Random Wax: 2025-2026 Topps Basketball

25-26 Topps:  I know I continually sing Nikola Jokic's praises, but this guy is amazing.  Don't take him for granted.  We are truly seeing one of the all-time greats in the game play.  He's 29 and won't play forever.  Don't take my word for it.  Watch him.  And he is fun to watch.  He's averaging 29 PPG, 12 RPG and 10 APG this season.  For the second year in a row.

Josh Giddey is having his best season as a pro.  He's averaging 18 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists a game.  Not sure Topps did him right with this photo but it's a good story for him.

Love the horizontal cards Topps gives us.

These three haven't made a big mark on the NBA yet, but it's only their rookie seasons.

Tre Johnson is having a solid rookie season averaging double-digits for the Washington Wizards.  I like the Clutch City Prospects inserts.

This pack was a Christmas gift and I'm always happy with basketball cards.

Great looking Checklist card.

Retired greats are always fun.  And we get Oso Ighodaro on a Topps 45th Anniversary card which is a nod to the 1980-1981 Topps Basketball set.

Another good-looking Checklist card.  It'll go into my Brook Lopez collection with a nice Giannis photobomb.

An 8-Bit Baller insert for Klay Thompson.  Not a favorite of mine but I'm okay with what they are going for.  Anthony Edwards, on another checklist card, and the Minnesota Timberwolves have been a bit uneven this season but have shown they can win against the best teams in the league.  A Georgia Bulldogs alum, Edwards is having another great season.

BREAKDOWN:

36 – Total Cards

6 - Checklist

5 – RC

4 – Retired Greats

1 – 8-Bit Ballers

1 – Foil Parallel

1 – Clutch City Prospects

1 – Topps 45th Anniversary

2025-2026 Topps Basketball Holiday Mega Box

25-26 Topps Holiday:  Merry Christmas!  Jaylen Brown is having a career year.  With all the roster turnover and injuries, he's shown he can carry a team.  Surprisingly, to me anyway, the Celtics are top 4 in the Eastern Conference and Brown is the reason why.  He's averaging 29/6/4 while shooting 36% from three.

Reminiscent of 1982 Topps the Holiday flair brings some pizzaz to the 2025 Topps Basketball design.  Great pull in this box.  Nikola Jokic is leading the league in assists and rebounds and I believe he is having another MVP season.  At age 37 Steph and KD are having historic seasons for their age.

All three of these rookies are having good years with VJ Edgecombe and Derik Queen standing out.

Topps gives us horizontal shots, and this one is tons of fun.

My parallels include Blue Metallic Glitter Parallel, Light Blue and White Glitter Parallel and Glitter Parallel.  You can feel the "glitter" as it feels sprinkled on the card.

My Holiday Relic.  Khaman Maluach is seeing minimal time on the court with the Suns.

Another great photo on that Dalton Knecht card.  Deni Avdija is having a career year in Portland averaging 25 PPG, 7 RPG, and 6 APG while shooting 36% from deep.

That Cedric Coward is my SP Image Variation that comes 1:23 packs (there are 10 packs in a Mega Box).  You get one SP per Mega Box.  An easy way to determine if you have a variation is the code on the back.  Below are the codes.

Base Set — 997
Image Variations — 039
Back Variations — 040
Hidden Elf — 042

My Oversized Diecut Ornament.  I like it.  Nice holiday design.

Some big man love.

Another nice horizontal card.

I really like that Trae Young photo and card.  And I did get a Cooper Flagg.  He's having a good first year in Dallas.  I'm glad I picked this box up.  It was fun.  I hope Santa was good to you all this Christmas.

BREAKDOWN:
100 – Total Cards
20 – RC
7 – Glitter Parallels
1 – Holiday Relic
1 – SP Image Variation (1:23)
1 – Oversized Diecut Ornament
1 - Blue Metallic Glitter Holiday 
1- Light Blue and White Glitter Holiday 

2025-2026 Topps Basketball

25-26 Topps:   Topps is back in the basketball game, and I pulled a Wemby in my first pack.  He's having another amazing year.  He's not shooting as many 3's this season and his percentage is down but the rest of his game is crazy good and it's equating to wins for the Spurs.

Kawhi is dealing with injuries.  Again.  And the Clippers are struggling.  Sengun is having probably his best season with the Rockets.  He really has a nice game.  This Topps look is reminiscent of the 1982 Topps set.  The design is okay but so far it isn't overly exciting in my opinion.

Youngsters get their time to shine.  Kon Knueppel is having a great start to his rookie season averaging over 15 points per game.

With Topps basketball we get horizontal shots which is great.  I really like this Scottie Barnes photo.

Here we have 1980-81 Topps Basketball, 8-Bit Ballers, and a foil Porzingis.  That McCollum is a foil as well.  There are a thousand foil options it seems so don't ask me which foil they are.  I like the 80-81 Anniversary insert.  I think 8-Bit Ballers is popular but I'm lukewarm on it.

Most backs are in a vertical format as seen below but a few are horizontal, but I don't know why there is a difference.  The backs are a fine design, but I was really hoping to see career stats for players.  Why did Topps not put those on there like they do baseball?  A big letdown.

Overall, not that excited about this year's Topps cards but there are lots of inserts that look really cool.  Who knows if I actually pull those but that's part of the fun, and frustration, of ripping packs.

One of the two checklist cards I pulled.  These are fine and similar to what Topps does with baseball.  I would have maybe liked something a bit different but really no complaints here.

Josh Giddey is having a great year for the surprising Chicago Bulls.

Generation Now inserts are okay but don't excite me.

Love seeing retired greats.  Want to see more variety as always.  Felt like Panini got stale with who they had in their sets.  Good pull.  Fun.  Good start in Topps' return. 

BREAKDOWN:
36 – Total Cards
4 – RC
3 – Retired Greats
2 - Holo
2 - Checklist
1 – 8-Bit Ballers
1 – Generation Now
1 - 1980-81 Topps Basketball