The Stars Who Will Shine on Basketball’s Big Day
Basketball on Christmas has been a tradition since 1947. As the years have gone by, Christmas Day has become the biggest day in basketball’s regular season calendar. These days, collectors and fans are treated to five games featuring the best and the brightest on the hardwood.
From showcasing the game’s enduring living legends, like LeBron James (who will be appearing in a record 19th Christmas Day game) to carving out a place for a huge national audience to see those who seek to inherit the throne (Victor Wembanyama will be making his Christmas Day debut this year), these games are put on the regular season’s biggest stage, giving stars old and new a chance to continue to build their legends. Let’s take a look at some of the stars of this year’s slate, who are set to shine brightest on basketball’s biggest day.
Topps Basketball on Christmas
2023 Topps Mercury #16 Victor Wembanyama Superfractor RC /1
Player info
• drafted first overall in 2023 draft
• won 2024 rookie of the year
• currently leads league in blocks per game (3.8)
Set info
• popular premium set Topps mercury featuring an array of chase-worthy wemby cards
card info
• one of the most covetable Wemby topps cards
• sold for $25,620 On december 7, 2024
2023/24 Topps Chrome Basketball Helix #H-24 Steph Curry
Player info
• 4x champion
• most three-pointers in league history
• playing in 11th x-mas day game
Set info
• 190-card base set
• 15-card insert
card info
• popular short-printed insert features curry along with players such as lebron james, jayson tatum, chet holmgren, and victor wembanyama
2023/24 Topps Chrome Basketball #23 LeBron James Black Geometric /2
Player info
• playing in record 19th x-mas day game
• most points scored on x-mas in league history
set info
• 190-card base set
card info
• sold for $3,200 in december 2024
2023/24 Topps Chrome Basketball Finesse #F-5 Nikola Jokic Red Refractor /5
Player info
• frontrunner for fourth mvp in five seasons
• 41-point, 15-rebound, 15-assist masterpiece in 2022 x-mas day win over phoenix
set info
• 190-card base set
• 25-card insert
card info
• jokic featured in finesse insert from recent topps basketball offering, part of his topps chrome debut
2023/24 Topps Chrome Basketball Coast to Coast #CC-2 Superfractor /1
Player info
• has played on x-mas each season of his career
• 4-3 career record on x-mas
• scored 41 points in 2022 x-mas day win over milwaukee
set info
• popular 30-card insert includes steph curry and kevin durant
card info
• covetable tatum 1-of-1 from his topps chrome debut
