Player grades: Nikola Topic makes debut in Thunder's 92-80 SL loss to Grizzlies

Picking up a low pass, Nikola Topic glanced up at the expiring shot clock. He only needed two dribbles to let off a deep pull-up 3-pointer that swished in before the buzzer sounded. That last-second outside heave was worth the two hours spent watching an exhibition with the broadcast quality of 360p.

The Oklahoma City Thunder couldn't keep up in their 92-80 Summer League loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. It was the first of three games to be played at Utah before flying out to Las Vegas for the more traditional summer event.

The results don't matter in this environment. Instead, all eyes were on Topic and Ajay Mitchell to see how they looked against similar competition. They are the Thunder's top prospects who headline their Summer League roster. Safe to say both shined in the first game.

Both of these teams had slow starts. Probably from a mix of rust and unfamiliarity. Oftentimes, these rosters are thrown together with just a raw collection of talent and no real rapport built in. The Grizzlies held a 19-18 lead after the first quarter.

After that, both teams figured it out. The offenses ran smoothly. Mitchell and Jaylen Wells played like a pair of players who are knocking on the door of graduation. The Grizzlies scored 26 points in the second frame. The Thunder entered halftime in a 45-40 deficit.

Despite the deficit, Thunder fans liked what they saw. Mitchell took over as the lead scorer. He got into a groove and drove to the basket with several fancy finishes. Meanwhile, Topic looked better as the game progressed. Brooks Barnhizer also shone as an all-hustle guy.

The buckets came in a flurry in the second half. Both teams figured out how to play against each other. Such is the modern nature of the NBA. Where even the exhibitions see teams score buckets at a fast pace. After Topic muscled his way through contact for a layup, the Thunder only faced a 61-60 deficit with a little over two minutes left in the third frame.

Then the Grizzlies went on an 11-1 run to close the quarter. They scored 27 points in the frame. In the blink of an eye, the Thunder were in a 72-62 deficit after the third quarter. Wells and GG Jackson II took over. That must've been exciting to see if you're Memphis, as they're your two best available Summer League players.

The Grizzlies stiff-armed the Thunder on the scoreboard for the rest of the way. The closest OKC would get was within eight points. Armando Bacot's easy layup pushed Memphis' lead to 82-68 with a little over six minutes left. That was their largest lead of the night.

The Thunder shot 48% from the field and went 7-of-23 (30.4%) from 3. They shot 11-of-17 on free throws. They had 14 assists on 31 baskets. Three Thunder players scored double-digit points.

Mitchell led the way with 24 points and six assists. Topic finished with 14 points and four assists. Barnhizer tallied nine points and 13 rebounds. Jazian Gortman had 10 points off the bench.

Meanwhile, the Grizzlies shot 43% from the field and went 10-of-27 (37%) from 3. They shot 24-of-25 on free throws. They had 23 assists on 29 baskets. Three Grizzlies players scored double-digit points.

Wells finished with 20 points, four rebounds and three assists. Jackson II had 20 points and three rebounds. Cam Spencer tallied 14 points, five assists and five rebounds.

You had to like what you saw from the Thunder's Summer League debut. The three most important players on the roster showed out in their own ways. That's all you can really ask for in these types of games. Topic finally made his OKC debut after a year's wait and Mitchell looked like a guy who just finished playing in the NBA Finals.

Let's look at Thunder player grades:

Nikola Topic: C-plus

Dribbling the ball behind the back, Topic had Phlandrous Fleming Jr. moving in the opposite direction. He saw an open lane and spun around to trick the Memphis defender one last time. He picked up his dribble and carried the ball in his bicep for the layup.

That's quite the fancy way to score your first bucket. Topic finished with 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting, four assists and one rebound. He shot 2-of-4 from 3. He also had two steals.

Over a year later and 15 pounds later, Topic finally suited up for the Thunder. He quietly developed in the background of OKC's historic season that ended with a championship. Usually, the NBA champion has nothing to look forward to in the Summer League. The prospect cupboards are bare.

But thanks to the Thunder's rich draft haul, they had a blue-chip prospect already on the roster. Someone argued as a top-five pick before he sustained a partially torn ACL in May 2024. Topic showed flashes, but is still a work in progress.

