So, the NBA draft rolled around again this year, and like always, there was a lot of noise online. Amidst all that, I kept seeing mentions of these Topps Now cards specifically for the draft picks. I’d seen Topps Now for other sports moments, you know, the ones they print right after something big happens and only sell for like 24 or 48 hours. Never really jumped on it before.
This time, though, with all the hype around certain players, I got curious. Decided I’d check it out properly. So, right after the draft finished, maybe the next morning, I went over to the Topps website. Had to poke around a bit to find the NBA section and then the ‘Now’ stuff.
Finding the Draft Cards
There they were. Pictures of the top guys holding up their new team jerseys moments after getting picked. It’s kind of a neat idea, capturing that exact moment almost instantly on a card. They had the big names, obviously, the lottery picks mostly. The clock was already ticking on the site, showing how much time was left to order. That definitely creates a bit of pressure, makes you think you’ll miss out if you don’t act fast.
I scrolled through the options. Let’s see, who did I actually grab?
- The number one pick, naturally. Seemed like a must-have just because.
- A couple of other guys I liked or thought might have a good rookie year.
- Didn’t go crazy, just picked a few singles. Didn’t bother with bundles or anything.
Ordering and Waiting
The ordering process itself was pretty standard. Added the cards to my cart, checked out, paid. No real drama there, which is always good. Then came the waiting part. See, with these Topps Now things, they print them after the sales window closes. They print exactly how many were ordered, plus maybe a few extras for damages or whatever. So it’s not like they ship the next day.
It took a few weeks, maybe three or four? Can’t recall exactly. Long enough that I’d almost forgotten I ordered them until the shipping notification popped up. The package arrived in a simple bubble mailer, nothing fancy.
The Cards Themselves
Pulled them out. They looked… alright. Pretty much like the pictures online. Standard card stock, decent photo quality capturing that draft night moment. It’s cool having a card commemorating Day 1 for these guys. They have the Topps Now logo, the date, and usually the print run number on the back, showing how many were made. Mine had print runs in the thousands, which isn’t super rare, but still kind of limited compared to regular base cards released later.
So, what’s the verdict? Was it worth it? Eh, maybe. It was kind of fun to participate in that immediate post-draft buzz and get a collectible tied directly to that event. The cards themselves aren’t spectacular, just basic cardboard really. But the concept is the main draw.
I still have them sitting in a box somewhere. Haven’t looked up their value or anything, probably not much right now. It was more about capturing the moment. Would I do it again next year? Possibly, if there’s a lot of hype or a player I’m really interested in. It’s not a bad way to get an early card of a top rookie, even if you have to wait a bit for it to show up.
