Best Topps Finest Basketball Rookie Cards Through the Years

The Top RC’s From an Iconic Brand

Date: Feb 20, 2026

Topics: 2025/26 Topps Finest Basketball, Basketball, NBA, Topps Finest Basketball, Trending

Length: 946 Words

Reading Time: ~5 Minutes

On February 26, Topps Finest Basketball returns with its much anticipated release for the 2025-26 NBA season. Spearheaded by Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and what may be a draft class for the ages, this Finest set is set to take The Hobby by storm.

As collectors prepare to chase the finest in Finest, we’re taking a look back at the brand’s iconic past. Specifically, we’re looking at some of the very best rookie cards in the history of Topps Finest Basketball.

Topps Finest Basketball returns February 26. Ahead of the drop, RIPPED looks back at the history of the Finest brand by spotlighting some of its best basketball rookie cards — featuring names like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Victor Wembanyama, and a future led by Cooper Flagg.

The Greatest Topps Finest Basketball Rookie Cards to Collect

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2003-04 Topps Finest Basketball #133 LeBron James RC Refractor /250

Player info

• 2004 NBA Rookie of the year
• Four-time nba champion
• four-time nba mvp

Card info

• bgs 9 version of this card numbered to 250 copies sold for $6,900 in august 2025

what they said

• “We won 35 games that year because of him. He’s had some outstanding seasons since then, but that first one may have been the most impressive because of how he excelled in spite of the jealousy on his own team.” – paul silas, lebron james’ coach during his rookie season in cleveland

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1996-97 Topps Finest Basketball #269 Kobe Bryant RC Gold

Player info

• five-time nba champion
• 18-time nba all-star
• 2008 nba mvp

Card info

• one of the best topps rookie cards of one of the legends of the hoobby, a gold refractor bgs pristine 10 version of the card sold for over $200,000 in 2021

What they said

• “I don’t want to be the next Michael Jordan, I only want to be Kobe Bryant.” – kobe bryant

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2007-08 Topps Finest Basketball #71 Kevin Durant RC Gold Refractor /25

Player info

• 2008 nba rookie of the year
• two-time nba champion
• 2014 nba mvp

Card info

• BGs 9.5 version of the card sold for $30,000 in 2021

What they said

• “Build your game up to be the best you can be, and once you get on that platform of the NBA Finals, the playoffs, and it’s five, six million people watching every other night, that’s when you be who you are.” – kevin durant’s advice to young nba players

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1996-97 Topps Finest Basketball #280 Allen Iverson RC Gold Refractor

Player info

• 1997 nba rookie of the year
• 11-time all-star
• 2001 nba mvp

Card info

• brilliant gold refractor of iverson heirs card from 1996-97 topps finest basketball

What they said

• “i don’t train hard to be better than you. i train hard to be better than me yesterday.” – allen iverson

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2002-03 Topps Finest Basketball #180 Carmelo Anthony RC Gold Refractor /25

Player info

• 10-time nba all-star
• 2013 nba scoring champion
• six-time all-nba selection

Card info

• coveted extended rc celebrating carmelo’s selection with the third overall pick in the 2003 nba draft

what they said

• “No shade to LeBron James, but Carmelo Anthony should’ve won 2004 Rookie of the Year. Because he took his team to the Playoffs. That is a tremendous, tremendous accomplishment for a rookie.” – tracy mcgrady

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2005-06 Topps Finest #106 Chris Paul RC Gold X-Fractor /29

Player info

• 2006 nba rookie of the year
• 2nd all-time in career assists
• 11-time all-nba selection

Card info

• ssp features a young chris paul from his time in new orleans

what they said

• “Playing basketball for a living has been an unbelievable blessing that came with lots of responsibility. I embraced it all. The good and the bad.” – chris paul announcing his retirement after 21 seasons

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2023-24 Topps Finest Basketball Flashback Autographs #FLA-VW Victor Wembanyama RC Red Refractor Auto /5

Player info

• 2024 nba rookie of the year
• two-time nba all-star
• two-time nba blocks leader

Card info

•card sold for $6,000 in february 2025

What they said

• “Until I’m getting dunked on more than I block shots, I’m going to keep going. but none of us gonna live to this day.” – victor wembanyama

2025-26 Topps Finest Basketball

2025-26 Topps Finest Basketball #1 Cooper Flagg RC

Player info

• top overall pick in 2025 nba draft
• 2025 ncaa national player of the year
• most points scored in single nba game as a teenager with 49

Card info

• leadoff card in 2025-26 topps finest basketball set

What they said

• “If you’re the best player in the gym, then you need to find a new gym.” – cooper flagg sharing his mom’s advice ahead of the 2025 nba draft

Topps Finest Basketball FAQs

What is Topps Finest Basketball?
- It’s a premium Topps basketball brand known for Refractors, compelling inserts, and high-end parallels that collectors chase across generations.
What are the key chases in Topps Finest?
- Collectors often prioritize Refractors, Gold parallels, and short-printed/serial-numbered versions (like /250, /25, /5), plus autographs when included.
Which cards does this article spotlight?
- Notable Finest rookie cards of LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Victor Wembanyama, and the new Cooper Flagg (2025-26 #1).
Why are Topps Finest rookie cards such a big deal?
- Finest has consistently delivered “era-defining” rookie cards — especially Refractors and gold parallels — of all-time stars and modern headliners.

Key Facts

Topps Finest Basketball returns February 26 for 2025-26.
Finest is a legacy brand known for Refractors and Gold/numbered parallels.
This piece highlights elite Finest RCs across eras: LeBron, Kobe, Durant, Iverson, Carmelo, Chris Paul, Wembanyama.
The new set’s featured rookie lead-off is 2025-26 Topps Finest Basketball #1 Cooper Flagg RC.