EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFresh off being the top pick of the 2026 NBA draft, AJ Dybantsa was named cover athlete of 2026 Topps Flagship Basketball, the company announced on Monday. Pre orders are set to be available on Oct. 6.The Washington Wizards rookie never imagined being on a Topps cover, he told ESPN."Topps has been in the business for such a long time, putting out cards before I was born," the 19-year-old told ESPN. "So the fact that I'm a cover athlete, I don't take it lightly. I'm very grateful and appreciative for it."(Image courtesy of Topps)Dybantsa is the second consecutive top overall pick to be the cover athlete, with Dallas Mavericks star Cooper Flagg getting the honors last year. Flagg and Dybantsa are both from the New England area: Flagg from Newport, Maine, and Dybantsa from Boston.Their shared region is something the Wizards forward pointed out when reflecting on following Flagg up."Us both being from New England, just putting on for our side of the map," he said. "The northeast doesn't get a lot of love, other than tristate, in my opinion. So us both being from New England, trying to put on for the cities, it feels good."The Topps Flagship Basketball boasts 20 cards per box with 12 cards per pack. The collection is headlined by a strong 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 cards of rookies, as well as of veterans and legends, are included. There are also new inserts, including a first-ever Gold one-of-one All Kings parallel, according to Fanatics.And Dybantsa is the face of it, following a year where his interest in collecting cards grew. When he started signing cards, he started collecting, too, and even has two of himself -- one he bought at Fanatics Fest in July and the other he pulled randomly.Once the Wizards selected him with the top pick in June, Dybantsa walked on stage, shook NBA commissioner Adam Silver's hand and headed to ESPN's set for an interview. By the time he took his seat, his first NBA rookie card was made. Dybantsa then signed it live on air."It was crazy. I don't even know how they did it, to be honest," he said. "I just took the picture, walked the stage. I don't know how they got the card that fast, but it was super exciting. ... I hope to get it one day, but someone else might."Being a Topps cover athlete should presumably give Dybantsa the upper hand on securing the card. It would only be appropriate, especially since his interest in having his own card has intensified.Attending Fanatics Fest added to that desire."You end up going to that little area where they sell all the cards. And then you just have people bidding, people bidding for my card and it's like now I want to get into it," he said. "I want to collect my own card. So the dude was actually able to help me out and get my first signed card."Dybantsa currently owns probably 100 "important" cards, meaning numbered or signed ones. There are visions for a collectibles room in his house with signed jerseys and "cards would for sure be a part of that," he said.It wouldn't just be basketball ones, either. He highlighted that he owns one of France and Paris Saint-Germain soccer star Ousmane Dembele. He tries to collect cards of his friends plus former or current teammates.However, Dybantsa hasn't yet asked which of his Wizards teammates are into collecting."I'll figure it out," he said. "Might have to make some trades."
