Latest news with #NikolaTopić
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nikola Topić, Ajay Mitchell shine for OKC Thunder in NBA Summer League loss vs Grizzlies
Sam Presti, ever ready to temper expectations, stressed the need to give Nikola Topić 'some grace' ahead of his first real basketball game in over a year. Still, the Thunder general manager said during his offseason news conference that Topić had 'made great strides' since selecting the Serbian guard 12th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. Advertisement Five days after those comments, it was pretty easy to see what he was talking about as Topić finally made his Thunder debut Saturday in a 92-80 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA Summer League opener in Salt Lake City. Topić, about 14 months removed from suffering a partially torn ACL in his left knee, showed enough flashes of why he was a lottery pick. He picked apart passing lanes for a pair of steals. He initiated offense, creating looks for teammates en route to four assists. He made a couple of pressure 3-pointers, as much as those can exist in Summer League, while finishing with 14 points. Yet, there's plenty of room to grow. Topić committed seven of the Thunder's 23 turnovers. All in all, not a bad debut for someone who entered Saturday with zero game minutes in the NBA but one championship parade. Advertisement Pre-order our new book on the Thunder's road to NBA Finals More: Thunder GM Sam Presti says Nikola Topić 'made great strides' ahead of NBA Summer League Nikola Topić stats for Thunder vs. Grizzlies in Summer League debut Points: 14 Rebounds: 1 Assists: 4 Steals: 2 Minutes: 25:59 Field-goal shooting: 6-for-11 (54.5%) 3-point shooting: 2-for-4 (50.0%) Free-throw shooting: 0-0 More: NBA Summer League 2025: OKC Thunder roster, schedule and everything else to know Ajay Mitchell's offensive vision on display SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JULY 5: Ajay Mitchell #25 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looses control of the ball under pressure from Jaylen Wells #0 and Jeremy Jones #22 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the first half of their NBA Summer League game at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on July 5, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Yeah, it's only Summer League, but Ajay Mitchell keeps showing why he was such a steal in last year's draft with every extended run he gets. And it's not as if Mitchell was running point against a bunch of future insurance agents with the likes of Jaylen Wells, GG Jackson on the court for the Grizzlies. Advertisement The former second-round pick showcased his ability to create shots for himself and others, leading the Thunder with 24 points (on 10-for-18 shooting) and six assists in 27 minutes. The 6-foot-5 guard out of UC Santa Barbara was limited to just 36 games thanks to a toe injury, derailing a potential All-NBA Rookie season. Mitchell averaged 6.5 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. Presti rewarded the former two-way player with a three-year, $9-million contract on June 29. That could end up being a massive bargain for a rotational player on a title contender. Enjoy watching Mitchell in Summer League while you can. Advertisement More: OKC Thunder NBA free agency 2025: Tracking latest trade rumors, updates around NBA Brooks Barnhizer, floor-burn guy Speaking of second-round draft picks, Brooks Barnhizer might be able to carve out a role for himself as a floor-burn guy. The 6-foot-6 forward tried to spark a late rally with his diving steal and timeout with 4:36 left in the game and OKC down 82-70. The Thunder couldn't capitalize on the turnover, but it's the type of play to make a mental note of for down the road. Barnhizer had nine points and 13 – THIRTEEN – rebounds in his first game since his reaggravating his foot injury Jan. 29 playing for Northwestern. Advertisement More: Celebrate Thunder's first NBA title with commemorative page prints, books, gear, keepsakes Jaylen Wells, GG Jackson back in pre-injury form for Grizzlies GG Jackson made the All-NBA Rookie Second Team two years ago, but he saw steep declines in all of his counting statistics last season as a foot injury limited him to just 29 games. The former South Carolina forward had perhaps the best showing Saturday – other than OKC's Ajay Mitchell – scoring 20 points on 8-for-15 shooting. Fellow Memphis forward Jaylen Wells also scored 20 points (on 5-for-14 shooting) in his first game back from a scary fall in April in which he