Which OKC Thunder Rookie will be more Productive in 2025-26?

The Oklahoma City Thunder have drafted very well in recent years.

Sam Presti and company have added stars Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, as well as role players Aaron Wiggins, Ajay Mitchell, Jaylin Williams, Cason Wallace and Lu Dort through the NBA Draft.

These acquisitions combined with additions like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein through free agency and trades have molded the Thunder's roster into one of the best in the NBA.

Now, OKC will have the chance to see if their savvy draft strategy worked again in the 2024 and 2025 classes as the team looks to incorporate top-15 picks Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber into the mix during the 2025-26 campaign.

Topic was the No. 12 overall selection in the 2024 class after the talented lead guard tore his ACL leading up to the draft. Prior to his injury, the 6-foot-6 Serbian had the potential to be a top five pick in the cycle, but instead fell to Oklahoma City just outside the top 10.

With impressive feel for the game at a young age, Topic's skill set seems to fit perfectly with Mark Daigneault's offense and match a set of traits that Presti has valued in other draft prospects.

Nikola Topić is DIMING right now for OKC 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/yRjU6VZr6r
— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 12, 2025

Additionally, Topic was a strong finisher at the rim overseas, and showed the ability to run an offense, even when competing amongst older players.

In the 2025 summer league, Topic looked solid as a playmaker, meshing well with Mitchell, a fellow 2024 draft pick who also dealt with injuries as a rookie.

Topic didn't have as much success finishing around the basket, but after not playing competitive basketball for more than a year, it isn't surprising that the 19-year-old was a bit rusty.

The former lottery pick averaged 10.8 points, 5.8 assists and 3.2 rebounds in six summer league games while shooting 33.3% from the field and 20.8% from three-point range.

Topic will have to compete with a handful of talented guards for time on the floor, but the rookie's impressive passing acumen could set him apart from the other players on OKC's bench.

Sorber, on the other hand, was selected No. 15 overall in the 2025 class after averaging 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, two blocks and 1.5 steals per game as a freshman at Georgetown.

Love Thomas Sorber in OKC pic.twitter.com/xASdfC14rk
— Keandre Ashley (@HoopIntelllect) June 26, 2025

At 6-foot-9 with 7-foot-6 wingspan, Sorber's impressive length could make him a strong addition to the Thunder's defense, while his passing ability as a big man fits Daigneault's offensive scheme.

Sorber suffered an injury during the college basketball season that caused him to miss all of the summer league, and the 19-year-old will have to compete with a few solid big men for minutes.

While both will likely see decent minutes during the regular season, Topic should be ingrained in the Thunder's system after a year with the team, and could be more productive than Sorber in 2025-26.

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