Wardrobes will look a bit different for debuting NBA players in 2025.
Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey and others headline a impressive list of first-year talents expected to make a mark in the NBA during their rookie seasons. While they’re expected to experience some growing pains, the 2025 class of debutants has been tipped for greatness. Count Topps — and its parent company, Fanatics — as some of their more vocal backers.
Fanatics is recognizing the league’s rookies with a special patch commemorating their first NBA games. The embellishment — a debut patch — will also feature on subsequent one-of-one trading card releases through Topps.
Here’s what you need to know.
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NBA rookie patches, explained
The NBA’s partnership with Fanatics and Topps is bearing fruit in the form of special removable patches that any player making their debut will sport during their first NBA game. The emblem, which features the NBA’s logo sandwiched between two red arrows, will be removed from jerseys after a rookie’s first contest.
The idea of marking a player’s debut with an embroidery isn’t necessarily a new idea. The NFL emblazoned a similar patch on first-year talents starting in 2023. Topps also sponsored debut patches in MLS and MLB, both of which were removed and placed on trading cards following conclusions of players’ first games.
“Imagine having LeBron [James]’s, [Michael] Jordan’s, [Steph] Curry’s debut patch and what that would mean?” Fanatics Collectibles CEO Michael Mahan told ESPN.
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“Well, the next generational superstar will have a debut patch – the ultimate rookie card.”
Rookies aren’t the only players expected to be cloaked in the temporary look. Fanatics announced plans to recognize winners of the MVP, Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year with special patch cards. Those players will sport a gold NBA Logoman patch which will be featured on rare trading cards.
“Trading cards haven’t been associated with achievements, success and accolades: we’re going to bring that into trading cards,” Mahan said.
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Each patch will be placed on an on-card, autographed, one-of-one numbered card. Prices of the pieces of history are expected to soar. Topps and Fanatics also revealed that it has plans to release autographed LeBron James merchandise. Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw received similar treatment after reaching 3,000 career strikeouts.
“We did one-of-one autographs for him and every other member of that club,” Mahan said. “So, you think about important milestones coming up in basketball, the opportunity to do that as guys move up the scoring leaderboard — we want to honor the history of the game: There’s having a piece of the moment from the first and last times people step on the court.”
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