Topps
For the first time, basketball fans have the opportunity to get a rookie card signed by Victor Wembanyama.
Topps Basketball announced Wednesday that it is returning for the first time in 15 years with its 2024 Chrome Basketball series. The series features exclusive Fanatics athletes like Wembanyama and will include the San Antonio Spurs star’s first signed rookie card.
The set also includes the first signed cards from Fanatics-exclusive athletes such as Brandon Miller, Jamie Jaquez Jr., Scoot Henderson and Cam Whitmore, as well as an autograph from LeBron James.
The packs will contain eight cards from the 2023-24 Topps Chrome Basketball cards. Each box will contain 24 base card parallels and 12 insert cards or parallels, two of which will be signed. Other stars such as Jayson Tatum and Bradley Beal will also have signed cards in the set, although there will be no team or league branding since Fanatics Collectibles does not have the NBA license.
Topps
While headline names like James and Tatum always stand out, the signed Wembanyama rookie is particularly notable.
Finally, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft appears to be on track to become one of the faces of the league after averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, a league-best 3.6 blocks and 1.2 steals per game in his Rookie of the Year season, while shooting 46.5 percent from the field and 32.5 percent from beyond the arc.
As the 20-year-old gains more experience in the NBA, he should become a better scorer, and the 7-foot-1 player’s ability to get beyond the three-point line will continue to be a nightmare for opposing defenses.
Topps
In addition, Wembanyama seems to have won several Defensive Player of the Year awards throughout his career.
He was a member of the All-Defensive First Team and finished second in voting for the award, behind only four-time winner Rudy Gobert.
As if that rookie season wasn’t impressive enough, Wembanyama spent his summer leading the French men’s national basketball team to a silver medal at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. France threatened the U.S. for most of the gold medal game, thanks in large part to the big man’s individual brilliance, until Stephen Curry took over with his three-pointers in the closing stages.
Wembanyama finished this contest with 26 points and seven rebounds.
It was one of probably many memorable performances by the star, for whom a signed rookie card is now available.
