Fresh off being the top pick of the 2026 NBA draft, AJ Dybantsa was named cover athlete of 2026 Topps Flagship Basketball, the company announced on Monday. Pre orders are set to be available on Oct. 6.\n\nThe Washington Wizards rookie never imagined being on a Topps cover, he told ESPN. "Topps has been in the business for such a long time, putting out cards before I was born," the 19-year-old told ESPN. "So the fact that I'm a cover athlete, I don't take it lightly. I'm very grateful and appreciative for it."\n\nDybantsa is the second consecutive top overall pick to be the cover athlete, with Dallas Mavericks star Cooper Flagg getting the honors last year.

Flagg and Dybantsa are both from the New England area. The Topps Flagship Basketball boasts 20 cards per box with 12 cards per pack. Following Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson went No. 2 to the Utah Jazz, Cameron Boozer went No. 3 to the Memphis Grizzlies and the Chicago Bulls took Caleb Wilson at No. 4.\n\nAutographed cards of rookies, veterans and legends are included.

There are also new inserts, including a first-ever Gold one-of-one All Kings parallel, according to Fanatics. Dybantsa currently owns probably 100 "important" cards, meaning numbered or signed ones.