The Warriors are the only team in the NBA who haven’t made an offseason move leading up to the 82-game slate in 2025-26. But Golden State superstar guard Steph Curry isn’t worried.
At his Curry Camp on Thursday, the 11-time NBA All-Star detailed to reporters where his confidence in the Warriors comes from, particularly before training camp starts in late September.
“It’s different, for sure,” Curry prefaced about Golden State’s move-less offseason. “But … my confidence is built on the identity that we were able to create over the last third of the regular season last year (and) the playoff journey. We have a really good team, and we do know we need some pieces to help get us to the next level.
“I think the veteran presence that we have — with me, Jimmy [Butler], Draymond [Green] – like, we understand how to prepare through that uncertainty and be able to hit the ground running in training camp, knowing we should have some movement by then.”
Curry, a four-time NBA champion and 17-year veteran with his Warriors, isn’t writing off the campaign before it even starts. And unlike those fairly critical of Golden State’s current makeup, Curry is choosing to remember just how good the Warriors were after acquiring Butler right before the 2025 NBA trade deadline — they had a 23-7 regular-season record with Butler on the floor.
Curry also lightly mentioned the Warriors’ promising playoff run, which was cut short after he suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain that kept him out of the devastating second-round series loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Whether it’s the acquisition of veteran center Al Horford, the trading of up-and-coming forward Jonathan Kuminga or something else up Golden State’s sleeve, Curry isn’t losing any sleep over the Warriors’ current roster.
“But, you control what you can control,” Curry said. And no matter how many new experiences you have or whatever the difference is from this offseason to the previous ones, you don’t let it affect your own personal preparation for the season and then the conversations that we’re having on what we need to do to get ready.”
Nostalgia never stops. Vintage is always in for a culture sprinting to be first in line to future endeavors.
Fashion for teenagers is a not-so-subtle reminder of the gray hairs I’ll find on the side of my head, TikTok has turned songs that are 25 years old back into hits and the top movies at the box office domestically this year have been about a computer game made in 2011, another Lilo & Stitch, a new Superman and the seventh movie from the Jurassic Park franchise.
The NBA this season is jumping into the pool of reboots with their return to NBC, queuing up John Tesh’s Roundball Rock to deliver memories of the 1990s. Look at how NBC advertised its opening slate of the Houston Rockets playing the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Warriors facing the Los Angeles Lakers, going full NBA Jam with Tesh’s theme song playing in the background of old video game sounds.
The four players highlighted in order are Kevin Durant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Steph Curry and LeBron James. The last that comes to mind among the four is the 27-year-old reigning NBA MVP whose team won the championship last season.
As the Warriors lean on three players in their mid-to-late 30s, the entire NBA will continue to go all-in on O.L.D. until the wheels fall off on three of the game’s greatest to ever play. Who can blame them, too?
When the Rockets, Thunder, Warriors and Lakers take the court for opening night, Oklahoma City’s ring celebration will be in the background of viewers. An afterthought to how Durant will fit on the new-look Rockets and his reaction to his former team hanging a championship banner 10 seasons after he left. Nearly completely forgotten about once all attention turns to Southern California with Steph and LeBron stealing the show once again.
All 30 seconds of NBC’s Warriors hype video on Instagram are highlights of Curry (37 years old), Jimmy Butler (36 years old on opening night) and Draymond Green (35 years old). Brandin Podziemski isn’t exactly those players, and it’s hard when the Warriors are comprised of only nine players at the moment.
From the Warriors’ standpoint, they better hope Curry continues to push the boundaries of age after playing at least 70 games for the second straight season and being named All-NBA for the 11th consecutive year he has played a full season. Green finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season, but his body can only handle so much after more than a decade of slaying Goliaths. Butler proved to be a perfect fit almost immediately after joining the Warriors. He also hasn’t played 65 games or more since the 2018-19 season.
“You look at the league right now, I know there’s a lot of youth taking over,” Curry said three months ago after the 2024-25 NBA season. “But we were one of the last eight teams that realistically had a shot, and if you can run that back, make some tweaks that can help our overall roster – obviously you’ve got to get through an 82-game season, like I said – and you want to be in a position where you’re not chasing, but I feel like we had enough that we showed we could be that team. That’s all you really want.”
That’s also all the league really wants. Same goes with the Lakers and Rockets.
There are clear reasons all three teams are playing on opening night and on Christmas. The Warriors’ final NBA Cup game of Group Play will be their first time playing Durant and the Rockets, and the Lakers’ last NBA Cup game of Group Play is them hosting former teammate Anthony Davis and the Dallas Mavericks. Between cable and streaming services, the Warriors this season are playing in a franchise-record 34 nationally televised games.
This isn’t to discredit youth and the inevitable reality that a new batch of stars will soon dictate the state of basketball. Luka Dončić , 26, had the most-popular jersey by NBAStore.com sales last season. Curry finished second, and James was third. Dončić became the first player since the 2012-13 season to lead in jersey sales ahead of Curry or James.
The trio of Curry, Durant and James also bring back a time of American stardom in the NBA. The three went five straight seasons of winning the MVP from 2012 to 2016, followed by two more American-born players in Russell Westbrook and James Harden holding the hardware. Since then, the MVP has gone to a foreign-born player in seven straight seasons as basketball continues to expand globally in its parity era of a new champion the last seven years as well.
Already, the torch has touched the hands of Anthony Edwards for stretches. Let’s be real, stakeholders are begging for Cooper Flagg to run with it. Until the final flicker of light burns out on Steph, LeBron and KD, it’s still their league and the NBA still will operate knowing that to be the truth.
Just like they should, holding onto the last breath of greatness as long as possible.
Amir Coffey deserves an NBA roster spot. He is coming off a career season with the Clippers, averaging 9.7 points a game, shooting 40.9% from 3, playing 24 minutes a night on a 50-win team.
Milwaukee already has the maximum of 15 players under contract for next season (and the veteran Coffey does not qualify for a two-way contract). Technically, the contract of Andre Jackson Jr. is not fully guaranteed. If the Bucks were willing to eat the $800,000 buyout price, they could let Jackson Jr. go and keep Coffey. It was thought that Jackson and Thanasis Antetokounmpo might battle it out in camp for that final roster spot, now Coffey's name is in that mix.
This is a quality pickup for the Bucks — they need depth at the three and Coffey slots right in. It's a little surprising that reuniting with Doc Rivers — his first coach with the Clippers — was the best offer on the table for Coffey, but if the Bucks keep him around, he adds solid regular-season depth to a roster that could use it.
The NBA schedule has dropped, and it has all the drama we were looking forward to: rivalries, revenge games, stars returning to face the teams they left, and plenty of high-level clashes — and a lot of them on NBC and Peacock.
Here are 20 don't-miss games from the upcoming NBA season.