broke his wrist. Advertisement More: Thunder vs Grizzlies recap: Nikola Topić debuts for OKC in NBA Summer League opener Up next for Thunder Former William & Mary standout Daniel Dixon, who is coaching the Thunder's squad in Salt Lake City, will lead OKC against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 2 of a three-game stay in Utah at 6 p.m. Monday (ESPN). Jeff Patterson is the sports editor for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Jeff? He can be reached at jpatterson@ or on X/Twitter at @jeffpattOKC. Support Jeff's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at . Advertisement This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Nikola Topić returns from ACL injury for Thunder in NBA Summer League
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nikola Topić, Ajay Mitchell lead OKC Thunder past Philadelphia 76ers in NBA Summer League
If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission. Pricing and availability are subject to change. The OKC Thunder has plenty of new names on the back of its jerseys for NBA Summer League, but the one on the front is still the same. OKC earned an 89-78 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday in Salt Lake City, and it played the same brand of basketball as its championship-winning counterpart. The Thunder forced 21 turnovers and converted them into 34 points. Advertisement Nikola Topić orchestrated OKC's lethal transition offense. He finished with 11 points and five assists in 28 minutes. Ajay Mitchell also added 16 points, five rebounds and five assists in 25 minutes. "It's really important," Mitchell said of OKC's defense. "We put a big emphasis on that throughout the whole training camp, and then in every game we try to get better on defense and be a team defense. That's what we do." OKC will finish its Salt Lake City Summer League run with a game against the Utah Jazz at 8 p.m. CT Tuesday. It'll then play a minimum of five games in the Las Vegas Summer League. Pre-order our new book on the Thunder's road to NBA Finals Advertisement More: NBA Summer League 2025: OKC Thunder roster, schedule and everything else to know Nikola Topić's court vision is NBA ready Malevy Leons didn't need to clap his hands as he stood unguarded in the corner midway through the second quarter. Topic already knew he was open. And after driving into the heart of the defense, the 19-year-old guard delivered an over-the-shoulder dime to his teammate. Leons' 3-pointer clanked off the rim, and it was Topic who found himself clapping his hands in disappointment after the missed highlight. There were a few of those on Monday. Despite only finishing with a modest five assists, Topic showcased his strong court vision throughout the game with plenty of passes that led to clean looks. Advertisement He showed poise in transition. He shredded the defense with sharp passes. He even got fancy on a few finds. Topic's passing prowess is a large part of what makes him such a promising prospect. The next step in his development is becoming a more consistent shooter. He went 2 for 13 from the field (15.4%) and 0 for 6 from deep in the winning effort. More: Thunder GM Sam Presti says Nikola Topić 'made great strides' ahead of NBA Summer League Brooks Barnhizer's 3-point shot is still a work in progress Brooks Barnhizer has the makings of a fan favorite in OKC. Thunder basketball is centered around playing strong defense. That's fine by Barnhizer, who made the 2024 All-Big Ten Defensive Team at Northwestern and guarded multiple positions with his size and strength. Advertisement Thunder basketball is also centered around toughness. Look no further than Barnhizer, who broke his foot last August but worked his way back onto the floor to play 17 games before he re-aggravated the injury in January. He also lost his two front teeth twice during that time. The potential is there for Barnhizer to be a gritty glue guy for OKC. But one area of his game that needs improving is his 3-point shooting. Barnhizer shot 31% from deep throughout his four seasons at Northwestern, and he struggled in that department on Monday. The 6-foot-6 forward finished with two points on 0-for-3 shooting from behind the arc. More: How Sam Presti, OKC Thunder discovered Brooks Barnhizer well in advance of 2025 NBA Draft Advertisement Ajay Mitchell cooled off after a sizzling Summer League debut Mitchell entered Summer League in full stride. After playing in the NBA Finals last month, the sophomore guard ran laps around the competition during OKC's 92-80 