TITLE: Fanatics and Topps to Add Debut and Gold Logoman Patches to NBA Uniforms
SLUG: fanatics-topps-nba-debut-gold-logoman-patches
CONTENT:
Fanatics Collectibles and Topps will extend their debut patch and Gold NBA Logoman patch programs to professional basketball for the 2025-26 season, the companies announced Wednesday.
Under the initiative, every NBA rookie will wear a “NBA Debut” patch during his first regular-season appearance. After the game, each patch will be removed, authenticated, and embedded in a one-of-one, on-card-autographed rookie trading card.
In addition, special gold versions of the NBA Logoman patch will be affixed to the jerseys of the league’s reigning award winners—2024-25 Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle of the San Antonio Spurs, and Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Those patches will also be extracted and placed into extremely limited trading cards.
“Imagine having LeBron’s, Jordan’s, or Curry’s debut patch and what that would mean,” Fanatics Collectibles CEO Michael Mahan told ESPN. “Trading cards haven’t traditionally been tied to achievements, so we’re bringing that to the hobby.”
Fanatics previously launched similar debut patch programs in Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer. Josh Goodstadt, chief commercial officer of THINK450—the National Basketball Players Association’s licensing and partnership arm—said the concept “elevates storytelling and drives fan engagement with the sport and our players.”
The patches will be authenticated through Fanatics’ partnership with Certified Guaranty Company (CGC). Fanatics also signed LeBron James to a trading-card deal in early 2024 after the four-time MVP spent his entire career with Upper Deck. Mahan said collectors can expect officially licensed James autographs as well as future releases commemorating notable NBA milestones.
Source: ESPN
