Topps Returns to the NBA With a Cinematic Campaign for a New Era of Collectibles

Topps is taking a full-court shot with its long-awaited return to the NBA trading card scene.

For the first time since the 2009–10 season, the trading card leader is bringing back fully licensed NBA and NBPA cards with the release of 2025–26 Topps Basketball.

To mark the occasion, Topps tapped creative partners BSSP, Revery, The Heist, and NEXODUS to produce a cinematic teaser that captures the emotional energy of basketball and the culture surrounding it.

Powered by Unreal Engine, the teaser features a mix of live-action and virtual worlds, showcasing digital artistry with the passion of fandom.

Notably, it includes appearances from NBA icons and celebrity fans like Victor Wembanyama, Spike Lee, Kevin Durant, Ace Bailey, and rookie Cooper Flagg. 

“We wanted to blur the line between the physical and digital worlds of basketball fandom, creating something that feels both nostalgic and futuristic,” said Patrick Coleman, ECD at The Heist.

The campaign appears across digital channels, influencer partnerships, and social media to really maximize the brand’s reentry into basketball.

The move also hopes to strengthen Fanatics’ long-term brand marketing strategy after taking over the exclusive rights to produce licensed NBA trading cards earlier this month.

Building A New Kind Of Hype

Shot entirely on green screen stages, the production relied on heavy post-production work to craft hyper-real digital environments that echo basketball’s connection to city life.

From sunlit parks to New York rooftops, each frame recreates the physical and emotional intensity of the game to drive the point of how fandom has evolved in the digital age.

Beyond the teaser, Topps’ print-to-demand Topps NOW program expands to the NBA for the first time.

The collection includes real-time cards from opening night, featuring players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Dončić, Alperen Sengun, and Kevin Durant.

The rollout follows Fanatics’ acquisition of exclusive NBA trading card rights from Panini America, which held them since 2009.

The expansion also brings unique new collectibles to fans, like the Rookie Debut Patch and Gold Logoman programs, special patch relics that will be placed into one-of-one signed cards.

These initiatives continue to showcase how Topps is modernizing its approach through technology and partnerships, while deepening its presence through athlete and celebrity marketing.

What Topps’ Basketball Comeback Teaches Us

Topps’ return to the NBA serves as an example of how to get the fans' eyes back on a legacy brand. 

Here, we learn that: 

• Launches built on nostalgia and fan interest work best when matched with new experiences like digital content, collectibles, or limited drops.
• Collaboration between creative studios and sports talent can transform a brand revival into a fan-centered story.
• Visual storytelling across OOH, digital, and social channels can anchor a campaign during high-anticipation moments.Our Take: Can Nostalgia Power the Future of Collecting?

More than bringing back cards, Topps is reintroducing what those cards actually mean to fans.

As a kid, I remember flipping through packs to have cards of my favorite athletes. That feeling of discovery is what they’re trying to recreate.

Only this time, digitally.

Overall, I think the card company gives collectors a reason to care again, which is something brands in every category should pay attention to.

In other news, Bud Light’s “Call Center” campaign also tapped into fandom and the hype for Fight Night to reconnect with audiences with Bruce Buffer and Dustin Poirier.