• Oct. 21: Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder. Opening night of the season and the return of the NBA to NBC for the first time in 24 years — plus the debut of the NBA on Peacock. And you couldn't come up with a better first game as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder get their championship rings from Adam Silver and raise the first banner won in the city to the rafters. All of that in front of Kevin Durant, arguably the greatest player ever to pull a Thunder jersey over his head, but a guy who was never able to win that ring in OKC. He doesn't seem too stressed about it, though.
Finally. It’s been 10 years, bout time they win one lmaooo
• Oct. 24, Detroit Pistons at Houston Rockets. Twins Ausar Thompson (Detroit) and Amen Thompson (Houston) go head-to-head in a fun early-season contest.
• Oct. 27: Denver Nuggets at Minnesota Timberwolves. The first night of Peacock NBA Monday — where games stream exclusively on Peacock — features a showdown from two of the top teams and players in the West. Get an early look at a much deeper Nuggets squad around Nikola Jokic as they go up against Anthony Edwards and a Timberwolves team that has been to the Western Conference Finals back-to-back years.
• Oct. 31: Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers. It's the first game of the NBA Cup, the league's in-season tournament. Tune in to see what the Cup Court looks like in Philly, and if Joel Embiid and Paul George are playing. If they are, Philly can hang with anyone.
• Nov. 1: Dallas Mavericks at Detroit Pistons. The NBA returns to Mexico City and is exporting what should be an entertaining contest featuring Cade Cunningham, Cooper Flagg and Anthony Davis. This game will be streamed on Peacock.
• Nov. 3: Milwaukee Bucks at Indiana Pacers. Myles Turner makes his return to Indiana after bolting in free agency to get the paycheck he wanted and chase a ring with Giannis Antetokounmpo. Don't expect Pacers fans to be understanding and forgiving.
• Nov. 25: Los Angeles Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers. Lakers fans will be quick to tell you there is no rivalry with the Clippers, no battle for Los Angeles — then watch their reaction after you tell them the Clippers have been the better team and the better run franchise for the past decade. This is an NBA Cup showdown on NBC and Peacock.
• Dec. 25: San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder. During last season's NBA Finals, Oklahoma City players were more than happy to talk about how they felt snubbed not getting a game on Christmas Day and how they used that as motivation. The defending champs get their Christmas Day game this year, and it's a showdown between Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren, the two seven-footers leading the NBA into the future. It's also a showdown of San Antonio's promising backcourt featuring De'Aaron Fox and No. 2 pick Dylan Harper against OKC's MVP SGA.
• Dec. 25: Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors. It's a passing of the torch game on Christmas — Stephen Curry and his generation are nearing the end of their run, and he faces No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg (as well as former No. 1 pick Anthony Davis). How much do Stephen Curry and Draymond Green have left in the tank? Those Warriors players always seem to save their best for the brightest spotlights, as does Jimmy Butler.
• Jan. 2: Atlanta Hawks at New York Knicks. Trae Young loves to play the villain and saves his best games for Madison Square Garden, where he was once Public Enemy No. 1, and he would like to regain that crown.
• Jan. 16: Minnesota Timberwolves at Houston Rockets. More than just two of the top teams in the West facing off, this will be the first time in the season that Anthony Edwards will have the chance to go head-to-head and take down his idol, Kevin Durant.
• Jan. 19: Oklahoma City Thunder at Cleveland Cavaliers. The highlight of the quadruple header on NBC and Peacock on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, this very well could be a Finals preview (the Thunder and Cavaliers were the No. 1 seeds in each conference last season and are expected to repeat that feat this season). Shai Gilgeous-Alexander facing Donovan Mitchell is always going to be entertaining.
• Jan. 20, the San Antonio Spurs at the Houston Rockets. This is going to be one of the big rivalries in the NBA for a few seasons and we get to see Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson and the Rockets' deep roster try to attack a defense led by Victor Wembanyama (the preseason favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year). Also, it's a chance to check in on No. 2 pick Dylan Harper and how he is progressing in San Antonio.
• Jan. 28, Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics. Kristaps Porzingis, who helped the Celtics win a ring in 2024 but was often injured in his time with the team, returns to Boston with an Atlanta Hawks team that is deep and a threat in the East — if KP can stay healthy and provide the rim protection and floor spacing they need next to Trae Young.
• Jan. 28: Los Angeles Lakers at Cleveland Cavaliers. Trade rumors swirled around all summer with questions about LeBron's future in L.A. and how he might put Cleveland over the top one more time for a title. While that trade could not come together (and will not at this year's trade deadline for salary cap reasons), the rumors will continue to fly as LeBron returns to his old stomping grounds. This game is as much about the drama off the court as it is about the game itself.
• Feb. 22: Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers will unveil a Pat Riley statue outside Crypto.com Arena before a showdown on NBC's Sunday Night Basketball showcase. LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Jaylen Brown will look to add to the NBA's greatest historic rivalry.
• Feb. 24: New York Knicks at Cleveland Cavaliers. This is the third showdown of the season between the two Eastern Conference favorites heading into the season — this could be a statement game. You can catch it on NBC and Peacock as part of Coast 2 Coast Tuesdays.
• March 9, Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder. A game that is part of the Peacock NBA Monday season (with the games streaming every Monday exclusively on Peacock), we get the last two MVPs — the Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Nuggets' Nikola Jokic — facing off. This also could well be a Western Conference Finals preview.
• April 5: Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas Mavericks. Any time Luka Doncic returns to Dallas, it's worth watching — in this case on Sunday Night Basketball on NBC and Peacock — but this game also comes amid an offseason of rumors about LeBron potentially wanting to play in Dallas with former teammates Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis. This game is also a chance to check in on Cooper Flagg and see how the Duke standout has progressed in his rookie season.
• April 5: Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors. Just a couple of weeks before the playoffs start, can Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler get revenge for their playoff exit a season ago? This game is part of a doubleheader on Sunday Night Basketball on NBC and Peacock.
After a disappointing 2024-25 season, the Nets are on the rebuild and hope to turn the franchise's direction around.
Brooklyn finished the regular season 26-56, the sixth-worst record in the league, but wound up with the No. 8 pick after falling in the NBA Draft Lottery. GM Sean Marksselected guard Egor Demin from BYU and then drafted guard Nolan Traoré, wing Drake Powell, guard Ben Saraf, and big man Danny Wolf to round out the first round with a record five picks.
Marks also traded for wing Michael Porter Jr. from the Denver Nuggets in exchange for three-point specialist Cam Johnson, and acquired veteran wing Terrance Mann prior to the NBA Draft. They, along with five rookies, will join some returning players like Nic Claxton and Day'Ron Sharpe. Plus, Brooklyn hopes to have scoring guard Cam Thomas on the roster as well, but he's yet to sign his qualifying offer or a contract extension with the team. It's possible he could be a sign-and-trade candidate before the season tips off.
