Cooper Flagg 1-of-1 Rookie Debut Patch Autograph Card Headed to Fanatics Collect Auction
One of the biggest cards from Topps basketball’s first Rookie Debut Patch Autograph release is officially heading to auction. Fanatics Collect announced Friday that the 1-of-1 Cooper Flagg Rookie Debut Patch Autograph card will headline its September Premier Auction, which runs from September 10 through September 24. The card pairs Flagg’s autograph with the actual Debut Patch worn on his jersey during his first NBA game with the Dallas Mavericks.
Flagg won’t be alone. Fanatics Collect says the same auction will include the 1-of-1 Rookie Debut Patch Autographs for Dylan Harper and Kon Knueppel, bringing three of the most closely watched cards from the 2025 rookie class into the same sale. Fanatics Collect’s homepage is already promoting the trio together under its upcoming September Premier Auction. Each card combines a rookie’s autograph with the unique patch worn during that player’s first NBA game, making every Rookie Debut Patch Autograph a true one-of-one.
The upcoming sale marks the latest chapter in a card that has been closely followed throughout the summer. In July, CollectiblesNews.com reported on Flagg signing the one-of-one NBA Debut Patch Autograph card at Fanatics Fest, setting up what would become one of the biggest basketball card chases of the year.
Interest only grew when the Dallas Mavericks entered the hunt themselves. On August 6, the team announced a major bounty for the card, offering the collector who pulled it a package of Mavericks experiences and memorabilia in exchange for the one-of-one card.
Just four days later, the search was over. The Flagg Rookie Debut Patch Autograph was pulled during a break in Rhode Island on August 10, ending one of the most closely watched chases surrounding the inaugural NBA Rookie Debut Patch program. Rather than disappearing into a private collection, the card will now likely be breaking auction records through Fanatics Collect.
The Harper and Knueppel cards give the auction two more important pieces from the same debut class and should provide an interesting comparison when bidding concludes. With all three being one-of-one cards built around game-worn debut patches, their final prices could offer an early indication of how collectors value the new NBA Rookie Debut Patch concept.
The auction also comes as Fanatics Collect continues adding new ways for collectors to acquire and manage physical cards through its platform. On August 27, Topps debuted Instant Packs through the Fanatics Collect, allowing users to digitally open $100 packs containing four actual physical 2025-26 Topps Chrome Black Basketball cards. The cards revealed during an Instant Pack opening are real physical cards that are automatically placed in the collector’s Fanatics Collect Vault, where they can be held, sold or shipped home. The format also includes parallels exclusive to Instant Packs.