In an arena rife with excitement and expectation, Cooper Flagg has dribbled his way into the annals of basketball history—sniping the coveted position as the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Selected by the Dallas Mavericks, who have had more than their fair share of headlines this season thanks to their seismic decision to trade the indomitable Luka Doncic, Flagg is being hailed as a franchise savior. In the vibrant tapestry of endless sports narratives, few are more captivating than a team’s rebirth or an individual’s journey to the pinnacles of success. With Cooper Flagg, both come to life splendidly.
The Mavericks, having pressed the proverbial reset button, now envision a bright future sculpted around their new star—a prospect buzzed about in gymnasiums and front offices alike for years. But as the spotlight of success shines brightly on Dallas, another sector of society basks in its warm glow: the world of collectors. Engineers of nostalgia, students of sporting history, and lovers of lore—collectors form their own unique base where history is hallowed and prized. Enter Cooper Flagg and Topps NOW, with the release of what is poised to become an iconic basketball card.
For those innocently unaware of the kerfuffle surrounding Topps NOW cards, allow a brief initiation. These are not your typical mass-market releases filling shelves in plastic wrap. Instead, Topps NOW cards operate under a “print-on-demand” model ravenously tied to significant sports milestones. These cards are released for a limited time with numbers often dictated by demand. For collectors, a Topps NOW card represents more than laminated paper and ink; it’s tangible memorabilia encasing fleeting moments of triumph and history.
In Flagg’s case, Topps has released a masterpiece for both basketball devotees and card-collecting enthusiasts. The headline act of this release is a remarkable 1/1 autographed card with the inscription “1st Overall Pick.” But for those seeking investment opportunities as diverse as a portfolio curated by Warren Buffett, several tiers of autographs via redemption grace the set, numbered to various degrees of rarity including /25, /10, /5, and the exclusive 1-of-1. Particularly special are two cards of the /10 variety, adorned with the words, “My First Pro Auto,” offering collectors a definitive blend of scarcity and historical significance.
For those whose predilections run to the aesthetic rather than the autographed, Flagg’s vision quest shines in foil parallels—the Art Deco of the basketball card world. These base cards, much like cherished jewels of nobility, are meticulously set in numbered variations including /99, /75, /50, /25, /10, /5, and one lonely 1/1 FoilFractor parallel.
The anticipation surrounding Flagg’s foray into the professional sports card realm isn’t whimsically born of post-draft euphoria. Even before the draft night’s resplendence illuminated both TV screens and social media feeds, the Flagg phenomenon was already setting ablaze conversations in the card world. His Bowman cards and Topps Basketball McDonald’s All American issues have been trading hands like whispers in a scandal, becoming sought-after relics of a young prodigy’s burgeoning career. Earlier in this auspicious year, Flagg inked an exclusive, career-defining deal with Topps and Fanatics—a move that elevated him into the constellations of premier sports card collectibles.
With his quintessential Topps NOW debut, Flagg launches himself into what seems an infinite universe of professional scrapbook aficionado-stardom. For some collectors, it’s the perfect moment to add an invaluable piece to their “personal collection” (PC, as the initiated know it). For others, shrewdly speculative in bent, this release may be a fortuitous harbinger of lucrative future trade prospects. Either way, the sirens of investment fondly echo Flagg’s entry into the NBA cardboard journey.
This monumental first pro card for Flagg remains available until June 29 at 8:10 PM EST, and it has already etched itself into the volatile yet richly rewarding lexicon of the 2025 draft class. Demand is expected to spike, and sooner rather than later, this exemplifying collectible will become a cherished hallmark for both Maverick fans and collectors of sports lore. The hype train that carries this card has left the station, with Flagg firmly poised at its helm, skyward-bound to a legendary realm where knights wield basketballs and treasure collects its legend.