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday. He racked up 24 points and six assists on 10-for-18 shooting from the field (55.5%). Mitchell got to his spots at will, scored efficiently and shined as a facilitator. But his second Summer League run on Monday proved to be an uphill battle. Mitchell still got to his spots, but he went 3 for 11 from the field (27.3%) this time around and recorded five turnovers. He also looked banged up at times after taking a few hard falls and rolling his left ankle. Advertisement There's no need to overreact to that stat line. Mitchell continues to display a great feel for the game, and the 23-year-old guard is sure to be a part of OKC's rotation next season. The future is bright for Mitchell, who was selected by the Thunder in the second round (No. 38 overall) of the 2024 draft. He began on a two-way contract, and he recently signed a three-year deal that's worth nearly $9 million. More: OKC Thunder signing Ajay Mitchell to three-year contract worth nearly $9M, per report VJ Edgecombe was a late scratch for 76ers The biggest name in the Salt Lake City Summer League is Philadelphia rookie VJ Edgecombe. Advertisement The 6-5 guard entered the event with plenty of hype after Philadelphia selected him with the third pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. His stock then spiked again after he recorded 28 points and 10 rebounds in a 93-89 loss to Utah on Saturday. That set the stage for an exciting showdown on Monday, but Edgecombe was a late scratch due to a thumb contusion. The injury is not considered serious, according to The Athletic's Tony Jones, and Edgecombe will be day-to-day going forward. More: OKC Thunder signs 2025 NBA Draft picks Thomas Sorber, Brooks Barnhizer Up next for Thunder OKC will finish its Salt Lake City Summer League run with a game against Utah at 8 p.m. CT Tuesday (NBA TV). It'll then play a minimum of five games in the Las Vegas Summer League. Advertisement Justin Martinez covers sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at jmartinez@ or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Nikola Topić, Ajay Mitchell lead Thunder past 76ers in Summer League
USA Today
27-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
NBA power rankings: How all 30 teams stack up after 2025 NBA Draft
Just because the NBA season just ended — with the Oklahoma City Thunder claiming their first championship since relocating to the city — that doesn't mean that the balance of power across the league hasn't already shifted. The 2025 NBA Draft provided a chance for plenty of teams to infuse young talent into their rosters with the aim, aside from Oklahoma City, to become the eighth different team in as many years to win the title. Free agency, which is right around the corner (beginning Monday, June 30), presents the next chance for teams to add to their rosters. Here are USA TODAY Sports' post-playoffs, post-NBA draft power rankings: 1. Oklahoma City Thunder The NBA champs have their young core in place, players like 2024-25 rookie Nikola Topić — a skilled, 19-year-old guard who didn't step on the court at all this season — and added a skilled big in Thomas Sorber at No. 15 who should develop in the program. 2. Houston Rockets A dynamic young team with an excellent coach in Ime Udoka just took a huge, win-now swing for an elite player in Kevin Durant. The Rockets could become very dangerous. 3. New York Knicks A lot will depend on the head coach they hire, but — given the massive injury ramifications across the East — the Knicks get a boost just because they have their core healthy. 4. Minnesota Timberwolves Their first-round draft pick — mobile big man Joan Beringer — is an 18-year-old project who doesn't help the Timberwolves get past the conference finals hump, but they have a very good core in place. 5. Indiana Pacers It's tough to see the Eastern Conference champs (and a team that pushed the Thunder to seven games) this far down, but Tyrese Haliburton's Achilles tear is devastating. 6. Cleveland Cavaliers They were bounced out of the playoffs far earlier than they wanted, but in coach Kenny Atkinson's first year, the Cavaliers led the NBA in most shooting and offensive metrics. 7. Denver Nuggets With a full offseason to settle into the job, new coach David Adelman should create a more unified vision for the Nuggets. They'll need more depth, but Nikola Jokić remains a force. 