The drives to the basket were impressive. Topic looked under control. An element that's rarely seen from a 19-year-old. He showed some nice feel around the basket with a floater and finishes. The outside shot was also showcased with a couple of rushed 3-pointers that swished in.

A couple of kick-out passes to outside shooters resulted in assists. The ball-handler looked right at home running the show. Especially in transition. He thrived in the chaotic nature of a fast break. Everything you wanted to see out of Topic in his first game was there.

You also saw somebody who looked like he hadn't played in front of fans in over a year. Seven turnovers were mostly created by being rushed in his decision-making process. Wells picked him up full-court in the opening minutes. That rattled him for a bit.

This was a good first step in Topic's journey. He's the biggest name on the Thunder's Summer League roster. All eyes will be on him for the rest of the way. No matter how long that might be.

The 🔄 and score 💥 pic.twitter.com/KNftoy5sX0

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) July 5, 2025

Right on time 🚨 pic.twitter.com/pFiQ7fjMk3

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) July 6, 2025

Ajay Mitchell: A-plus

Dancing with Fleming Jr., Mitchell spun around the Memphis defender and tripped him over his feet. He then bodied through Lawson Lovering's vertical contest for the fancy finish around the basket. The 23-year-old was in rhythm. After all, Summer League must've felt like small potatoes compared to the NBA Finals.

Mitchell finished with 24 points on 10-of-18 shooting, six assists and one rebound. He shot 1-of-3 from3 and went 3-of-3 on free throws. He also had a steal.

Carrying the baton from Jalen Williams a couple of summers ago, Mitchell looked too good to be on the floor. He resembled his MVP teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with constant drives to the basket. He had no problem muscling his way through traffic or throwing up a soft floater that went in.

Fresh off a contract extension, Mitchell had 16 points in the first half. He was OKC's sole source of offense. He continued that in the second half. Everything looked too easy for the second-year player. This is the type of domination you wanted to see from your most NBA-ready player on your Summer League roster.

Let's see how many more Summer League games Mitchell has left, but this was an awesome start. Viewers tuned in for Topic but left impressed with Mitchell. Those two could battle it out for the backup point guard minutes next season.

Ajay going to work in the first quarter 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/D4Hpa2fykY

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) July 5, 2025

The handles, the spin and the finish 👏 pic.twitter.com/VAkzWvMPsL

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) July 6, 2025

Brooks Barnhizer: B-plus

Diving for a loose ball in the final moments, Barnhizer quickly got up and called a timeout. So far, his scouting report has looked pretty accurate. The 23-year-old played like a Red Bull can compensating for a lack of jumper with extra-effort plays.

Barnhizer finished with nine points on 3-of-5 shooting and 13 rebounds. He shot 1-of-2 from 3 and went 2-of-3 on free throws. He also had a steal.

The board numbers pop out. Barnhizer was a great rebounder for his size at Northwestern. Looks like that strength easily translates to Summer League competition. Remains to be seen in the NBA, though. But the two-way player doesn't need to be a miss-shot magnet to be a positive on the court.

Everything advertised about Barnhizer was shown in his Summer League debut. He can't score but can do a whole lot of else. He could swing a game in the Thunder's favor by winning on the margins. You saw that when he chased after a loose ball despite the score.

Alex Ducas: C-minus

After an injury-plagued first year, Ducas hopes to flip the page for a better second season. He's off to a much better start now than he was this time last year. Just by simply being available.

Ducas finished with six points on 2-of-5 shooting and one rebound. He shot 2-of-4 from 3. He came off the bench.

To be honest, outside of the above three players, nobody else on the Thunder really stood out. Branden Carlson didn't suit up, so Ducas was the other notable name. He was a two-way player last season.

The 24-year-old will need to be lights out from the outside. That's his bread and butter. He'll have the entire Summer League to argue for himself why he should be back on a two-way deal. The only player officially under a two-way deal is Barnhizer. Carlson was tendered a two-way qualifying offer.

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This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Player grades: Topic debuts in Thunder's 92-80 SL loss to Grizzlies