The biggest names in basketball are moving to Fanatics as players from the past and present are featured in new partnership.
For the first time since the 2009-10 season, the worldwide leader in trading cards is back in partnership with the NBA. Announced Oct. 15, Topps is now the exclusive trading card licensee of the NBA and NBPA, giving fans plenty to be excited about.
“We think of trading cards as the ultimate connection between the fan and a player in their biggest moments. It’s a special bond between collectors and players as they are literally and figuratively invested in that player,” said Mike Mahan, CEO of Fanatics Collectibles.
The 2025-26 Topps Basketball Collection will launch on Oct. 23rd featuring a wide variety of new elements designed to elevate collectors’ experiences and enhance fan engagement.
“This is one of the most exciting and dynamic industries in sports,” said Matt Holt, Executive Vice President and Head of Merchandising Partnerships at the NBA. “The team at Topps and Fanatics is bringing a ton of energy, not just to the traditional card space, but also to the booming secondary market.”
Beginning with the one-of-one Topps Rookie Debut Patch Autograph, the NBA will spotlight its young stars who aim to be the faces of the next generation.
“What we wanted to do was make what we believe is the ultimate rookie card, where you have not only something that is game worn but something that the players wore the first time they walked onto an NBA court as professionals,” Mahan said. “We take a patch from their jersey, put it on a card and have the player sign it, and it becomes the holy grail for collectors.”
The wait is over.
2025-26 Topps Basketball is available now. pic.twitter.com/V2RoyYcAKe
— Topps (@Topps) October 23, 2025
New this season, top performers such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (MVP), Evan Mobley (DPOY), and Stephon Castle (ROY) will wear Gold Logoman patches to celebrate their 2024-25 awards. A number of these patches will be turned into trading cards, giving collectors another once-in-a-lifetime collectible experience.
“The NBA Logoman has historically been one of the most special cards in all of sports,” Mahan said. “To have another level up that signifies the height of achievement takes what was already special and brings it to another level.”
This partnership introduces Topps Now, a unique program that captures the best moments from throughout the NBA season. Designed to bring fans closer to the action, Topps Now celebrates player milestones and standout performances in real time; transforming unforgettable plays and achievements into collectible trading cards that commemorate those moments as they happen.
“It’s exciting for the fans that when something big happens for a player, they have a chance to participate in that,” Mahan said. “Whether it be a ball from that game or a piece of the net, having something we can include in a handful of cards to elevate that connection is really unique”.
Legends will also be featured in cards to give fans a connection to the past and to honor those who helped move the game forward.
“For us to take some of the biggest names that have ever played the game and include them in our products and narrative is not only special, but it’s what people rightfully expect” Mahan said.
“Everything we do is about serving our fans. The most exciting element of the trading card world is the amount of new entrances, and we can’t wait to see where this partnership takes us,” Holt said.