The NBA announced the regular season schedule on Thursday, so here are a few notes on what Nets fans can look forward to in 2025-26:
-- Brooklyn opens the regular season in Charlotte against the Hornets on Wednesday, October 22 at 7:00 p.m.
-- The Nets have just two nationally televised games on the slate: home against Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, Nov. 3, on Peacock and Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, against the Chicago Bulls on ESPN.
-- They'll face off against the cross-town rival Knicks four times: Nov. 9 at New York, Nov. 25 at home, Jan. 21, 2026, at The Garden, and March 20, 2026, at the Barclays Center.
-- Some notable matchups against star players and top teams around the league include: at San Antonio vs. Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs on Oct. 26, followed by a trip to Houston vs. the Rockets and former Net Kevin Durant on Oct. 27, and home against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Dec. 29. The Dallas Mavericks, No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, and potentially former Net Kyrie Irving (depending on injury recovery), visit Brooklyn on Feb. 24, 2026.
Here's the entire Nets' 2025-26 regular season schedule:
Kawhi Leonard and James Harden return to lead the Clippers through their 2025-26 schedule. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac and Chris Paul are poised to lead the Clippers through a 2025-26 schedule that opens on the road but closes with four of its final six games at the Intuit Dome.
2025-26 Clippers schedule
OCTOBER
22: at Utah, 6; 24: vs. Phoenix, 7:30; 26: vs. Portland, 6; 28: at Golden State, 8; 31: vs. New Orleans, 7:30.
NOVEMBER
3: vs. Miami, 7:30; 4: vs. Oklahoma City, 8; 6: at Phoenix, 7:30; 8: vs. Phoenix, 7:30; 10: vs. Atlanta, 7:30; 12: vs. Denver, 7:30; 14: at Dallas, 5:30; 16: at Boston, 12:30; 17: at Philadelphia, 4; 20: at Orlando, 4; 22: at Charlotte, 10 a.m.; 23: at Cleveland, 3; 25: at Lakers, 8; 28: vs. Memphis, 7; 29: vs. Dallas, 7.
DECEMBER
1: at Miami, 4:30; 3: at Atlanta, 4:30; 5: at Memphis, 5; 6: at Minnesota, 5; 17: at Oklahoma City, 5; 20: vs. Lakers, 7:30; 23: vs. Houston, 8; 26: at Portland, 7; 28: vs. Detroit, 6; 30: vs. Sacramento, 8.
JANUARY
1: vs. Utah, 7:30; 3: vs. Boston, 7:30; 5: vs. Golden State, 7; 7: at New York, 4:30; 9: at Brooklyn, 4:30; 10: at Detroit, 4:30; 12: vs. Charlotte, 7:30; 14: vs. Washington, 7:30; 16: at Toronto, 4:30; 19: at Washington, noon; 20: at Chicago, 5; 22: vs. Lakers, 7; 25: vs. Brooklyn, 6; 27: at Utah, 7; 30; 30: at Denver, 7.
FEBRUARY
1: at Phoenix, 5; 2: vs. Philadelphia, 7:30; 4: vs. Cleveland, 7:30; 6: at Sacramento, 7; 8: at Minnesota, noon; 10: at Houston, 5; 11: at Houston, 5; 19: vs. Denver, 7:30; 20: at Lakers, 7; 22: vs. Orlando, 6; 26: vs. Minnesota, 7.
MARCH
1: vs. New Orleans, 6; 2: at Golden State, 7; 4: vs. Indiana, 7:30; 6: at San Antonio, 6:30; 7: at Memphis, 5; 9: vs. New York, 7; 11: vs. Minnesota, 7:30; 13: vs. Chicago, 7:30; 14: vs. Sacramento, 7:30; 16: vs. San Antonio, 7:30; 18: at New Orleans, 5; 19: at New Orleans, 5; 21: at Dallas, 5:30; 23: vs. Milwaukee, 7:30; 25: vs. Toronto, 7:30; 27: at Indiana, 4; 29: at Milwaukee, 12:30; 31: vs. Portland, 8.
APRIL
2: vs. San Antonio, 7:30; 5: at Sacramento, 6; 7: vs. Dallas, 7:30; 8: vs. Oklahoma City, 7; 10: at Portland, 7; 12: vs. Golden State, 5:30.
LeBron James, center, and Luka Doncic are set to lead the Lakers through an NBA schedule that includes the season opener and a Christmas game at home. (LM Otero / Associated Press)
As LeBron James enters his record-setting 23rd NBA season and superstar Luka Doncic returns for his first full season in L.A., the Lakers are tied with the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder, the Golden State Warriors and the New York Knicks for the most nationally televised games in the league.
The NBA announced the regular season schedule Thursday, and the Lakers’ slate highlights the league’s growing number of broadcast partners. The Lakers open the season at home against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 21 on NBC, have ABC/ESPN’s 5 p.m. prime-time slot against the Houston Rockets on Christmas Day and will welcome a familiar face back to Crypto.com Arena on Nov. 28 on Prime.
Anthony Davis’ return to L.A. with the Dallas Mavericks at 7 p.m. on Nov. 28 will wrap up NBA Cup group play. The former Lakers star forward was injured during what was going to be his return to L.A. last season after he was sent to the Mavericks in a shocking trade.
Now in its third year, the NBA Cup will begin on Oct. 31 with the Lakers playing at Memphis in West Group B that also includes the New Orleans Pelicans, the Clippers and the Mavericks. The Lakers have their second group game at New Orleans on Nov. 14 before playing the Clippers on Nov. 25 in Inglewood, where the game is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. PST on NBC, the latest starting time for any in-season tournament game.
The NBA released only 80 of 82 regular-season games for each team as the final two games in December will be announced based on NBA Cup standings. The knockout rounds for the tournament begin Dec. 9.
The Lakers’ annual Grammy trip will have a hometown interlude as the two-week-long road trip includes a game at the Clippers on Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. But the meeting in Inglewood doesn’t necessarily ease the travel load as it is the second of the nine-game trip, sandwiched between games at Denver (Jan. 20) and Dallas (Jan. 24).
After returning from the trip, the Lakers have an eight-game home stand, highlighted by a Feb. 22 game against the Boston Celtics, when the franchise will unveil a Pat Riley statue outside Crypto.com Arena, the team announced Thursday. The coach of the Showtime Lakers, who guided the team to four NBA championships, will be the 14th statue in the arena's Star Plaza.
The Lakers begin training camp Sept. 29 before playing six preseason games, beginning in Palm Springs on Oct. 3 against the Suns. The slate also includes a game against the Mavericks in Las Vegas on Oct. 15.
21: Golden State, 7; 24: Minnesota, 7; 26: at Sacramento, 6; 27: Portland, 7:30; 29: at Minnesota, 6:30; 31: at Memphis, 6:30.
