NBA Cup's National TV Slate will Feature Multiple High-Profile Rookies

The NBA season is still a few months away, but fans can at least begin to plan their schedules around the 2025-26 campaign.

Over the past few days, the NBA has revealed multiple key dates on this year's league calendar, including the opening week of games, holiday slates and other important contests. On Wednesday, the NBA announced its schedule for the Emirates NBA Cup, an in-season tournament featuring all 30 franchises.

This year's slate includes 15 group play contests set to air nationally on Prime Video, NBC and ESPN.

Of course, stars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, Steph Curry and others will take up most of the headlines around the NBA Cup, but there are a few nationally televised matchups in the event that will showcase high-profile rookies.

No. 3 overall pick VJ Edgecombe and the Philadelphia 76ers will meet Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics on Prime Video at 7 p.m. ET on Oct. 31.

Playing alongside Joel Embiid, Paul George, Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain, Edgecombe will have to fight for touches, especially early on, but should be talented enough to earn solid minutes. It will also be one of the first opportunities for the 20-year-old to perform in front of a national audience since leaving Baylor.

One week later, second overall pick Dylan Harper and the San Anontio Spurs will meet the Houston Rockets at 7:30 p.m. ET on Prime Video. Harper looked solid during his lone summer league outing, but like Edgecombe, will have to compete for shots after San Antonio extended De'Aaron Fox.

The Spurs also roster 2025 Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and all-star Victor Wembanyama, which could take away from Harper's touches early in the year. Still, the Rutgers' product has enough skill to earn significant time on the floor by November.

San Antonio's matchup against Houston, one of the best teams in the Western Conference, will pit Harper against a stout defense just a few weeks into his professional career.

Finally, Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks will play in the final nationally televised contest of the group play round on Nov. 28 at 10 p.m. ET when the team squares off against the Los Angeles Lakers on Prime Video.

With Kyrie Irving set to miss a significant portion of the 2025-26 season, Flagg will be one of the Mavericks main options early on, and should be settled in by late November. Anthony Davis and Doncic will both compete against their former teams (if healthy) and should be the contest's main bout, but seeing the top pick on the floor with LeBron James and others will be worth the watch, too.