Nolan Traore has become the first NBA player to see his one-of-one Rookie Debut Patch autograph card sell, and the number attached to it was eye-catching: $26,100.
According to Card Ladder, the card went through an eBay auction that drew 75 bids before closing on Sunday, August 16, at 5:30 p.m. DCSports87, a major eBay consignor, listed the card.
What sold, though, was the redemption, not the physical card itself. The buyer will need to enter the code and wait for the actual card to be delivered.
Traore was the 19th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The French native entered the league at 19 and appeared in 31 starts for the Brooklyn Nets.
Before making the jump to the NBA, Traore had been playing professionally in France since 2021, beginning with Centre Fédéral and later finishing his overseas career with Saint-Quentin before declaring for the draft.
The 6-foot-3 point guard wrapped up his rookie season in Brooklyn with nearly nine points per game and almost four assists per game. Specifically, he finished at 8.9 points and 3.8 assists a night.
Rookie Debut Patches are small patches worn by players in their first MLB or NBA game, then turned into unique autographed cards. Topps introduced the first version of these cards in 2023 with Topps Chrome Update.
For years, MLB was the most visible home for these kinds of cards, but that’s changing as Fanatics continues building out licensing for the NFL and NBA. Topps also has Debut Patches in MLS and Formula 1, with FIFA World Cup releases planned for 2031.
The best-known Rookie Debut Patch card remains Paul Skenes. A young collector in California pulled that card, and after it earned a PSA GEM MT 10 with a 10 autograph grade, Fanatics Collect sold it for $1.11 million. Dick's House of Sport in Pittsburgh bought it.
Not every Debut Patch has to belong to a future superstar to make noise. Traore’s card cleared $25,000 even though his rookie production was modest and his 3.8 assists per game reflected the pass-first profile scouts expected.
The biggest NBA Debut Patch pull so far belongs to Cooper Flagg. Some already view him as the future face of the NBA, and the source notes that his card will surely pass Skenes' $1.11 million on the open market.
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