Thunder Kick Off 2025 Preseason with Victory Over Hornets
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma City Thunder began their 2025 preseason campaign with a win, defeating the Charlotte hornets in a recent exhibition matchup. While several key players were held out or saw limited action, the Thunder showcased promising contributions from their depth.
The game provided an early look at potential roles for developing players and recent draft picks as the Thunder navigate training camp.The Hornets fielded several established stars, but Oklahoma City’s collective effort proved sufficient for a victory. This preseason slate is crucial for Head Coach Mark Daigneault to evaluate player combinations and refine strategies ahead of the regular season.
Aaron Wiggins spearheaded the Thunder’s offense, delivering a team-high 23 points.Ousmane Dieng and Jaylin Williams each added 17 points to the scoring column, with Dieng logging a game-high 33 minutes. First-round draft selection Nikola Topic also made his presence felt, contributing 10 points and seven rebounds in his debut.
On the Hornets side,LaMelo Ball registered 11 points in a limited 15 minutes on the court. Brandon Miller struggled with his shot, scoring eight points on 3-of-10 shooting across 16 minutes of play.
Notably, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, luguentz Dort, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams did not participate in full uniform during the initial stages of the training camp game. The Thunder will continue their preseason schedule with upcoming games, providing further opportunities to assess player progress and team cohesion before the start of the 2025-26 NBA season.
