Topps Basketball Is Back: Everything You Need to Know About the 2025-26 Release
After more than 15 years away, Topps has returned to licensed NBA basketball cards. Here's your complete guide to the 2025-26 Topps Basketball lineup — from flagship to Chrome to Finest.
A Historic Return
Topps producing licensed NBA basketball cards again is one of the biggest stories in the hobby in years. The last time Topps made fully licensed basketball cards was the 2009-10 season, and their return in 2025-26 has been met with enormous excitement from collectors. With exclusive licensing rights through Fanatics, Topps is now the only company producing cards with official NBA team logos, jerseys, and branding.
The 2025-26 Topps Basketball Product Line
Topps Basketball (Flagship)
Released in October 2025, the flagship set was the first licensed Topps basketball product in over 15 years. It features a 300-card base set covering rookies, current stars, and legends. Each hobby box contains 20 packs of 12 cards with at least one autograph or relic card.
Key features include Golden Mirror photo variations as the SSP chase, "First Card" parallels marking each player's debut Topps licensed card (1/1 for each player), and inserts like All Kings, Clutch City Prospects, and the Home Court case hit that rivals Panini's iconic Kaboom series. The parallel rainbow includes Gold (/2025), Black (/68 — honoring 68 years since the first Topps Basketball set in 1957), Wood (/25), and more.
Topps Chrome Basketball
The premium chromium product that has quickly become the most anticipated basketball release of the year. Chrome features the signature refractor finish, an extensive parallel rainbow, and premium autograph content. Cooper Flagg's Chrome RC Auto Superfractor sold for $180,000, and the LeBron James Logoman Auto 1/1 is being called one of the major chase cards in hobby history. Hobby boxes offer strong value with multiple refractor parallels and autograph opportunities per box.
Topps Finest Basketball
A tiered 300-card base set with bold designs and plentiful parallels. Each hobby box includes two autographs, six packs of 10 cards, and a variety of inserts including Finishers, Arrivals, and the coveted Pulse and Aura SSPs. Finest occupies a sweet spot between flagship and ultra-premium pricing.
Topps Heritage, Sapphire, and More
Topps is rolling out its full product ecosystem for basketball, including Heritage (vintage-inspired designs with on-card Real One Autographs), Sapphire (ultra-limited cracked-ice parallels), and specialty releases like Rip Night exclusive sets. The depth of the product line gives collectors options at every price point.
Why This Matters for Collectors
The return of Topps to basketball creates a clear licensing hierarchy: Topps products feature full team branding (logos, jerseys, court designs), while Panini products going forward use NBPA licensing only (player images without team logos). For historical and investment purposes, the licensed Topps RCs are likely to be the ones that carry the most long-term significance — just as Topps flagship RCs define baseball collecting.
What Happened to Panini?
Panini still produces basketball cards through their NBPA agreement, meaning they can feature player names and images but not team logos or names. Products like Prizm, Select, and National Treasures continue to release, and many collectors still chase Panini products for their established prestige and iconic designs. However, the market is clearly shifting toward Topps as the primary licensed producer.
Where to Buy Topps Basketball
Topps basketball products are available at local card shops, online retailers, and directly from Topps.com. Your local card shop is the best place to find hobby boxes and get expert guidance on which products match your collecting goals. Find a card shop near you to check availability.