Washington Wizards rookie AJ Dybantsa will be the cover athlete for the 2026-27 Topps Flagship Basketball set. Topps announced the news on September 28, putting the No. 1 overall pick in the spotlight before his official NBA debut. The promotional image shows Dybantsa wearing the Wizards' No. 4 jersey, giving fans an early look at him in the uniform. This honor arrives as the team looks ahead to a new season following a tough finish, including a 130-117 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 12 that capped a five-game losing streak.
Appearing on a Topps flagship product is a major nod for any player, especially one yet to play a regular-season minute. Dybantsa follows Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, last year's top pick, as the cover athlete. He told reporters the opportunity meant a lot due to Topps' long history in the sports card market. "Topps has been in the business for such a long time, putting out cards before I was born," Dybantsa said. He added he was "very grateful and appreciative" for the selection.
The 19-year-old is the headliner of the rookie checklist in the new set. He's featured alongside other top prospects like Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson and Keaton Wagler. This placement signals how prominently Topps plans to feature the Wizards rookie throughout his first professional campaign.
The 2026-27 Flagship Basketball product contains a 300-card base checklist with 40 rookies. Dybantsa's first official NBA rookie cards are part of this release. Collectors can chase several parallel versions of his card. These include Golden Mirror Image Variations, Team Color Border Variations, and Wood Variations.
Topps is also introducing Clear Variations printed on acetate and numbered to just 10 copies. Autograph content features Real One Autographs and several rookie-focused signature sets. Each Hobby Jumbo box guarantees one autograph and one relic card. For Wizards collectors, this makes Dybantsa one of the central chase cards in the entire basketball card release this year.
Topps lists October 6 as the preorder date for the 2026-27 Topps Flagship Basketball product in the U.S. The official street date is October 22. That timing means Dybantsa's flagship rookie cards will hit the market right around the start of his first NBA season with Washington.
The Wizards selected Dybantsa first overall after his single college season at BYU. He was the nation's top-ranked high school prospect before becoming the centerpiece of the franchise's rebuild. Now he adds 'Topps cover athlete' to his resume before the season tips off. The team hopes his on-court impact can help turn the page after a difficult end to the previous campaign, where they lost their final five games.
