Along with LeBron James and Stephen Curry still being the faces of the NBA, here are other observations from the 2025-26 schedule release.

Unlike other professional sports leagues, where teams don’t always play everyone every season, the NBA schedule is fluid in the sense that all 30 teams play each other at least two times over the course of the 82-game season. That is why there aren’t many surprises when the schedule is released every August.

Still, there are must-see matchups that come to light, and the schedule release is basically a signal that the new NBA season has arrived.

Of course, the NBA schedule release this offseason gave fans a glimpse at what the landscape of nationally televised games will be.

With the new media rights deal taking over, TNT and NBA TV are no longer on the broadcasting lineup, as they have been replaced by NBC, Peacock, and Amazon Prime. ESPN and ABC will continue broadcasting games throughout the season.

To nobody’s surprise, the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors are among the four teams to receive the most national TV games this upcoming season because of LeBron James and Stephen Curry, respectively. The Lakers and Warriors are joined by the Oklahoma City Thunder and the New York Knicks — all four teams having 34 nationally televised games.

On top of the national TV game numbers being released, the number of back-to-backs was more prominent information discovered on Thursday. Holiday games were confirmed, the league announced this year’s Rivals Week, and dates were locked in for return games of key names who were on the move this offseason.

Kevin Durant, Michael Porter Jr., Bradley Beal, Myles Turner, and Desmond Bane are among the many players who will be looking forward to their “revenge games” this season, if you will.

There is so much to discuss regarding the 2025-26 NBA schedule release, starting with the fact that LeBron and Steph are clearly the top two faces of the league despite nearing the end of their respective Hall of Fame careers.

LeBron James, Stephen Curry remain faces of NBA
Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
If there were any questions about who the face of the NBA was entering the 2025-26 season, Adam Silver and the league office answered that on Thursday with their schedule release.

Sure, New York is a big market, and Oklahoma City is coming off its first title in franchise history, but NBA fans want to see LeBron James and Stephen Curry. That is why the Lakers and Warriors are tied with the Thunder and Knicks for the most nationally televised games for the upcoming year.

Until these two legends retire, they will remain the top American basketball ambassadors, and that was clear in 2024 when these two, along with Kevin Durant, led Team USA to the gold medal at the Olympic Games in France.

James and Curry are not only multi-time MVPs, but they are also responsible for eight of the last 14 championships. It isn’t a coincidence that the league continues to market them as the faces of the league.

As long as they are healthy and playing, LeBron and Steph will continue to be on TV the most.