Topps publicly previewed the first flagship cards under its new exclusive NBA license Wednesday with images of LeBron James, Victor Wembanyama, Copper Flagg and others.
The first licensed NBA trading cards created by Topps since 2009, images shown by the company for 2025-26 Topps Basketball feature designs used across the current release cycle of flagship baseball sets, including 2025 Topps Baseball Series 1 and 2, 2025 Topps Chrome Baseball and 2025 Topps Update Baseball.
Topps and the NBA have reunited for a long-term exclusive partnership.
— cllct (@cllctMedia) October 1, 2025
It will be the first NBA-licensed product from @Topps since 2009.
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Autograph previews feature cards for Wembanyama, Flagg — shown in a throwback design for 1980 Topps — Jalen Brunson, Ace Bailey and a triple autograph of Flagg alongside Dylan Harper and Kon Knueppel.
James is shown as part of the All-Kings insert set, which debuted in 2025 Topps Series 2 Baseball. The All-Kings set is an extension of the popular All-Aces insert, which highlighted baseball’s best pitchers.
The name of Topps’ first flagship set under the new license is expected to be revealed in the coming days, and the set is expected to be released later this month.
Other images of the set were first shown privately during the 2025 Topps Industry Conference in April to a small number of business owners in the trading card industry.
Starting Wednesday, Topps will be the exclusive manufacturer of fully licensed NBA trading cards following more than a decade of exclusive production by Panini America. Topps last released licensed NBA cards in 2009 when Panini took over exclusive rights for the league.
In 2021, Fanatics, then known as an apparel retailer, secured long-term licenses with the NBA, which allows the manufacturer to use team logos and other league-related imagery, as well as the NBAPA, which allows it to use player names and likenesses. Fanatics then acquired manufacturer Topps in early 2022 to produce cards under its newly acquired licenses.
In addition to the NBA, Fanatics is expected to make licensed trading cards for the NFL when its deals with the league and NFLPA begin in March and April 2026. Panini has been the exclusive maker of licensed NFL cards since 2016.
It’s currently unclear when Panini’s final licensed NBA product will be released, though several are expected to land this fall. It’s also unclear whether Panini will make unlicensed NBA cards of any kind through a deal with the NBAPA.
Ben Burrows is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture. He was previously the Collectibles Editor at Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on X and Instagram @benmburrows.