Thunder rookie Thomas Sorber has been diagnosed with a torn ACL in his right knee, which he sustained during an off-season workout yesterday, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link). The team announced in a press release that Sorber will miss the 2025/26 season while he recovers from the injury.
Sorber averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and two blocks per game during his one-and-done season before a left foot injury that required surgery caused him to miss the latter part of the season.
The Thunder selected Sorber 15th overall in the 2025 Draft. The big man now becomes the second straight Oklahoma City first-round pick to miss their rookie season, after last season’s 12th overall pick, Nikola Topic, missed his debut year with an ACL injury.
With the Thunder’s extensions for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams signed, Sorber was expected to play a part in determining the future of the big man rotation and Isaiah Hartenstein‘s long-term status with the team. The Thunder will now have to wait another season to see what he can provide them on the floor, though they have plenty of on-court insurance this season in Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams.
Long history of big men with knee problems.
A modern day patient
Lean lean stride
Todays tom Sorber
Injured guy
what you say about his injury
Is what you say about soceity..
Doc Rivers!
Hate to go there buuut: seems fishy doing this 2 years in a row. Does this (or Topics injury) affect their salary cap? Seems like they are doing this on purpose to stash rookies who aren’t going to be seeing much playing time on a contender anyway…just thinking out loud here…
Regardless of Topic, seems pretty unlikely that kind of thinking was involved with Sorber given his injury just happened yesterday.
You are likely right, I am just putting it out there as a “maybe” – I am not standing behind this take as a “truth” or anything, just something we should all go over to make sure everything is just odd luck, nothing untoward.
Yeah I gotchu. Regardless of intent, this sorber development is typical OKC slow-burning , lol. I’m sure both he and Topic will go from DNPs to instant contributors for them.
Sorber was a great pick for Thunder. Sucks man …
Just get healthy player. Terrible way to start your career.
Just like last year …. this is a good sign for OKC’s title defense.
Recover well kid.