DUBAI: The 2025–26 NBA season tipped off last night with international stars once again taking center stage, highlighting the league’s growing global reach and balance of power.
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In Oklahoma City, Canadian MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the defending champions to a dramatic 125-124 double-overtime win over the Houston Rockets on ring night, scoring 35 points and delivering the decisive free throws.
Out west, Slovenian guard Luka Doncic opened his season in spectacular form for the Los Angeles Lakers, recording 43 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists in a narrow loss to Golden State, joining Michael Jordan as the only guards in NBA history to open a season with a 40-10-5 stat line.
Their performances captured what NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum called a “new era” for the league, one defined by the strength and reach of its international players.
