There won’t be one, but two multi-time All-Star scoring champions who will be in the building when the Oklahoma City Thunder drop their banner and hand out rings. Two notable guests will be at Paycom Center as they see their former team celebrate their NBA championship.
One, of course, is Kevin Durant. The Houston Rockets will face the Thunder on Opening Night. Not only will it kick off the 2025-26 regular season, but it will also be the first broadcast of the new NBA on NBC era. The schedule-makers did everybody right with this matchup.
The other will be Carmelo Anthony. The Hall-of-Famer spent one season on the Thunder. He averaged 16.2 points and 5.8 rebounds. While OKC was a disappointing Round 1 exit, acquiring him has been one of the more shocking moments of the last decade.
Now retired, Anthony will be in OKC on Opening Night as part of NBC’s coverage. He will be an analyst for the NBA’s new broadcast partner. Part of the Oct. 21 pageantry is that they will have an on-site studio crew at Paycom Center with Anthony, Vince Carter and Maria Taylor.
They will likely break down the game before and after it happens. It’ll be cool to see Anthony in OKC as the Thunder celebrate their 2025 NBA championship. Even though his stint was short, he’s another familiar face most fans recognize.