NOVEMBER
2: Miami. 6:30; 3: at Portland, 7; 5: San Antonio, 7; 8: at Atlanta, 5; 10: at Charlotte, 4; 12: at Oklahoma City, 6:30; 14: New at Orleans, 5; 15: at Milwaukee, 5; 18: Utah, 7:30; 23: at Utah, 5; 25: at Clippers, 8; 28: Dallas, 7; 30: New Orleans, 6:30.
DECEMBER
1: Phoenix, 7; 4: at Toronto, 4:30; 5: at Boston, 4; 7: at Philadelphia, 4:30; 18: at Utah, 6; 20: at Clippers, 7:30; 23: at Phoenix, 6; 25: Houston, 5; 28: Sacramento, 6:30; 30: Detroit, 7:30.
JANUARY
2: Memphis, 7:30, 4: Memphis, 6:30; 6: at New Orleans, 5; 7: at San Antonio, 4:30; 9: Milwaukee, 7:30; 12: at Sacramento, 7; 13: Atlanta, 7:30; 15: Charlotte, 7:30; 17: at Portland, 7; 18: Toronto, 6:30; 20: at Denver, 7; 22: at Clippers, 7; 24: at Dallas, 5:30; 26: at Chicago, 5; 28: at Cleveland, 4; 30: at Washington, 4.
FEBRUARY
1: at New York, 4; 3: at Brooklyn, 4:30; 5: Philadelphia, 7; 7: Golden State, 5:30; 9: Oklahoma City, 7; 10: San Antonio, 7:30; 12: Dallas, 7; 20: Clippers, 7; 22: Boston, 3:30; 24: Orlando, 7:30; 26: at Phoenix, 6; 28: at Golden State, 5:30.
MARCH
1: Sacramento, 6:30; 3: New Orleans, 7:30; 5: at Denver, 7; 6: Indiana, 7:30; 8: New York, 12:30; 10: Minnesota, 8; 12: Chicago, 7:30; 14: Denver, 5:30; 16: at Houston, 6; 18: at Houston, 6:30; 19: at Miami, 5; 21: at Orlando, 4; 23: at Detroit, 4; 25: at Indiana, 4; 27: Brooklyn, 7:30; 30: Washington, 7; 31: Cleveland, 7:30.
APRIL
2: at Oklahoma City, 4:30; 5: at Dallas, 4:30; 7: Oklahoma City, 7:30; 9: at Golden State, 7; 10: Phoenix, 7:30; 12: Utah, 5:30.
At long last, most of the 2025-26 NBA regular season schedule is known.
All 30 teams know 80 of their 82 games, with the two exceptions being the contests played after the conclusion of the NBA Cup group stage. During that "open" week, all teams are guaranteed two games, and the two teams that reach the NBA Cup final will play a third game that does not count toward official league records/stats or fantasy basketball results.
Because of the uncertainty caused by the NBA Cup, Yahoo! leagues will once again feature two "combo" weeks, one of which will bookend All-Star Weekend.
Below is a breakdown of the 2025-26 regular season schedule from a fantasy standpoint.
Five teams will play a league-high 16 back-to-backs
Charlotte, Denver, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington are scheduled to play 16 back-to-backs, which is especially notable for the 76ers. Not only did the team's "big three" of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George all see their 2024-25 seasons end prematurely due to injury, but so did guard Jared McCain. In Embiid's case, 76ers head coach Nick Nurse said Thursday that he was unsure if the center would be a full go when training camp opens in late September. Injury management days can significantly impact fantasy basketball, and one would assume that there may be a few of those days in the cards for Embiid, given his injury history.
The Hornets will play five back-to-back games in October and November, beginning with games against Philadelphia and Washington on October 25-26. Will LaMelo Ball, who has not hit 50 games played since the 2021-22 season, be allowed to play back-to-backs immediately, or will the Hornets look to manage his workload early on? Charlotte added Collin Sexton via trade and re-signed Tre Mann, two players who will be of added interest in fantasy leagues if Ball is not playing back-to-backs immediately.
However, there is a silver lining in the 76ers’ scheduling “cloud.”
According to Positive Residual’s scheduling data, the 76ers are one of three teams with 14 games in which they'll have the advantage from a rest standpoint, with Utah and Sacramento being the others. Toronto and Detroit will have the rest advantage for 13 games. On the other side of the coin are the Warriors, who have 14 games in which they'll be at a disadvantage regarding rest. Eight teams, including the 76ers, Timberwolves, and Nuggets, will be at a disadvantage for 12 games.
The Golden State Warriors and the LA Clippers are among the teams that will play 15 back-to-backs
The Warriors and Clippers have two of the older cores in the NBA, with the latter being the oldest based on average age. The good news for Los Angeles is that Kawhi Leonard has been able to focus on sharpening his skills this summer instead of recovering from another injury. Will that impact his usage once the regular season begins, or will he and the Clippers continue prioritizing him being fresh for the postseason? Similar questions can be asked of James Harden and Chris Paul, even if they don't have the same injury concerns as Leonard.
Golden State will have Jimmy Butler on board from the start, which should help from a chemistry standpoint. However, he, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green are all 35 or older heading into the 2025-26 season. And this doesn't consider the expected addition of Al Horford, as the 39-year-old has to wait for the Warriors to reach a solution with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga (De'Anthony Melton is also on hold). Miami and Portland are also scheduled to play 15 back-to-backs, two teams that don't hold the same age concerns as the Warriors and Clippers.
Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Indiana, Minnesota and Oklahoma City play a league-low 13 back-to-backs
This group includes the reigning champs, two expected contenders in Houston and Minnesota, a Hawks team that hopes to work its way into the mix, and the Celtics and Pacers, who appear to be headed for a "bridge year" with Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton recovering from Achilles tendon tears. The Hawks and Rockets will get some help schedule-wise, as they're working in Kristaps Porzingis and Kevin Durant, respectively. Both players have struggled with injuries in recent seasons, but KD did play 62 games for the Suns last season (and 75 the year prior).
The two “double weeks” are December 8-21 and February 9-22.
In Yahoo! public leagues, there are two instances in which two game weeks will count as one from a scoring standpoint. The first occurs in December due to the need to finalize schedules after NBA Cup group play concludes. For the first part of that "week," only two games will count for each team, including the two that reach the NBA Cup final. Once again, that game will not count toward official records, stats or fantasy scoring. The other double week sandwiches the All-Star break, with All-Star Weekend scheduled for February 13-15 in Los Angeles. Among the teams that will play a back-to-back immediately out of the break are Atlanta, Cleveland, Denver and LA Clippers.
Five teams have a five-game week, including the Lakers and 76ers.
