Each year, when the NBA schedule is announced, the league tells us who it thinks its biggest draws are by who it schedules most on national television. Coming off a championship this spring, the Oklahoma City Thunder appear to be the latest rising squad to be crowned by the NBA as a marquee team.
So much so that the Thunder are tied with the New York Knicks as well as both LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers and Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors with 34 national TV appearances for the 2025-26 season, Oklahoma City will also tip off the NBA season on NBC in October and host an afternoon Christmas Day game as they seek to repeat as champs.
The coronation comes after a season in which star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won his first NBA MVP award and Oklahoma City won its first title.
Teams with the most national TV games pic.twitter.com/Z6auNKZRM8
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) August 14, 2025
Like last season, James and Curry remain prominently featured on the NBA’s national slate. With a combined age of nearly 80, these two superstars will not draw eyeballs for much longer. That led many NBA fans and media to debate the future “face of the league” last season, with Gilgeous-Alexander a rare answer. The quiet Canadian’s reputation as a so-called “foul merchant,” acknowledged by ESPN analyst Doris Burke during the NBA Finals, and the Thunder’s small market, left many skeptical about the MVP’s potential popularity.
However, it is clearly in the NBA’s best interest to promote Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder. They were among the youngest championship teams in league history and are here to stay. And during the team’s first peak a decade ago, NBA fans proved they would still tune in for Thunder games. When Amazon released its first NBA promo for its Prime Video package, Thunder center Chet Holmgren starred.
At the same time, NBA broadcast partners are scared off the Eastern Conference this season. Injuries to top teams in Boston, Milwaukee, and Indiana leave few good options beyond the Knicks. That gives teams like the Thunder a golden chance to soak up attention and grow their reach.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.