NBA champion Nikola Topic has been diagnosed with testicular cancer, Oklahoma City Thunder General Manager Sam Presti has revealed.
The Serbian point guard, who is just 20 years old, is reportedly undergoing chemotherapy. He is still working out and training – despite the diagnosis.
Presti said Topic’s doctors are ‘extremely positive about his outlook in dealing with this situation.’
‘He had a testicular procedure at the very beginning of training camp. That procedure was necessary… to determine if Nikola was dealing with a case of testicular cancer,’ the GM said.
‘The results of the biopsy have been returned and he is dealing with a case of testicular cancer. He has a tremendous group of oncologists… and they are extremely positive about his outlook in dealing with the situation.’
Presti added: ‘Tope didn’t want to make this information public until he had begun the actual treatments, which he has recently. He’s been in here, he’s training, he’s working out – through this entire process he’s been able to do that.
Nikola Topic is battling testicular cancer, Oklahoma City Thunder GM Sam Presti has revealed
‘But as we all know, this will be a challenging treatment process to go through but the team of physicians he has around him are extremely positive about his long-term outlook.’
The GM said that the Thunder’s ‘only expectation’ of Topic are to focus on his cancer battle. ‘This is his most important priority – he’ll be back playing basketball when he’s able to but we’re not putting any type of expectations on that, obviously,’ Presti explained.
‘He has our total support, encouragement and love. Guys on the team have been amazing. Tope is a really remarkable guy… extraordinarily mature, composed, resilient. He has all the tools that you could ask for, for somebody to take on and conquer this situation.’
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