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NBA rookies Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel rise as hoops, hobby stars
The headlines trumpeting Cooper Flagg’s increasingly impressive rookie season are convincing. USA Today: “Flagg Taking NBA by Storm.” Dallas News: “Could Cooper Flagg Become the First All-Star Rookie in More Than a Decade?” Yahoo Sports: “NBA Rookie Fantasy Basketball Rankings: Cooper Flagg Remains Top Dog.”
In his freshman year at Duke in 2024-25, Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks. His all-around stellar play earned consensus first-team All-American honors. From a more top-level view, the 6-9, 205-pound swingman was labeled by hoop experts as “a generational talent”—one of the most complete prospects in years, based on his repertoire of shots, slick ball-handling, defensive excellence, and court vision.
So it was no surprise that Flagg entered the NBA draft after his first year at Duke. The Mavericks took him with the overall No. 1 pick, and beyond a few speed bumps, he’s hit the ground running. Through mid-January, Flagg was averaging 19.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.3 steals and just under a block a game.
Flagg’s heady hardwood performance has translated into hobby heat. Topps chose Flagg as cover boy for its packaging and collectors are opening their wallets for his cards.
Flagg has already had cards in the major auction marketplace soar into six-figure prices. One of them—a signed Topps Chrome Silver Pack #1/1 Superfractor—sold for $180,000 at Fanatics Collect in December.
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On eBay, Flagg has elbowed his way into the stratosphere occupied by the LeBrons, Currys and Wembanyamas of the world.
• On Dec. 29, we saw a 2025-26 Flagg-signed Orange Refractor (#2/25, ungraded) sell for $26,301 on 45 bids.
• A day later, a 2025-26 Chrome Black signed rookie card (one of 10) sold for $21,000.
• A day after that, 129 bids pushed another Chrome Black Flagg rookie to $25,100.
• Earlier in December, a dozen other Flagg Topps or Topps Chrome rookies sold for prices between $10,000-$20,000.
All of which brings us to January 2026. As our charts reflect, the stakes are getting higher. At No. 5 on our Top 10 chart, you’ll see a signed Topps Chrome “Next Stop Signatures” card that soared beyond $33,000.
Our “Next 10” list boasts three more Flagg rookies that topped $20,000 or more.
If you’re getting to the party late, you’ll find that autographed cards of Flagg aren’t selling for any less than $1,000 on eBay. But keep your eyes open.
In late December and early January, we saw multiple examples of his no-frills autographed Chrome rookie card sell for around $1,000. And several examples of Topps’ Contemporary Marks signed Flagg card—issued in an edition of 50—sold for prices between $1,000 and $1,500.
TOP 10
Our monthly Top 10 of the top card sales on eBay:
1. $36,810 on 80 bids: 2003-04 Topps Chrome Refractor LeBron James (PSA 10)
2. $36,616 on 117 bids: 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection LeBron James Autograph Patch Exclusives, #5/23 (BGS 9.5, auto 10)
3. $35,655 on 33 bids: 2025 Topps Dynasty Formula 1 Lewis Hamilton, #1/1, auto patch (ungraded)
4. $35,000 on 1 bid: 1957-58 Topps Bill Russell (PSA 7)
5. $33,433 on 66 bids: 2025-26 Topps Chrome Cooper Flagg Next Stop Signatures Red Refractor, #4/5, auto (ungraded)
6. $30,500 on 32 bids: 2024-25 Panini Prizm Black Victor Wembanyama Manga (PSA 10)
7. $30,050 on 63 bids: 2024-25 Panini Prizm Black Stephen Curry Manga (PSA 10)
8. $30,000 on 30 bids: 2024-25 Panini Prizm Black Victor Wembanyama Manga (PSA 10)
9. $29,211 on 71 bids: 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan (PSA 9)
10. $27,877 on 69 bids: 2024-25 Upper Deck The Cup Macklin Celebrini Rookie Auto Patch, #72/99 (authenticated by Ai Grading)
COOPER & KON
Along with the trio of Cooper Flagg cards, notice another hot NBA rookie: Flagg’s college roommate and Duke co-star Kon Knueppel, now excelling for the Charlotte Hornets. In November, the pair became the first college teammates to win NBA Rookie of the Month honors in their respective conferences. In December, they repeated the feat.
While Flagg has been hogging more headlines, Knueppel has been every bit as effective. Through mid-January, he was averaging the exact same number of points per game—19.1—as Flagg. The 6-6, 215-pound small forward also was accounting for 5.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.
While his cards generally aren’t in Flagg’s stratosphere, the one listed on our Next 10 list below shows the potential he has within the hobby.
In fact, in December, a #1/1 dual-autographed 2025 Bowman U Now “March Madness” card inked by both Flagg and Knueppel sold in an eBay Buy It Now sale for $91,499. It was graded PSA 10, with a 10 for the autographs.
THE NEXT 10
Here’s a look at the next 10 items beyond our Top 10 list:
• $24,877 on 39 bids: 1997-98 Fleer Metal Universe Tim Duncan Precious Metal Gems, #44/50 (BGS 8.5)
• $23,988 on 18 bids: 2024-25 Panini Eminence Luka Doncic/Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Dual Autographs Gold, #4/5, autos (ungraded)
• $22,100 on 42 bids: 2024-25 Panini Eminence Pau Gasol/Marc Gasol, Dual Logoman, #1/1 (ungraded)
• $21,268 on 65 bids: 2025-26 Topps Chrome Cooper Flagg Next Stop Signatures Red Refractor, #3/5, auto (ungraded)
• $21,122 on 32 bids: 2014-15 Panini Flawless Kobe Bryant, #7/15, auto patch (ungraded)
• $21,022 on 96 bids: 2024-25 Upper Deck The Cup Macklin Celebrini Rookie, #9/10, auto patch (ungraded)
• $20,100 on 16 bids: 2025-26 Topps Chrome Cooper Flagg Rookie Black #3/10, auto (ungraded)
• $20,044 on 88 bids: 2025-26 Topps Chrome Kon Knueppel Black Refractor Geometric, #5/10, auto (ungraded)
• $20,000 on 7 bids: 2025-26 Topps Chrome Cooper Flagg Orange Refractor #4/25, auto (PSA 10)
• $19,789 on 44 bids: 2024-25 Panini LeBron James “One and One,” #1/5, auto, Logoman patch (ungraded)
