OKLAHOMA CITY — The 2025-26 NBA season opens with a historic night for the champion Oklahoma City Thunder, celebrating its first title in franchise history at the Paycom Center. Before taking on the Houston Rockets, head coach Mark Daigneault and the Thunder players will receive their championship rings and raise a banner in honor of the title. Then, it's back to work for the defending champs.
The champion Thunder enter the regular season as favorites to repeat in 2026, but as recent NBA history tells us, the odds are not in Oklahoma City's favor. Only three teams have won back-to-back titles over the past 23 years: the Golden State Warriors (2017-18), the Miami Heat (2012-13), and the Los Angeles Lakers (2001-02). Will the 2025-26 Thunder beat the odds?
Here are four of the biggest Thunder storylines heading into Opening Night.
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander goes off in Thunder preseason outings
After scoring 16 points on 7-of-11 attempts in his preseason debut, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished the preseason with a combined 51 points on an efficient 20-for-24 shooting, including 5-for-7 from deep in three appearances. He played no more than 20 minutes per outing, including a 23-point performance in a 116-112 win against the Milwaukee Bucks.
From a 29-point performance in the Finals-clinching Game 7 victory against the Indiana Pacers to the upcoming regular season, Gilgeous-Alexander is picking up right where he left off. The league's reigning MVP and the Thunder's title defense begin after their championship ring and banner-raising ceremony at the Paycom Center, and SGA could be on pace for another MVP campaign.
2. Will 2025-26 be Chet Holmgren's breakout season?
Chet Holmgren looked good in his preseason debut against the Nuggets in the Thunder's final preseason game before Opening Night. He finished with nine points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block in 19 first-half minutes as head coach Mark Daigneault rested his starters after halftime. But much has been said about Holmgren's busy offseason, which should evolve into his first All-Star campaign.
From playing only 32 regular-season games to a catalyst for the Thunder's championship run, there's plenty of reason to believe 2025-26 will be a breakout year for Holmgren. Considering Jalen Williams — of Chet's 2022 draft class — All-NBA stride last season, it's fair for some to assume the second overall pick could be headed down a similar path.
Barring a significant injury, which has been the fourth-year forward's kryptonite, Holmgren's projected to have a big year. He averaged 18.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.8 blocks, and 0.8 steals per game before his pelvic injury in 2024-25.
3. Mark Daigneault sees significant growth in Cason Wallace
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault often reminded reporters throughout the preseason that while his young players proved themselves by winning the NBA Finals, it hasn't stunted their growth. It's one of the many benefits of being the NBA's youngest team. Daigneault cited Cason Wallace as a better developmental player ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Wallace started in 43 of 68 regular-season appearances last season, as Daigneault would give Cason the nod on nights he'd neglect his double-big starting 5, featuring Isaiah Hartenstein. Alongside Chet Holmgren, Daigneault says Wallace is another one of the Thunder's young players who has shown significant growth.
“He just keeps getting better. He's a developmental player. He's young. This is only his third season. I think sometimes you forget guys are developmental players when they're that impactful,” Daigneault said. “Chet — high-impact player — still getting better. Cason — high, high-impact player — is still getting better. Even Dub [Jalen Williams], last season was just his third year, and as high-impact as he was, he's still getting better. Cason has a lot of runway.
“He's got a lot of things he can still improve on. He worked really hard in the summer. He's not interested in staying the same. He's ambitious in terms of his work, as humble as he is. He's definitely getting better since last season.”
4. Jalen Williams will miss Thunder season opener, more
The Thunder announced its active Opening Night roster without All-Star Jalen Williams, who's still recovering from his surgery on his right wrist. Williams played with a torn ligament in his shooting wrist throughout the Thunder's championship run last postseason.
While updates on Williams' recovery have been scarce through training camp and preseason, the Thunder will begin its title defense without its All-Star forward. The Thunder announced Williams is in the “return to play” process and doesn't expect him to miss an extended period.