The Lakers (Week 13), Heat (Week 14), 76ers (Week 21), Suns and Wizards (Week 22) all have a week in which they're scheduled to play five games. The latter three teams stand to impact fantasy basketball the most, as weeks 21 and 22 will likely be playoff weeks for many leagues. Philadelphia will be a team of interest due to the injury history of the team's star players, most notably Embiid and George. The Lakers' five-game week concludes on January 18 with a home game against the Raptors before the team embarks on an eight-game road trip. Miami will be on a five-game road trip out west when it plays its "loaded" week, beginning with a January 19-20 back-to-back against the Warriors and Kings.
If, for some reason, your league includes April’s entire schedule, the Knicks and Trail Blazers are the teams to avoid.
Twenty-eight of the 30 teams will play either six or seven games in April, but the Knicks and Trail Blazers only play five. Given how many teams have handled their rosters in recent seasons, there's no need for a fantasy league to include April. But, in case your league does, New York and Portland's role players are at a disadvantage due to the schedule. Also of note for April is that the entire league will play on April 10 and 12, the final two game days of the regular season. Games on Sunday, April 12 will begin at either 6 pm Eastern (seven Eastern Conference matchups) or 8:30 pm Eastern (seven Western Conference games and one interconference matchup).
The 2024-25 season was by all means a success for the Knicks, as the team won 51 games and reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years. But it ended in disappointment, as they fell short of the NBA Finals and lost to the Indiana Pacers in six games.
The New York front office decided if they are going to take the next step, there needs to be a change. Head coach Tom Thibodeau was fired after five seasons on June 3 and Mike Brown was officially hired on July 7. The veteran coach is now tasked with leading Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Co. over the hump in pursuit of the franchise's first championship since 1973.
With the NBA announcing it's regular season schedule on Thursday, here are some notes on the Knicks 2025-26 schedule:
-- New York opens at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, October 22 at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN.
-- They stay home to face the Boston Celtics, who'll be without Jayson Tatum this season due to injury, on Friday, October 24 at 7:30 p.m. on Prime. The Knicks and Celtics face off again on December 2 in Boston, but then not again until Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026 in Boston, followed by their third-to-last game of the year on April 9.
-- The Knicks will play Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs again on Christmas Day at 12:00 p.m. at the Garden
-- Some notable matchups against other top teams in the league include at the Dallas Mavericks and No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg on Nov. 19, at San Antonio and Spurs star Victor Wembanyama on Dec. 31, home against LeBron James and Luka Doncic's Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 1, 2026, and two games against reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the defending NBA Champion Oklahoma City Thunder in March (3/4/26 at home, 3/29/26 on the road).
Here's the rest of the New York's 2025-26 schedule:
For the first time in 24 years, the NBA has returned to NBC — and is debuting on Peacock — with more than 100 games, featuring the biggest stars, some playoff rematches, and some of the NBA's classic rivalries all taking their turn in the spotlight.
Many of those games will be highlighted in the big three nights of games on NBC and Peacock every week: Peacock NBA Monday, Coast 2 Coast Tuesday, and Sunday Night Basketball (starting after the NFL season).
Everything tips off on the NBA's opening night, Oct. 21, with a double header on NBC and streaming on Peacock. First, the Houston Rockets visit the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder, marking the night the players receive their rings and OKC raises its championship banner. In the second game of the night, it's Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors visiting LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in a showdown of two NBA icons.
After that dramatic opening, we get into the weekly games.
Peacock NBA Monday
Starting on Oct. 27 and every Monday throughout the season, as many as three games will be streamed exclusively on Peacock. This Monday night series opens with a must-watch doubleheader: Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers travel to Detroit to take on the fast-rising Pistons led by Cade Cunningham. In the second game, two of the West's top teams face off when Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets travel to Minnesota to take on Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves.
Another Peacock NBA Monday game to circle on your calendar comes on March 9, when the last two MVPs — the Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Nuggets' Jokic — face off when Denver travels to Oklahoma City.
Check out the full Peacock NBA Monday schedule:
Date
Game
Time (ET)
Platform
Mon., Oct. 27
Cleveland Cavaliers at Detroit Pistons
7 p.m.
Peacock
Denver Nuggets at Minnesota Timberwolves
9:30 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Nov. 3
Minnesota Timberwolves at Brooklyn Nets
7 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Nov. 10
Washington Wizards at Detroit Pistons
7 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Nov. 17
Milwaukee Bucks at Cleveland Cavaliers
7 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Nov. 24
Cleveland Cavaliers at Toronto Raptors
7 p.m.
Peacock
Houston Rockets at Phoenix Suns
9:30 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Dec. 1
Chicago Bulls at Orlando Magic
7:30 p.m.
Peacock
Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers
10 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Dec. 8
Sacramento Kings at Indiana Pacers
7 p.m.
Peacock
San Antonio Spurs at New Orleans Pelicans
9:30 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Dec. 15
TBD
TBD
Peacock
Mon., Dec. 22
Charlotte Hornets at Cleveland Cavaliers
7 p.m.
Peacock
Memphis Grizzlies at Oklahoma City Thunder
9:30 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Dec. 29
Cleveland Cavaliers at San Antonio Spurs
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Dallas Mavericks at Portland Trail Blazers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Mon., Jan. 5
New York Knicks at Detroit Pistons
7 p.m.
Peacock
Denver Nuggets at Philadelphia 76ers
8 p.m.
Peacock
Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers
10 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Jan. 12
Boston Celtics at Indiana Pacers
7:30 p.m.
Peacock
Los Angeles Lakers at Sacramento Kings
10 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Jan. 19
Milwaukee Bucks at Atlanta Hawks
12 p.m.
Peacock
Oklahoma City Thunder at Cleveland Cavaliers
2 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Dallas Mavericks at New York Knicks
5 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Mon., Jan. 26
Orlando Magic at Cleveland Cavaliers
7 p.m.
Peacock
Portland Trail Blazers at Boston Celtics
8 p.m.
Peacock
Golden State Warriors at Minnesota Timberwolves
9:30 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Feb. 2
Houston Rockets at Indiana Pacers
7 p.m.
Peacock
Memphis Grizzlies at Minnesota Timberwolves
9:30 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Feb. 9
Milwaukee Bucks at Orlando Magic
7:30 p.m.
Peacock
Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers
10 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Feb. 23
San Antonio Spurs at Detroit Pistons
7 p.m.
Peacock
Utah Jazz at Houston Rockets
9:30 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., March 2
Boston Celtics at Milwaukee Bucks
7:30 p.m.
Peacock
Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State Warriors
10 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., March 9
Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder
7:30 p.m.
Peacock
New York Knicks at Los Angeles Clippers
10 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., March 16
Atlanta Hawks at Orlando Magic
7 p.m.
Peacock
Phoenix Suns at Boston Celtics
8 p.m.
Peacock
Los Angeles Lakers at Houston Rockets
9:30 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., March 23
Memphis Grizzlies at Atlanta Hawks
7 p.m.
