At just under 21 years old, he has already faced a tumultuous fate.

I never imagined that Topic of the Thunder could have it even worse.

Before the draft, he suffered a major ACL tear but was still picked by the Thunder in the lottery, as the team had the capital to wait for him for a year. Unexpectedly, a year later, right before his NBA debut, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Following surgery and chemotherapy, Topic finally made his NBA debut this February.

He only played 10 games in the regular season and could only appear during garbage time in the playoffs, completely outside the Thunder's rotation. After two miserable seasons, the next season was supposed to be Topic's first real full season. The Thunder's lineup was bound to change, and Topic was sure to receive more playing time.

Unexpectedly, he suffered another heavy blow. Reports from some time ago said Topic successfully underwent a minimally invasive lumbar discectomy. The official statement said he could be ready for next season's training camp. It was a minor surgery, but the location was critical.

The removed portion of the lumbar spine will not regenerate, meaning his athletic function will be permanently impaired. His athleticism was already compromised by the ACL tear, and now with the lumbar disc issue, it's hard to say whether his athletic ability will still meet NBA standards.

Lumbar surgery is not uncommon in the NBA; the most famous examples are MPJ and Ben Simmons. Before entering the NBA, MPJ underwent multiple lumbar surgeries, dropping from a top pick to the 14th selection, and his playing style changed completely. Now MPJ has to wear an ankle-foot orthosis when playing.

Simmons is even worse. After his first surgery in 2022, his ability declined sharply. After a second surgery in 2024, he has now directly transitioned into a fishing athlete. The lumbar region itself acts like a driveshaft; problems there affect the entire body's power generation.

Now that Topic has undergone this surgery, it likely means the entire offseason will be spent in recovery, unable to engage in high-intensity training—essentially wasting an entire offseason. This should have been a crucial period for skill development, but instead he can only rest in bed. For a young player, time is everything; wasting time is equivalent to wasting a career.

He is a 1.98-meter tall point guard with a higher dribbling center of gravity than other guards, forcing him to bend over to lower it. Now with his back issues, his playing style has taken another major hit.

Before the draft, he was the new-generation Magician of Europe, with a flashy and unpredictable style. That's why, despite a season-ending injury as a rookie, he was still selected 12th overall by the Thunder. But now, he may never be able to replicate that "young" style of play, even though he is still under 21.

The only silver lining is that the Thunder have already exercised their third-year team option on him. He may not have had many opportunities to play over these few years, but he has earned a few million dollars. We have seen many young talents derailed by injuries, but a rookie like Topic, who suffered three devastating blows in three years, stands out as particularly tragic in the entire history of the NBA.

Perhaps the greatest blow is not being incapable, but having extraordinary talent and working extremely hard, yet fate repeatedly drops heavy hammers, one after another, erasing all the youthful edge.

You didn't lose to your opponents; you never even had the chance to compete against them. In the end, you can only lament the unfairness of fate, leaving an eternal regret in your heart.