After the Phoenix Suns failed to make the playoffs with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and the league’s most expensive payroll, it was hardly a surprise when Durant was traded to the Houston Rockets on Sunday.
However, the timing was a surprise as Durant was on stage at Fanatics Fest when he first learned of the deal that would dictate the next chapter of his career.
Shouts from the crowd during the “Global Game Changers” panel eventually alerted Durant to the news, to which he would react with a controlled smile, telling moderator Taylor Rooks, “We’re gonna see, man. We’re gonna see.”
Fanatics-owned Topps quickly turned the reaction shot into a Topps NOW product, offering cards for sale at $11.99 each until Wednesday. In addition to foil parallels numbered to 99 and lower, one collector will receive a 1/1 redemption, autogpraphed by Durant with the inscription, “New city, same sniper.”
Durant was previously featured on the famous Olympic Triple autograph card alongside Steph Curry and LeBron James, which sold a then-record 588,035 base cards. The autographed chase card has yet to surface.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible content.