Peacock
Golden State Warriors at Dallas Mavericks
9:30 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., March 30
Philadelphia 76ers at Miami Heat
7 p.m.
Peacock
Detroit Pistons at Oklahoma City Thunder
9:30 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., April 6
New York Knicks at Atlanta Hawks
7 p.m.
Peacock
Coast 2 Coast Tuesday
One week after the NBA season tips off, Coast 2 Coast Tuesday, Oct. 28, with doubleheaders on NBC and Peacock.
Tuesday nights will begin with a 30-minute studio show leading into the double header. The first game starts at 8 p.m. ET and will be presented on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones. That will be followed by an 8 p.m. PT game shown on NBC stations in the Pacific and Mountain time zones. Both games will stream on Peacock.
Coast 2 Coast Tuesday tips off Oct. 28 with a doubleheader of the New York Knicks at the Milwaukee Bucks at 8 p.m. ET, followed by the Los Angeles Clippers at the Golden State Warriors at 8 p.m. PT. Here are some of the other games not to miss on what will be a weekly showcase of the best in the league.
• Nov. 4, the Orlando Magic at the Atlanta Hawks (8 ET). Two teams that had some of the best offseasons in the NBA and two teams with top-four aspirations in the East meet in an early-season showdown. Trae Young and Paolo Banchero are always worth tuning in to see.
• Nov. 25, the Orlando Magic at the Philadelphia 76ers (8ET). If Paul George, Joel Embiid and the core of the 76ers are healthy, this is one of the best teams in the East, but will they be? Good test around Thanksgiving against the fast-rising Magic.
• Jan. 20, the San Antonio Spurs at the Houston Rockets. This is going to be one of the big rivalries in the NBA in the coming years, and we get to see Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson and the Rockets' deep roster try to attack a defense led by Victor Wembanyama (the preseason favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year). Also, it's a chance to check in on No. 2 pick Dylan Harper and how he is progressing in San Antonio.
• March 10: the Dallas Mavericks at the Atlanta Hawks. The No. 1 picks of the last two seasons — Dallas' Cooper Flagg and Atlanta's Zaccharie Risacher — face off.
Check out the full Coast 2 Coast Tuesday schedule:
Date
Game
Time (ET)
Platform
Tues., Oct. 28
New York Knicks at Milwaukee Bucks
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State Warriors
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Nov. 4
Orlando Magic at Atlanta Hawks
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Clippers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Nov. 11
Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Denver Nuggets at Sacramento Kings
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Nov. 18
Detroit Pistons at Atlanta Hawks
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Phoenix Suns at Portland Trail Blazers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Nov. 25
Orlando Magic at Philadelphia 76ers
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Los Angeles Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Dec. 2
New York Knicks at Boston Celtics
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden State Warriors
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Dec. 23
Denver Nuggets at Dallas Mavericks
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Clippers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Dec. 30
Philadelphia 76ers at Memphis Grizzlies
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Sacramento Kings at Los Angeles Clippers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Jan. 6
Miami Heat at Minnesota Timberwolves
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Dallas Mavericks at Sacramento Kings
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Jan. 13
Minnesota Timberwolves at Milwaukee Bucks
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Golden State Warriors at Portland Trail Blazers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Jan. 20
San Antonio Spurs at Houston Rockets
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets
10 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Jan. 27
Milwaukee Bucks at Philadelphia 76ers
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Clippers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Feb. 3
Boston Celtics at Dallas Mavericks
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Phoenix Suns at Portland Trail Blazers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Feb. 24
New York Knicks at Cleveland Cavaliers
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Minnesota Timberwolves at Portland Trail Blazers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., March 3
San Antonio Spurs at Philadelphia 76ers
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Phoenix Suns at Sacramento Kings
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., March 10
Dallas Mavericks at Atlanta Hawks
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., March 17
Cleveland Cavaliers at Milwaukee Bucks
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
San Antonio Spurs at Sacramento Kings
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., March 24
Orlando Magic at Cleveland Cavaliers
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Phoenix Suns at Denver Nuggets
10 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., March 31
New York Knicks at Houston Rockets
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Clippers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., April 7
Minnesota Timberwolves at Indiana Pacers
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Houston Rockets at Phoenix Suns
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Sunday Night Basketball
Sports fans have come to expect the best games being on Sunday, and that will be no different when Sunday Night Basketball is launched on Feb. 1, 2026. That coverage starts after NBC's NFL coverage but will pause for two weeks — on Feb. 8, NBC and Peacock will broadcast Super Bowl LX, and on Feb. 15, there will be coverage of the NBA All-Star Game, and the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics — but will restart on Feb. 22 with some fascinating games (all of which also will be streamed on Peacock).
Among the must-watch games on Sunday Night Basketball are:
• Feb. 1, a double header featuring LeBron and the Lakers traveling to Madison Square Garden to take on the Knicks (7 pm ET) — LeBron has a long history of showcase games in that building — which will be followed by a showdown between two of the last three NBA champions, Oklahoma City at Denver.
• Feb. 22, the Boston Celtics at the Los Angeles Lakers, a renewal of the league's greatest historic rivalry.
• March 8, Kevin Durant and Houston travel to San Antonio to take on Victor Wembanyama and the fast-rising Spurs in a West showdown. These Texas teams could form the NBA's best rivalry for the rest of this decade.
• April 5, Luka Doncic returns to Dallas wearing Lakers colors as he takes on Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis and the Mavericks.
Here is the full Sunday schedule on NBC and Peacock:
Date
Game
Time (ET)
Platform
Sun., Feb. 1
Los Angeles Lakers at New York Knicks
7 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Oklahoma City Thunder at Denver Nuggets
9:30 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Sun., Feb. 22
Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers
6:30 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Sun., March 1
Oklahoma City Thunder at Dallas Mavericks
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Sun., March 8
Houston Rockets at San Antonio Spurs
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Sun., March 15
Golden State Warriors at New York Knicks
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Sun., March 22
Minnesota Timberwolves at Boston Celtics
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Sun., March 29
New York Knicks at Oklahoma City Thunder
7:30 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Golden State Warriors at Denver Nuggets
10 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Sun., April 5
Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas Mavericks
7:30 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors
10 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Quadrupleheader
Some of the NBA's biggest names — Giannis Antetokounmpo, Trae Young, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Donovan Mitchell, Cooper Flagg, Jalen Brunson, Jaylen Brown and more — will be featured as NBC Sports will present a quadrupleheader on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 19, 2026. All four games will be streamed on Peacock. Those games are:
• 1:00 p.m. ET: Milwaukee Bucks at Atlanta Hawks (Peacock exclusive) • 2:30 p.m. ET: Oklahoma City Thunder at Cleveland Cavaliers (NBC/Peacock) • 5:00 p.m. ET: Dallas Mavericks at New York Knicks (NBC/Peacock) • 8:00 p.m. ET: Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons (NBC/Peacock)
After seven seasons playing as No. 13 in Memphis — and winning Defensive Player of the Year, being a two-time All-Star — Jaren Jackson Jr. wanted a change.
