that both players are still ramping up after what feels like an eternity on the sidelines, leaving some major question marks as the team prepares for the 2026-27 regular season.
The Unfortunate Odyssey of Nikola Topic
Man, talk about bad luck! Nikola Topic, the No. 12 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, has had an absolutely brutal start to his pro career. He’s only logged a measly 10 career games, which is just wild for a guy picked that high. The dude missed his entire 2024-25 season with a torn ACL. And if that wasn’t enough, he then missed *most* of the 2025-26 season after a testicular cancer diagnosis. Seriously, you can’t make this stuff up. Most of his 2026 offseason was spent just recovering, and then BAM, he had back surgery in June 2026. It’s just one thing after another for Topic. You gotta feel for the guy. When he spoke at Thunder Media Day, you could hear the hunger, even with the caution: “I feel good. I feel better, and I can’t wait to be out there… I’m just trying to go day by day and take one day at a time every day.” That’s the right mindset, but you know he’s itching to truly contribute.
Double Trouble With Thomas Sorber
And it’s not just Topic. Thomas Sorber, the No. 15 pick from the 2025 NBA draft, is right there with him in the injury recovery marathon. Sorber’s collegiate career at Georgetown ended early when he missed the final month due to foot surgery. Then, his entire 2025-26 season was wiped out by a torn ACL. Just like Topic, he went under the knife *again*, with a second knee procedure in July 2026 that kept him off the court for most of the 2026 offseason. It’s a frustrating deja vu for two young talents. Sorber talked about the mental game, saying, “Well, sitting out last year, I’ve definitely learned a lot. I’ve learned a lot about patience, being patient with myself not to rush anything and just to stay the course and build the day brick by brick.” He added, “I feel great. But I’m just, honestly, sticking to what the medical staff has for me and seeing from there and move on from there.” That level of discipline is crucial for these comebacks.
What This Means for OKC’s Title Hopes
Look, we all know Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams are one of the best trios in the game. They’re going to keep the Thunder squarely in the title conversation for the foreseeable future. That much is clear. But the Thunder went through some serious roster changes this offseason, with a totally recast group of supporting characters coming in. The whole squad is expecting a learning curve with these new faces, and having two top draft picks like Topic and Sorber still sidelined, even if it’s just “limited” participation, adds a whole layer of uncertainty. Coach Mark Daigneault kept it real, confirming, “those guys are limited in camp. That’s true. It is good to have them participating in what they’re participating in, but they are limited.” The team needs these guys healthy and integrated into that new supporting cast, especially with those “question marks” hanging over the rest of the roster. The path to a deep playoff run relies on more than just the star power, and right now, the supporting depth is still finding its footing, literally and figuratively.
The focus for these guys in training camp is clear: keep building back, brick by brick, as Sorber put it. It’s a slow burn, not a sprint. We’re all watching to see when Topic and Sorber can finally shed those limitations and show us why they were picked so high, because the Thunder need their young talent to step up if they want to live up to those title expectations.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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