What’s New
The 2025-26 Topps Chrome Basketball set is scheduled for release on Thursday, December 18, following the initial launch of the Topps flagship Basketball on October 23. This represents Topps' return to producing licensed NBA basketball cards, a first since 2009. Enthusiasm was high for the flagship release, with strong interest in cases, boxes, hangers, packs, and singles. Additional excitement surrounded the Topps Chrome First Day Issue boxes, which debuted on December 15. The upcoming Chrome set is anticipated to maintain this momentum, particularly for base rookie cards.
Configuration at a Glance
- Product: 2025-26 Topps Chrome Basketball
- Release Date: December 18
- Format: Available in hobby boxes, retail boxes, hangers, packs, and singles
- Key Hits: Base rookie cards and Chrome parallels
- Noteworthy: The first licensed Topps NBA product since 2009
- In Demand: Base rookie cards and their Chrome parallels
Key Inserts & Parallels
- Flagship and Chrome parallels are eagerly awaited
- Key inserts in the flagship collection include Comic Court, Sonic Boom, All Kings, and 8-Bit Ballers (not included in the base rookie card list below)
Autographs & Relics
- Details on autographs and memorabilia cards were not provided in the article
Bonus Rookie Cards to Watch
- Jeremiah Fears - New Orleans Pelicans (2025-26 Topps #207 RC)
- Card values (EX to Mint): $0.75 to $5
- Cedric Coward - Memphis Grizzlies (2025-26 Topps #211 RC)
- Card values (EX to Mint): $0.75 to $5
- Derik Queen - New Orleans Pelicans (2025-26 Topps #213 RC)
- Card values (EX to Mint): $0.75 to $5
Top 10 Most Valuable 2025-26 Topps Rookie Basketball Cards
- Tre Johnson - Washington Wizards (2025-26 Topps #206 Tre Johnson III RC)
- Position: Shooting Guard
- Season stats: 11.2 points per game, 39.8 percent from three-point range, started 4 of 17 games
- Ace Bailey - Utah Jazz (2025-26 Topps #205 Ace Bailey RC)
- Position: Small Forward
- Drafted: 5th overall in 2025
- Season stats: 10.0 points per game, started 16 of 25 games
- Card values (EX to Mint): $1 to $5
- Dylan Harper - San Antonio Spurs
- Position: Shooting Guard
- Drafted: 2nd overall
- Season stats: 13.1 points per game, 21.9 minutes per game, no starts so far
- Card values (EX to Mint): $1 to $6
- RC and Holiday RC are ranked seventh and eighth on the OPG list
- Kon Knueppel - Charlotte Hornets
- Position: Small Forward
- Drafted: 4th overall
- College: Duke
- Season stats: 19.0 points per game, 40.5 percent from three-point range
- Recent games: 33 points vs. Chicago, 29 points vs. Cleveland
- Card values (EX to Mint): $1.50 to $10
- VJ Edgecombe - Philadelphia 76ers
- Position: Shooting Guard
- Season stats: 15.2 points per game, started all 22 games
- Card values (EX to Mint): $1.50 to $10
- Topps Holiday #H163 Edgecombe is also highly valued
- Cooper Flagg - Dallas Mavericks (2025-26 Topps #201 RC)
- Position: Small Forward
- Drafted: 1st overall (Duke)
- Season stats: 18.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists per game
- First career 40-point game: 42 points vs. Utah Jazz on December 12
- Card values (EX to Mint): $2 to $12
- Holiday variations have similar value
Collector Notes
- The 2025-26 Topps Basketball set marks Topps' return to licensed NBA cards after a 16-year break
- Collectors are primarily focused on base rookie cards, with strong interest in both flagship and Chrome editions
- Card values reflect current market conditions as of release
- Holiday variations exist for several rookies and are valued similarly to their regular RCs
- Specific design elements and print runs were not detailed in the article
- Parallels and inserts like Comic Court, Sonic Boom, All Kings, and 8-Bit Ballers are part of the flagship set but not included in the base rookie card value list
- No specific odds, short prints, or super short prints were mentioned
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