That's why he is switching to the No. 8 for this season, and he talked to Rohan Nadkarni of NBC News and Mary Omatiga of NBC Sports (the video above) about it.
"It's super personal to me. It's super personal to my family," Jackson Jr. told NBC News about the switch. "I'm connected with 8 in a real way. It reaches into the territory of new beginnings. It's infinite. It's just a good place to draw energy from."
Jackson's new number also comes with the new contract he signed this offseason, a five-year, $240 million max contract for a player that is at the heart of everything the Grizzlies do — he was second on the team in scoring at 22.2 points a game and is their defensive anchor. He was an All-Star, made an All-Defense team, and was just a couple of spots out of making All-NBA.
Jackson's new number isn't the biggest change in Memphis this season — Desmond Bane left the team for Orlando. That's going to be a blow on the court, where he was a steadying two-way impact player for the Grizzlies.
"I wasn't too much surprised," Jackson said of Bane's departure. "I mean, when your brothers leave, you are still going to hurt, just because you're a human being. But at the end of the day, it's a business. And we're grown."
Jackson feels he's grown into the No. 8 and is ready for it.
For most young basketball hopefuls, the closest they will get to learning from the sport's biggest names is by watching a YouTube video of them playing or training.
For seven Britons, this week in Manchester has been a rare exception.
From shooting while being marked by Los Angeles centre Ivica Zubac to being guided by Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse, the first Basketball Without Borders camp to take place in the UK has the potential to be life-changing.
It was at a camp like this in Latvia where Amari Williams - drafted this year by the Boston Celtics to become only the NBA's third English-born active player - was discovered.
The camp coming to Britain for the first time was part of the NBA's continued push to grow the following of and participation in basketball in the country. It also followed last month's announcement that the UK will host its first NBA regular-season games since 2019 with a match in London in 2026 and Manchester in 2027.
"We can virtually guarantee that a handful or more of the players sitting out there today will be in the [NBA and WNBA]," Nurse told BBC Sport, during the four-day camp where the Britons taking part were among Europe's 60 highest-rated teenagers.
"It's an amazing event, it always is. I've been fortunate enough to be a part of it before, but when they said they were coming to Manchester, I wanted to be a part of it.
"That's always exciting to see them at this stage, and then down the line say, 'I remember we had them in Manchester in the camp'. Always happens. It's exciting to be among the most talented young players in the world."
American Nurse played in the British Basketball League for Derby Rams in the 1990-91 season, and had coaching spells at Birmingham Bullets, Manchester Giants, London Towers and Brighton Bears before rising to land NBA posts with Toronto Raptors and the 76ers.
The event in Manchester, in which both current and former players and coaches from the NBA and WNBA were involved, is designed to help aspiring basketball stars of high school ages outside of the United States get valuable first-hand coaching and advice.
Yearly BWB camps also run across Asia, Africa and The Americas. The best performing players from the four camps combined are then selected to attend another BWB camp for the world's best young players that take place during the NBA and WNBA All-Star weekends.
Scouts from all 30 NBA teams are in attendance to cast their eyes over the young hopefuls.
'A huge boost' - NBA's return to Britain
Desmond Bane of the Memphis Grizzlies is among the star names that will feature in Great Britain's 2026 NBA game in London [Getty Images]
Almost a decade ago, Los Angeles Clippers centre Zubac was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers having played professionally as a teenager in Serbia and his homeland Croatia.
It is a similar path for many Europeans entering the NBA and WNBA.
One of the camp's aims is to scout the best talents outside of the US from a young age.
"I never really had a chance to participate [in these camps] as a kid but I would've loved to," said Zubac, 28.
"I think getting advice, knowledge and experience from the NBA players, NBA coaches, all the basketball legends here, some of who have won a lot of championships, it's very valuable and I think it's going to be really helpful."
NBA's 2024-25 Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is among the current stars who have attended BWB camps, as well as 2022-23 MVP Joel Embiid and 23-year-old Williams.
A total of 129 players who have attended the camps, including 41 currently in NBA starting teams, have gone on to play in either the NBA or WNBA.
Irene Oboavwoduo, from Manchester, hopes this might happen for her too and first aiming for a US college route to help her chances.
"It's pretty hard because basketball is not as big in England, but basketball is expanding in the UK," said the 17-year-old. "I'm glad I've been able to do this as an experience for exposure."
Nurse believes the return of NBA matches to the UK can only help the sport grow.
"The NBA and the WNBA are certainly turning into international leagues. There are players from all over the world now," he said.
"It's a huge boost. When the NBA brings its brand and brings its star power, bringing NBA players certainly draws a lot of attention."
Williams' arrival to the NBA will make him the fourth active Briton in the league alongside OG Anunoby, Tosan Evbuomwan and Jeremy Sochan, although Sochan plays internationally for Poland.
There are currently only two British players in the WNBA - Temi Fagbenle and Elizabeth Williams, who play for the Golden State Valkyries and Chicago Sky respectively,
That is despite basketball currently being the second-most popular team sport in the UK, with one-and-a-half million participants on a weekly basis.
Will WNBA games be held in UK?
The topic of top-level basketball heading outside the United States comes in a week where the first WNBA game to be held internationally takes place.
The Atlanta Dream face the Seattle Storm in Vancouver, Canada, on Friday night.
Could that lead to a future WNBA match in the UK?
"That's always a possibility," said two-time WNBA champion Sylvia Fowles, who is also part of the BWB's coaching staff.
"I want to see the WNBA everywhere.
"It says a lot to have WNBA players here [at the camp], so hopefully it trickles down so that we can get games here - and I think would be pretty."
There was a lot of drama around Kyrie Irving's exit from the LeBron James Cavaliers in the summer of 2017, just a year after they had teamed up to bring a title to Cleveland, with Irving hitting the biggest shot in Cleveland history. The spin at the time was that Irving was very unhappy his name came up in trade rumors and there was speculation — which was never backed up by any evidence — that LeBron had wanted Irving gone. Irving may never have wanted LeBron to return to Cleveland in the first place.
None of that is how Irving sees it — and he doesn't have any bad blood toward LeBron and would be open to playing with him again (which plays into some speculation about what LeBron might do next summer). Here is what Irving said on a recent Twitch stream.
"When you're playing with someone like [James], or somebody you like to compare him to, it's a different animal. It's a different journey, you're automatically expected to be at the top of the league. Every time you play with him it's going to be a lot of media attention, a lot of narratives, spun narratives, politics, a lot of s*** that people don't see in front of the camera. And for me I was just a young person trying to figure it out. It's not that I disliked playing with him at any time, it was just literally my time to move on."
