Topps and Bob Ross Estate Team Up for New NBA ‘Joy of Basketball’ Trading Cards
Topps is bringing Bob Ross to basketball. The company announced a new partnership with the estate of the legendary painter for Topps x Bob Ross: The Joy of Basketball, an upcoming NBA trading card set that will combine basketball with the landscapes and visual style closely associated with Ross.
“Happy Little Trees!” Topps wrote in announcing the collaboration. “We’re honored to partner with the estate of Bob Ross to create a set of incredibly special NBA trading cards.”
Topps says the product is coming soon, but has not yet announced a release date, box configuration, pricing or full checklist.
The Joy of Basketball takes a concept Topps has already used successfully with baseball and moves it to the NBA for the first time. Topps originally launched The Joy of Baseball in 2023 through a collaboration with Major League Baseball and the Bob Ross estate. The cards placed players against scenic landscapes inspired by Ross’ artwork, creating a trading card design that looked noticeably different from a traditional sports set.
Topps brought the concept back with 2025 Topps x Bob Ross: The Joy of Baseball. That release featured current stars and baseball legends against forests, lakes, mountains and skies associated with Ross’ painting style. The set included autographs, numbered parallels, short prints and inserts, along with a one-of-one Bob Ross cut signature.
The baseball collection also made liberal use of Bob Ross references in its card names. Inserts included Budding Talents, Beauty Is Everywhere and Happy Mistakes, while the cards themselves blended sports photography with the type of peaceful landscapes that became synonymous with The Joy of Painting.
Topps’ initial announcement does not reveal which NBA players will appear in The Joy of Basketball or what parallels, inserts and autograph cards will be included. It also has not said whether Bob Ross himself will appear on cards in the new set. The sample cards shown with the announcement included cards featuring Cooper Flagg, Victor Wembanyama, Stephen Curry, and Jalen Brunson.
The company’s decision to expand the concept into basketball comes as Topps continues to build out its NBA card business. The Bob Ross collaboration gives it another way to approach basketball cards beyond traditional photography and designs, while also bringing an established Topps crossover brand into a new sport.