How OKC Thunder could deliver Cooper Flagg's first 'Welcome to the NBA' moment

Less than two months from Opening Night, the NBA recently released its entire 2025-26 regular season schedule. All 30 teams found out when and where they'll face their opponents during the six-month campaign.

As they continue to enjoy their NBA championship, the Oklahoma City Thunder enter next season as the consensus favorite to repeat. They had one of the most dominant seasons ever and will mostly return with the same roster. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has turned into an all-time great.

All that considered, it shouldn't be a shocker to see the NBA fully prop up the Thunder. They're tied with the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks for the most national television games during the 2025-26 regular season at 34. After being left out of both dates last year, the NBA champions headline Opening Night and Christmas.

Examining the Thunder's 2025-26 regular season, an early matchup with the Dallas Mavericks could be must-watch television. The two teams face off three times. The first game will take place in Dallas on Monday, Oct. 27.

While Luka Doncic is no longer there to entice a rivalry, Cooper Flagg could catapult the Mavericks to return to being a contender sooner rather than later. Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving give the 2025 No. 1 pick the best decorated veterans to have in his rookie season.

That said, the Thunder could give Flagg his first 'Welcome to the NBA' moment. Which is another way of saying when a rookie realizes just how much better the competition level is at the pro level. The Mavericks want the 18-year-old to be the top scorer from the jump. That's what his 2025 Summer League stint was about. The upsize in role resulted in him producing more shot attempts than usual.

If the Mavericks hope for Flagg to be a high-volume scorer, the Thunder could be his first real test of what type of burden that can be. They had one of the greatest all-time defenses last season. They rode that side of the ball on their way to a championship.

If Flagg will be the primary ball-handler, expect Lu Dort, Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace to have their turn to match up against him on the perimeter. If he can find his way to the paint, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein will welcome him at the rim.

There's a reason why the Thunder only conceded a handful of 30-point scorers last season. They have a team full of high-end defenders from inside the paint to outside at the perimeter. Considering Flagg will still be early in his career, this could spell an ugly night.

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: How Thunder could deliver Cooper Flagg's first 'Welcome to NBA' moment