Irving went from being the favorite child and No. 1 pick in Cleveland to the No. 2 option next to LeBron, and on some nights the No. 3 option next to peak Kevin Love. That changed the dynamic for Irving, who was entering his fourth NBA season when LeBron decided to return to Cleveland from Miami.
"Being a young player, when you're on a team that's not winning a lot of games, it's a lot of bad habits that form, and that's what ended up happening to me when I was very young. I had a lot of bad habits. I was not a winner, I was not a good loser at all. I take my accountability, I had a lot of bad habits. That came from losing games and trying to get buckets all the time. I know it may have been beautiful for everybody to watch and getting all the highlights and accolades, but all I really wanted to do was win."
Ultimately, Irving was traded to Boston, and what started well there ended poorly. Irving then signed with Brooklyn to team up with Kevin Durant on a roster that never lived up to its potential, and now he is in Dallas with Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg (although Irving is expected to miss much of the 2025-26 season recovering from a torn ACL suffered last March). There is speculation about LeBron to Dallas in the summer of 2026 — fueled by his and Davis’ simultaneous, cryptic Instagram posts — but we are a long way off from that potential reunion.
Just know Irving is in a different, and better, mental place than when these stars played together before.
Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon’s next big splash is likely coming in the NBA.
Dundon has reached a tentative agreement to buy the Portland Trail Blazers from Paul Allen’s estate.
While Dundon declined to provide the terms of the proposed sale, he emphasized that he’s “very excited.”
According to ESPN’s NBA insider Shams Charania, Dundon has agreed to buy the Trail Blazers from the estate of Paul G. Allen for a valuation of over $4 billion.
Dundon purchased a stake in the Hurricanes in 2017 and became the team's majority owner in 2018, as the franchise has seen unparalleled success since his arrival.
The 2025-26 Boston Celtics season is just around the corner, and we now know their full schedule for what should be a rather interesting campaign.
Though Jayson Tatum’s injury might be a severe hindrance to the Celtics making a championship run, the team still has plenty of talent to compete in the East. And what is perhaps a change from recent years, there will be an added emphasis and importance on the regular-season results for Boston.
With that in mind, NBC Sports Boston’s Celtics broadcast team of Drew Carter and Brian Scalabrine spent some time pointing out what they’re looking forward to and expecting in the upcoming 2025-26 schedule in the latest Celtics Talk Podcast.
Opening Night vs. Philadelphia
Scal’s immediate reaction was noticing that the Celtics won’t be involved in a premier opening night game.
“Interesting not being on the main where we’re raising a banner or we’re going to a place that’s raising a banner. It does seem interesting we’re not playing on official opening night,” Scal said. “But we [NBC Sports Boston] get opening night, which is great.”
That game will take place against the 76ers on Wednesday, Oct. 22, with a 7:30 tip at TD Garden. Neither Carter nor Scalabrine sees the Sixers as a real title contender, though Scal is excited to see their backcourt in action.
“I do think their backcourt is young and dynamic. Tyrese Maxey has grown into a pretty good player and they have some young guys,” he said. “To me, I think those guards are going to be must-see TV. I think V.J. Edgecombe is a serious high flyer and could be really fun to watch.”
No Christmas game for C’s; tough trip around New Year’s
Not only are the Celtics not involved with the NBA’s opening night, they’re also not playing on Christmas Day for the first time since 2015. The injury to Tatum (who was still two years away from being 19 years old in 2015) is likely why the C’s will be spending Christmas morning in their own homes instead of playing on national TV.
And right after Christmas, the Celtics will head out on a five-game road trip that will take them through Indiana, Portland, Utah, Sacramento and L.A. to face the Clippers. With the tough timing and a New Year’s Day matchup with the Kings out west, Drew asked Scal if that will be a tough one for the players.
“I don’t think NBA players look at it like that,” Scal said. “I don’t really remember what day it is. I know you play on Christmas Day [or] you don’t, whatever. But once that’s over, you’re back into it. It is what it is. So I think, I feel like this team will be fine. And I don’t think a lot of guys got kids or anything like that. So you know, [not playing on Christmas] might be a nice little break.”
Welcoming back old friends
It’s obviously been an offseason of change for the Celtics, most notably with Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis being traded away. Those two players will be returning to Boston in back-to-back games in January, with Holiday’s Trail Blazers visiting Boston on January 26 and Porzingis’ Hawks arriving two nights later.
“The nostalgia of these guys winning a championship is awesome,” Scal said. “And it’s great when you get a chance to watch the tribute videos and then you remember the moments. You know, a lot of times you’re covering a team, it all gets blended together. But Holiday had some big moments and so did Porzingis.
“So, I’m excited about seeing those guys back, and it’s just different. When a guy has won a championship and he comes back to the Garden and he gets a tribute video, I think those moments are really gonna be special.”
Though Porzingis was only a Celtic for two seasons and dealt with injuries throughout that tenure, Drew anticipates an emotional return for the Latvian big man who really embraced Boston.
“I actually think KP might cry when when his tribute video happens, because that guy like — he seems to feel, he’s got a real flair for just the city of Boston and what people appreciate,” Carter said. “And if you think about Game 1 of the Finals against Dallas, that’s about as electric of a moment as we had in the playoffs last year.”
The hope of the Dallas Mavericks and pride of Maine, Cooper Flagg, will face the Celtics twice this season. The first time will be in Dallas on Feb. 3, and the Mavericks will visit Boston a month later on March 6. It figures to be a big one, with Carter dubbing it “The Maine Event.”
“We’ve got both the Celtics-Mavericks games on NBC Sports Boston. The big one is March 6, when they are in the house and it’s Cooper Flagg. Half the population of Maine is going to be in the building,” Carter said, adding that Kyrie Irving may be nearing a return to the court around this time as he works back from a torn ACL. “So this game just has a massive feel, right?”
“Yeah,” Scal agreed. “I think as soon as the tickets are available to buy, I think people will buy — from Maine — will buy this game and it’ll sell out. And I have a direct line to the secondary market. … I think that this secondary market will end up going crazy. This might be one of those games where people buy just because they want to hold on to the ticket because it is Cooper Flagg’s debut in Boston. A family that loved the Celtics — the player, his mom, his dad.
“Cooper Flagg grew up loving the Boston Celtics. I don’t know if they’re gonna do anything for the people of Maine or whatever, but it does feel like you’ll feel like the whole state is in the Garden.”
Also in this episode:
Scal’s outlook on the Knicks after firing Tom Thibodeau and hiring Mike Brown
Drew and Scal’s read on the entire Eastern Conference
Some debate on the ageless LeBron James and whether the Lakers are a title contender
Breakdowns on the NBA Cup matchups
What to expect from Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and the whole team this year
Kurt Helin
