The 2009 NBA Draft saw future Hall of Famers Blake Griffin, James Harden, and Steph Curry don pro jerseys for the first time, a sign of things to come. While few knew the storied class of rookies featured the GSOT (Greatest Shooter of All Time), The Beard, and Lob City, basketball card collectors were well aware of the changes taking place in the Hobby that season: Topps and Upper Deck were being replaced by Panini, a company previously known for sports stickers, with a focus on soccer and the FIFA World Cup.
After nearly two decades—and after both the loss of its MLB license and a failed SPAC merger that saw them scooped up at a discount by Fanatics—Topps has the NBA license once again. One year into that deal, and it’s clear that the company wasted little time capitalizing on the opportunity.
With Topps (second) rookie season nearly in the books, the 2026-27 NBA season right around the corner, and school back in session across the country, Courtyard took out the paper, pencil, and calculator to grade the trading card company’s return to The Association. It’s report card time!
Back to School - How We Got Here:
After 16 years with Panini, many were celebrating the return of Topps like it was the first day of school: balloons and high fives all around. Sports Card Investor founder Geoff Wilson told Sports Collectors Digest he thought “I feel like Panini products have run their course to a degree…Topps is going to come with a lot of enthusiasm. I think it’s going to bring in a lot of excitement,” while REA President Brian Dwyer put it more simply: “Topps is synonymous for a lot of people with trading cards.” The comeback wasn’t a new set, it was nostalgia with a release date.
On October 23, 2025, when 2025-26 Topps Basketball hit shelves headlined by a certain Duke-product-turned-Maverick named Cooper Flagg, everyone knew it. Topps held launch events in New York and Los Angeles, bringing NBA players out to sign cards alongside the drop. Chrome, Cosmic Chrome, and Finest followed throughout the season, alongside mainstay NBA Hoops, a throughline from the days of Fleer and SkyBox through Panini and Topps, giving collectors a sense of continuity amidst all the changes.
Through it all, Topps has made attempts to bring fans—and athletes—closer to the Hobby through increased marketing, and as the Sports Cards Nonsense Podcast mused, more transparency.
Pencils Up - Grading the Flagship Class:
- Topps Chrome—Grade: B+: The first Chrome Basketball release in more than a decade had some serious fanfare, and it lived up to the hype, with Cooper Flagg rookie autos serving as the big chase, alongside Gold Logoman relics tied to 2024-25 award winners like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Stephon Castle, and Evan Mobley. It was among the most anticipated Hobby events of the year. However, it didn’t all go according to plan. “Blue X-Fractorgate” saw collectors angrily questioning where the exclusive Blue X-Fractors were, as packs only contained their silver counterparts. What was first dismissed as a minor print error turned into a massive price increase on the secondary market. Eventually, Topps unveiled a redemption program wherein collectors could trade silver X-Fractors for Blue ones up until the June 30 deadline.
- Cosmic Chrome—Grade: A-: Space is cool. Space-themed items can be gimmicky. Fortunately, Topps gave it the old college try and turned the release into a must-have. “Planetary Pursuits” scales its rarity based on the distance from the Sun, with Pluto being the scarcest pull, while autograph tiers spread the chase among rookies, stars, and legends.
- Finest—Grade: A-: This ‘90s-inspired set made its triumphant return, and diehard fans ate it up. And, according to the outstanding research of reddit user CellDood, “Finest is back, baby- in a big way…This is a well-crafted product with a strong pedigree.” Don’t mind me while I go window shopping for this throwback-inspired Kon Knueppel Gem Mint rookie card that’s currently sitting on Courtyard’s marketplace.
The Hobby Has Spoken:
The clearest signal of how Topps’ return has landed isn’t a single critic’s review—it’s the market. Cooper Flagg’s Topps NOW Rookie of the Year card set the all-time NBA Topps NOW print record at 208,735 copies sold, and he landed six of the season’s top 10 Topps NOW cards overall. And that’s not to mention a 2025-26 Topps Chrome Sapphire Padparadscha Rookie Auto 1/1 sold at Goldin Auctions for $366,000, while a 2025-26 Topps Chrome Dylan Harper Superfractor 1/1 sold for $280,000 just a few months ago. Sure, Topps can’t control the NBA’s rookie classes, but they sure did make a massive marketing push to ensure that folks knew that their trading cards were available for sale.
Get Ready for Tip-Off: What’s Next:
The 2026-27 NBA Season tips off on Tuesday, October 20—and that’s not quite as far away as you’d think. Set to begin with a three-game slate on NBC/Peacock, including the Boston Celtics vs. the Detroit Pistons at a Euro-friendly 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time, followed by LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, and the new look Philadelphia 76ers battling the defending champion New York Knicks, closing with Western Conference rivals Oklahoma City Thunder and Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs facing off in the nightcap. Christmas Day will see another five-game slate across ABC, ESPN, ESPN+, and Disney+, while the NBA Cup starts just days into the season on October 30th before the NBA Cup Trophy is handed out in Indianapolis on December 11.
With a draft class that’s been touted as among the best of all-time before any of the players make their NBA debuts, Topps has plenty of young talent to market around, from AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson, to Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson, and more. Here at Courtyard, we’re already excited about the crop of fresh faces set to take the hardwood. Just ask our Head of Social & Community, Jake Spinowitz.
“The return of licensed Topps NBA cards once again proved that they’ve got what it takes to make grails worth chasing,” said Spinowitz. “We continue to see demand for the latest class of rookies, and with the next class preparing for their first games in less than two months, we’re excited to see collectors chase more one-of-a-kind cards worth cherishing—whether that’s in the Courtyard Vault or at home.”
Final Bell:
However you’d rate Topps’ first year back with the NBA, the Cooper Flagg, VJ Edgecombe, Kon Knueppel, and Ace Bailey cards it launched aren’t going anywhere. Want to grab one for yourself? Head to the Courtyard Marketplace or check out our Basketball Packs. Now excuse me while I go dream about a Mythic Pack and the 1998 SkyBox E-X Century Michael Jordan Dunk ‘N Go Nuts (Mint) inside.