

The wait for the news is over, and it is now time for the countdown. The NBA regular season starts on a high on the 21st of October, and the San Antonio Spurs earned a seat the very next day. Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper are set to create history, marking the second time since 1966 that the two top picks are locking horns in the first career regular-season game. But it is not just the opening week celebration that the Spurs fans get. Adam Silver has more to offer, and Christmas already seems colorful at Frost Bank Center.
The NBA just dropped a holiday gift for fans. After weeks of speculation, the league has finally unveiled its 2025 Christmas Day schedule. For the second straight year, the San Antonio Spurs have earned a spot on basketball’s biggest regular-season stage. Expect it to be Silver’s gift, because if there’s anyone he loves talking about, it is Victor Wembanyama. “He’s exceeded my expectations,” Silver said after Wembanyama’s Paris homecoming games last season. “One, just by his play on the floor, but also in terms of his desire to engage with the fans.”
That admiration hasn’t faded, and as the dates dominate the feed, it just strengthens the unsaid belief. The NBA officially confirmed that the Spurs will face off against the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder at 2:30 PM ET on Dec. 25, televised on ABC and ESPN. Silver continues to highlight Wembanyama’s professionalism, and now Wemby should be where he belongs… the center stage. But the decision to give the Spurs another chance might have its roots in last season.
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Last season’s Christmas Day thriller at Madison Square Garden saw the Spurs star explode (even though he didn’t “even know really the history of the best Christmas games”) for 42 points and 18 rebounds, despite a narrow loss. That game wasn’t just his coming-out party; it was proof that the French phenom was ready for the spotlight. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver took note, and clearly, he’s doubling down.
The NBA will feature five games on Christmas Day (Thursday, Dec. 25) for the 18th consecutive year, with ABC and ESPN both televising each matchup. pic.twitter.com/GjmfyljacD
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) August 12, 2025
“It’s inspiring to watch him strive for greatness… He’s one of a kind—a generational talent and a remarkable person,” Silver noted earlier this year. He’s already the third-most viewed player globally on social media, behind only LeBron James and Stephen Curry. Wembanyama’s jersey is the top seller in France and second across Europe. The hints of Silver’s admiration were always there. When Wemby invited fans to a surprise chess tournament in Washington Square Park, Silver wasn’t just impressed, but proud: “The league had nothing to do with that,” but the French star still did.
Adam Silver’s “I just think he loves to engage with people. He loves people,” might be true, because he has very little to lose. And that kind of magnetic presence is exactly what the NBA needs right now, especially as it faces mounting competition for holiday eyeballs.
NBA stands its ground against NFL
If there’s something that the majority of Americans are expected to pick, then it is football. But the NBA is not backing down. At least not from the NFL’s Christmas Day blitz. On the same day, the NBA stages five marquee matchups: Cavs taking on the Knicks, Spurs locking the Thunder, Rockets playing the Lakers, Mavs taking on the Warriors, and the Timberwolves will be facing the Nuggets. Sadly, no Celtics, but we will digest. But the NFL?
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What’s your perspective on:
Can Wembanyama's star power outshine the NFL's Christmas Day lineup? What's your take?
Have an interesting take?
They will counter with a Christmas tripleheader on Netflix and Prime Video featuring Cowboys vs. Commanders, Lions vs. Vikings, and Broncos vs. Chiefs. Football is coming with full force, including playoff implications, major markets, and blockbuster streaming deals. But the NBA is adapting. This year, all five Christmas games will air on ABC, marking only the second time every matchup is over-the-air.
They’ll also be simulcast on ESPN, ESPN+, and Disney+, complete with alt-casts like a Mickey Mouse-themed broadcast during the Spurs-Knicks matchup. The league is leaning into streaming, nostalgia, and star power. And it’s doing it with the biggest names in the game: LeBron, Curry, Jokic, SGA, Luka, KD…and yes, Victor Wembanyama. But there’s still a lot to catch.
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via Imago
Nov 15, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shoots over the San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) during the first half during the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
There’s no illusion here. The NBA knows it won’t beat the NFL in raw viewership. Last year, NBA Christmas week games averaged 5.25 million viewers per game in the U.S, while all three NFL matchups topped close to 27 million. Still, the league isn’t quitting. It’s pushing new media partnerships, enhanced fan data through its upcoming $76 billion broadcast deal, and creative content strategies to stay in the fight.
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And for fans, the Spurs vs. Thunder game is one to circle. It’s Victor Wembanyama vs. Holmgren. Also, the reigning MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, will test Wemby’s paint presence. But don’t count out San Antonio. With a reloaded lineup including De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, and Stephon Castle, the Spurs are coming with smoke, and they’ve got the Alien leading the charge.
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Can Wembanyama's star power outshine the NFL's Christmas Day lineup? What's your take?