OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder guard Nikola Matter has been recognized with testicular most cancers and is present process chemotherapy.
Sam Presti, the group’s basic supervisor, announced the diagnosis on Thursday.
Matter had a testicular process earlier in the month. The Thunder mentioned on the time he’d be out for at the least 4 weeks.
Presti mentioned docs are “extraordinarily optimistic” in regards to the long-term outlook.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault mentioned Matter is in comparatively good spirits. He mentioned Matter has been figuring out all through the method and he’ll proceed to be across the group.
Chris Gardner through Getty Photos
“He’s doing nice given the circumstances, which is unsurprising,” Daigneault mentioned. “Sam talked about this at the moment, however there’s nobody at 20 years previous extra geared up with the maturity and self-discipline and toughness to deal with a state of affairs like this than he’s.”
Matter was anticipated to be an necessary addition to a group that in any other case modified little or no after profitable the NBA title final season. A primary-round choose in 2024, he missed the complete 2024-2025 season whereas recovering from a torn ACL. He performed in summer time league this yr and began a preseason recreation towards Charlotte, posting 10 factors and 7 assists in Oklahoma Metropolis’s 135-114 win.
Daigneault mentioned the gamers are well-equipped to supply help.
“The instincts of our gamers and the authenticity of our gamers and the character of our gamers — that’s what they lean on in all unfamiliar conditions, whether it is unfamiliar to a few of them,” Daigneault mentioned. “And that’s why I’m so assured within the setting round Nikola as he goes by way of this, as a result of our locker room is wonderful in all conditions, and they’ll rise to this similar to he’ll rise to this.”