8. Los Angeles Clippers After finishing the regular season strongly, the Clippers took the Nuggets to seven games. The roster is definitely aging so the window to win is right now. 9. Los Angeles Lakers With a full offseason to develop an offense that suits Luka Dončić and LeBron James, coach JJ Redick should get more out of the Lakers, whom the Timberwolves eliminated in five games in the first round. Still, L.A. needs to find a center. 10. Boston Celtics The team is undergoing a transition, with Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday gone in luxury-tax-trimming moves and potentially more on the way out. The Achilles tear to Jayson Tatum, however, is most devastating for Boston's chances to get another title. 11. Golden State Warriors Adding Jimmy Butler certainly made Golden State more competitive, but the Warriors' leaders are 37 (Stephen Curry), and 35 (Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green). 12. Detroit Pistons They broke out last season and played the Knicks very tough in the first round. They should only become more competitive as Detroit's young core continues to develop. 13. Orlando Magic Injuries derailed their season, but adding Desmond Bane should make the defensive-minded Magic a little more consistent with their shooting. 14. Milwaukee Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo may be assessing his future with the Bucks, who have lost three consecutive playoff series and saw Damian Lillard suffer a torn Achilles. 15. San Antonio Spurs All of a sudden, the Spurs have a dynamic and hyper-athletic core. Victor Wembanyama is the obvious centerpiece, but Stephon Castle, No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper and De'Aaron Fox is almost too much talent at one position. 16. Memphis Grizzlies They were able to find their replacement for Desmond Bane on a budget, trading for the rights to Washington State guard Cedric Coward at No. 11. Memphis needs to minimize turnovers. 17. Atlanta Hawks With the additions of Kristaps Porziņģis and forward Asa Newell at No. 23, the Hawks got tremendous value and may be a surprise team in the wide-open East. 18. Dallas Mavericks It's a shame Kyrie Irving will miss time with a torn anterior cruciate ligament because the fit with No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg and Anthony Davis would be fascinating to watch. 19. Chicago Bulls This feels like a team at a crossroads and one that has been middling in the play-in window. Noa Essengue is an exciting young player, but the Bulls need help now. 20. Miami Heat Having struck out on Kevin Durant and having traded away Jimmy Butler, the Heat seem like a team stuck in the middle and without a clear direction. They needed play-making at guard and Kasparas Jakučionis provides plenty of it, but he's likely a few years away from consistent production. 21. Philadelphia 76ers This placement comes with a massive caveat. The 76ers have plenty of talent — young, mid-career and veterans in decline — but Philadelphia absolutely needs Joel Embiid to stay healthy. Regardless, VJ Edgecombe infuses dynamic athleticism on both ends. 22. Toronto Raptors It will be interesting to see how Brandon Ingram, who didn't play in a single game for Toronto with an ankle injury, incorporates into the offense. Same for rookie Collin Murray-Boyles, taken No. 9 overall. 23. Sacramento Kings Sacramento is a team that may be looking to offload some of its veteran pieces, potentially signaling an impending rebuild. 24. Phoenix Suns They'll be without Kevin Durant and will have a new coach in Jordan Ott. They still need to figure out their Bradley Beal problem. 25. Portland Trail Blazers The Trail Blazers have amassed four centers, three of which are 7-footers (Donovan Clingan, Deandre Ayton, Yang Hansen). The other is Robert Williams (6-foot-9). 26. New Orleans Pelicans They actually have a lot of young and dynamic talent, with No. 13 overall pick Derik Queen being the latest piece. The fit is what's questionable. 27. Washington Wizards The trade of Jordan Poole should open up things for No. 6 overall pick Tre Johnson, but the continued development of Alex Sarr is arguably the most important piece for Washington. 28. Brooklyn Nets Brooklyn had an interesting draft, selecting five first rounders, four of which were guards. 29. Utah Jazz Danny Ainge had a tremendous draft, getting great value with wing Ace Bailey at No. 5 and guard Walter Clayton Jr. at No. 18. 30. Charlotte Hornets Frankly, there's not a whole lot about the Hornets that's exciting. They did, however, add a pair of excellent shooters in the first round of the draft in Kon Knueppel (No. 4) and Liam McNeeley (No. 29). Getting Ryan Kalkbrenner early in the second round was another high-value move.
