Topps Flagship Basketball Has the First Pack-Pulled LeBron Sixers and Giannis Heat Cards. Preorders Are Open.
2026-27 Topps Flagship Basketball opened for preorder on September 22. It has the first pack-pulled LeBron James 76ers and Giannis Antetokounmpo Heat cards, a rookie class led by AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer, and a new Levitation insert. Here is what to chase and whether to preorder.
Preorders Opened September 22
Topps opened preorders for 2026-27 Topps Flagship Basketball on Topps.com on Tuesday, September 22. It is the second Flagship basketball set since Topps got the NBA license back, and it follows a 2025-26 release that sold hard on the strength of the Cooper Flagg rookie class. A release date has not been announced yet.
For a price reference: last year's one-hit-per-box hobby box sold for $109.99 at presale and $119.99 on release day, according to Checklist Insider. Expect this year to land somewhere close.
The Headline: A Wild Offseason, Now in Packs
This set carries the first pack-pulled LeBron James cards as a Philadelphia 76er and the first pack-pulled Giannis Antetokounmpo cards as a member of the Miami Heat. Other players who changed teams during the offseason also get their first Flagship cards in new uniforms.
That distinction, "pack-pulled," matters. LeBron's first Sixers card was a Topps NOW print that reached 211,627 copies, a record for an NBA Topps NOW card. That card is a digital-order, print-to-demand product. Flagship is the first time a LeBron Sixers card shows up in a pack, with parallels and short prints that are actually scarce.
Why That Matters for Value
- Low-numbered parallels of LeBron and Giannis in new jerseys will be the first scarce versions of those uniform changes.
- "First card with a new team" has a long track record as a collecting category, especially for all-time players late in their careers.
- Base cards will be plentiful. Buy those as singles, not by the box.
The Rookie Class
Key rookies getting their first pack-pulled cards include AJ Dybantsa, Caleb Wilson, Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson and Keaton Wagler. The Rookie Card logo has been redesigned and is easier to spot than last year's. The base set runs 300 cards.
Inserts and Autographs to Chase
- Levitation: a new insert showing players about to dunk, with the Earth and a team-logo flag on the moon below them. Early buzz puts it among the top inserts in the product.
- 1981-82 Topps: a retro insert set and matching autographs, including a Mikel Brown Jr. rookie auto shown in previews.
- Rookie Photo Shoot Autographs: including Red Ink versions limited to five copies, such as a Caleb Wilson preview.
- Flagship Real One Autographs and Relics on the base design, plus Level Up Signatures and New Applicants.
Should You Preorder?
Flagship is an entry-level product. It is built for set builders, team collectors and people who like opening packs, not for chasing a single giant hit. If you want a LeBron Sixers or Giannis Heat base card, wait for release and buy the single for a few dollars. If you want to rip, a preorder locks in the lowest box price you are likely to see, since release-day prices last year ran ten dollars higher.
Hobby shops often take their own Flagship preorders and hold boxes for regulars. Use The Card Shop Finder to find a card shop near you and ask about their 2026-27 Topps Basketball allocation.