Topps has officially unveiled 2026-27 Topps Flagship Basketball, the traditional kickoff release of the NBA collecting season. Preorders open on September 22 at 4pm, promising a chase built around one of the deepest rookie classes in recent memory.
A loaded 300-card base set
Flagship returns with a 300-card Base Set headlined by the first official rookie cards of several of the league’s next big names, including AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson and Keaton Wagler. Collectors will also find the game’s biggest current stars, highlighted by the very first cards of LeBron James with the Sixers and Giannis Antetokounmpo with the Heat. The Base Set expands further with several short-print variations: Number Variations, Team Variations, Golden Mirror Image Variations, Wood Variations, and a brand-new addition for this release, Clear Variations.
Inserts celebrating the game
The insert lineup pays tribute to basketball’s most iconic moments and players. Poster Factory spotlights the sport’s most explosive dunkers, while Drivers puts the spotlight on the league’s best slashers. The classic 1981-82 Topps Basketball design also makes a comeback, bringing back its unmistakable burst look for a new generation of stars and rookies, complete with highly sought-after autograph variations.
Super short prints raising the stakes
This release introduces the very first Gold 1/1 All Kings cards in Topps Basketball history. Collectors can also chase title contenders in Quest for the Crown, or hunt for Bounce, an insert built around an innovative card technology designed to mimic the texture of a real basketball.
Autographs and relics across the board
As with every Flagship release, game-used memorabilia is on full display through series like Flagship Real One Relics, Own the Game and Roundball Remnants, featuring stars such as Stephen Curry, Luka Dončić, Victor Wembanyama and Anthony Edwards. On the autograph side, Flagship Real One Autographs, Rookie Photo Shoot Autographs, New Applicants and Level Up Signatures bring together signatures from top rookies, veterans and legends, ranging from LeBron James and Jalen Brunson to Nikola Jokić.
The bottom line
With a stacked base set, what’s being billed as a historic rookie class, and a wide range of inserts, autographs and relics covering every collecting style, 2026-27 Topps Flagship Basketball shapes up as the essential starting point for the new NBA season.