Topps Basketball Launch Turns Fifth Avenue Into a Hobby Frenzy

The 2025–26 Topps Basketball launch turned Fifth Avenue into a scene of collector frenzy, as fans lined up for hours—and NYPD stepped in—to celebrate the brand’s first NBA-licensed release since 2009.

Hundreds of collectors packed Fifth Avenue outside the NBA Store this morning for a moment more than fifteen years in the making—the return of licensed Topps Basketball. The long-awaited flagship launch drew such an overwhelming crowd that NYPD officers were called in to manage and eventually disperse the line, which wrapped around the block hours before events were underway.

But in true collector fashion, even a police presence couldn’t dull the energy. Fans showed up before sunrise to snag the first Topps-branded NBA cards since 2009, many calling it a “once-in-a-generation moment” for the hobby. For some, it was about nostalgia; for others, it was about being part of a piece of hobby history.

Massive lines outside the NBA Store in NYC for the launch of 2025-26 Topps Basketball. | Fanatics

A Fanatics-Fueled Homecoming

The launch marks the first NBA product under the Fanatics-Topps banner, signaling a new era for licensed basketball cards. Fanatics Collectibles CEO Michael Rubin had billed the release as a “global celebration of collecting,” with coordinated events from Beijing to Los Angeles.

In New York, the party continues tonight with a celebrity-filled event hosted by Seth Meyers and featuring Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart. Attendees can expect giveaways, free packs, and photo ops—a full-court fan experience that mirrors the company’s ambition to make collecting as mainstream as game day itself.

When Hobby Hype Meets Street Hype

If the morning’s chaos felt familiar, that’s because it echoed some of New York City’s most famous product launches. In 2005, Jeff Staple’s Nike SB “Pigeon” Dunk drop became the stuff of legend when a mob outside Reed Space forced SWAT teams to intervene — now considered the first true “sneaker riot.”

A decade later, NYPD shut down Supreme’s Nike Foamposite release for safety concerns. More recently, crowds at Flight Club’s 2024 “What the Duck” Dunks prompted police to halt the drop mid-day.

Today’s Topps scene wasn’t as extreme, but it carried the same spirit—proof that trading cards have officially joined the ranks of New York’s most hyped cultural releases. The overlap makes sense: both sneakers and sports cards live at the intersection of scarcity, storytelling, and identity. Whether it’s a 1/1 rookie patch auto or a limited-edition SB Dunk, the thrill comes from chasing something just out of reach.

A Turning Point for Collectors

For Topps, today was more than a product drop — it was a statement that the brand synonymous with baseball has fully arrived on the hardwood. With rookies like Cooper Flagg and Ace Bailey anchoring the checklist, and a wave of collectors flooding the Topps website, hobby shops, and eBay Live, basketball cards are officially back in the spotlight.

And for collectors, this was proof that the passion runs deep — deep enough to camp out, line up, and keep the energy alive even when NYPD has to call timeout.

Because for the true hobbyist, there’s no better sound than that first pack rip after a fifteen-year wait.