Contemporary off being the highest decide of the 2026 NBA draft, AJ Dybantsa was named cowl athlete of 2026 Topps Flagship Basketball, the corporate introduced on Monday. Pre orders are set to be out there on Oct. 6.
The Washington Wizards rookie by no means imagined being on a Topps cowl, he advised ESPN.
“Topps has been within the enterprise for such a very long time, placing out playing cards earlier than I used to be born,” the 19-year-old advised ESPN. “So the truth that I am a canopy athlete, I do not take it evenly. I am very grateful and appreciative for it.”
(Picture courtesy of Topps)
Dybantsa is the second consecutive prime total decide to be the duvet athlete, with Dallas Mavericks star Cooper Flagg getting the honors final yr. Flagg and Dybantsa are each from the New England space: Flagg from Newport, Maine, and Dybantsa from Boston.
Their shared area is one thing the Wizards ahead identified when reflecting on following Flagg up.
“Us each being from New England, simply placing on for our facet of the map,” he mentioned. “The northeast would not get quite a lot of love, apart from tristate, in my view. So us each being from New England, making an attempt to placed on for the cities, it feels good.”
The Topps Flagship Basketball boasts 20 playing cards per field with 12 playing cards per pack. The gathering is headlined by a powerful 2026 draft class. Following Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson went No. 2 to the Utah Jazz, Cameron Boozer went No. 3 to the Memphis Grizzlies and the Chicago Bulls took Caleb Wilson at No. 4.
Autographed playing cards of rookies, in addition to of veterans and legends, are included. There are additionally new inserts, together with a first-ever Gold one-of-one All Kings parallel, based on Fanatics.
And Dybantsa is the face of it, following a yr the place his curiosity in gathering playing cards grew. When he began signing playing cards, he began gathering, too, and even has two of himself — one he purchased at Fanatics Fest in July and the opposite he pulled randomly.
As soon as the Wizards chosen him with the highest decide in June, Dybantsa walked on stage, shook NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s hand and headed to ESPN’s set for an interview. By the point he took his seat, his first NBA rookie card was made. Dybantsa then signed it dwell on air.
“It was loopy. I do not even know the way they did it, to be sincere,” he mentioned. “I simply took the image, walked the stage. I do not know the way they acquired the cardboard that quick, but it surely was tremendous thrilling. … I hope to get it sooner or later, however another person may.”
Being a Topps cowl athlete ought to presumably give Dybantsa the higher hand on securing the cardboard. It might solely be acceptable, particularly since his curiosity in having his personal card has intensified.
Attending Fanatics Fest added to that need.
“You find yourself going to that little space the place they promote all of the playing cards. And then you definitely simply have individuals bidding, individuals bidding for my card and it is like now I need to get into it,” he mentioned. “I need to gather my very own card. So the dude was really in a position to assist me out and get my first signed card.”
Dybantsa presently owns most likely 100 “essential” playing cards, that means numbered or signed ones. There are visions for a collectibles room in his home with signed jerseys and “playing cards would for certain be part of that,” he mentioned.
It would not simply be basketball ones, both. He highlighted that he owns considered one of France and Paris Saint-Germain soccer star Ousmane Dembele. He tries to gather playing cards of his mates plus former or present teammates.
Nevertheless, Dybantsa hasn’t but requested which of his Wizards teammates are into gathering.
“I will determine it out,” he mentioned. “Might need to make some trades.”
