Cooper Flagg’s rookie debut patch card is headed to auction with a price tag that sounds more like a typo than a real number.
The Topps NBA Debut Patch card tied to Flagg - a one-of-one featuring the game-worn patch from his rookie debut and his autograph - is expected to bring in $8,040,000 at Fanatics Collect. That makes it the headliner in a market where rarity is doing the heavy lifting and collectors are paying up for pieces that simply do not exist anywhere else.
Flagg isn’t the only rookie drawing huge money. Spurs guard Dylan Harper’s card is projected at $2,880,000, while Hornets guard/forward Kon Knueppel’s is expected to land at $2,340,000. Cedric Coward and Ace Bailey are also in the mix, with their cards pegged at more than $1.5 million each.
Those numbers are staggering, especially for Flagg’s card. Even the secondary prices in this group are eye-popping, and the gap between Flagg and the rest shows just how much buzz surrounds the Mavericks sensation. He has been good as advertised, and the expectation around his sophomore year is already massive.
Topps rolled out its Rookie Debut Patch program in 2023, starting with MLB. The concept later expanded to Major League Soccer in December 2024, then to the NBA in 2025.
The NFL joined this season as well, with Fernando Mendoza and the bulk of the 2026 class receiving debut patches. Because each card is one-of-one, the market has treated them like premium chase items from the jump.
For now, the attention is on how high Flagg’s card will climb when the bidding is done. If the projections hold, the number will be unlike anything collectors are used to seeing for a rookie patch card.
In Other News...
Cooper Flagg Mania Is Already Reaching Another Level In Dallas
Cooper Flaggs arrival in Dallas is already spilling far beyond the court, with his one-of-one Topps Rookie Debut Patch Autograph card drawing jaw-dropping attention before he has even settled into an NBA routine. The card, which features a patch from the jersey he wore in his debut, sold for $8.04 million in Fanatics Collects September Premier Auction and set five records, including the highest price ever for a basketball card featuring a single player and for a Mavericks card.
It was graded Gem Mint 10 by PSA and became the latest symbol of how quickly Flagg has turned into a national obsession. The sale also topped every previous Rookie Debut Patch card price, a reminder that the hype around Dallas newest centerpiece is now extending well beyond ticket sales and into the high-end collectibles world. [Read more 🡒]
Dwight Powell Is Back But Dallas Has A Real Roster Question
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What makes the situation worth watching is that Powell arrives in camp without a contract slot currently attached to him, a reminder that Dallas is carrying more than just basketball decisions into October. The Mavs know what Powell has meant to the organization over the years, and his presence gives them another experienced veteran in the room, but it also leaves a real roster question hanging over how the team wants to handle the last part of its build. [Read more 🡒]
Kyrie Irvings Return Puts A New Mavericks Reality Into Focus
Kyrie Irving is set to return to NBA action after an 18-month absence, and his comeback arrives at a moment when the Mavericks are trying to settle into a new shape around him. After tearing his left ACL, Irving spent the last stretch working his way back with the expectation that Dallas will keep an eye on his workload, but the bigger takeaway is that he now looks ready to rejoin the team as more than just a scorer. He has talked through the recovery process as something that tested him and left him determined to make an impact again.
For Dallas, the timing matters because Irvings return restores one of the leagues most skilled guards to a roster that has been waiting a long time to see what this version of the team can become. Irving has said he is prepared to contribute as a player and as a leader, and the Mavericks will now have to sort out how quickly he can slide back into rhythm while the seasons bigger questions keep moving around him. The health part is only the start - what comes next is how the team adapts to having him back in the picture. [Read more 🡒]