18-year-old Serbian guard Nikola Topić has become the first player ever to win an NBA championship before playing in a single NBA game. The Oklahoma City Thunder rookie was part of the team’s official roster during their 2025 title run without logging a single minute on the court.
Topić, selected by the Thunder in the 2024 NBA Draft and considered one of Europe’s brightest basketball talents, had spent much of the season rehabbing a knee injury and continuing his development overseas. However, he joined Oklahoma City late in the season and was included in the team’s official playoff roster.
Though he remained inactive throughout the postseason, NBA rules recognize all rostered players during a championship run meaning Topić is now, technically, an NBA champion without having played a regular season or playoff game.
“It’s surreal,” Topić said in a brief post-Finals interview. “To be part of a championship culture at 18 is a blessing. I can’t wait to earn it on the court next season.”
The Oklahoma City Thunder clinched their first-ever NBA title this week, defeating the Indiana Pacers in a dramatic Game 7. Their young core, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams, now adds another rising star to its arsenal, one who already owns a championship ring.
Basketball analysts are calling this a “once-in-a-generation” occurrence.
“This is not just rare, it’s historical,” said NBA historian Marc Stein. “We’ve seen players win titles without playing in the playoffs, but never someone who hasn’t played any NBA game. Topić just wrote a unique line in the league’s record books.”
With his NBA debut still to come, all eyes will be on Nikola Topić when he finally steps onto the hardwood next season, as a reigning champion. The Thunder’s future looks even brighter, and basketball fans around the world will be watching to see if the young Serbian can turn his early ring into a legendary career.
