On September 8th , the Oklahoma City Thunder announced that Tomas Sobel, the 15th overall pick in the 2025 first round, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament during an offseason workout and will miss the entire 2025-26 season. The Georgetown University center, who had previously missed Summer League due to injury, suffered another setback just as he was recovering.

While this was undoubtedly a brutal blow for the 19 -year-old Sobel, the Thunder have extensive experience dealing with similar situations. Recently, Nikola Topic was ruled out for the entire 2024-25 season due to an ACL injury, only to return strongly in the 2025 Summer League. Chet Holmgren also missed the first season with a foot fracture, then played all 82 games and helped the team win the championship in 2025 .

The Thunder have experienced this situation three times in the past four years, and the mature experience of the medical and management teams is enough to help him through the long recovery.

From a team perspective, Sober's absence won't change the Thunder's overall goals for the new season; their core lineup remains strong and they're still a contender for the championship. For Sober personally, this is a test of patience and growth, and he can draw strength from his teammates' successful comebacks.

At Georgetown, Sobel averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.0 blocks, and 1.5 steals in 24 games , showing promise on both ends of the court. Although he's now season-ending, his future remains exciting.