LeBron James’ free agency decision was one of the biggest stories of the NBA offseason, but the first outlet to reveal it wasn’t a reporter or the league – it was Topps trading cards.
The company announced James’ reported two-year agreement with the Philadelphia 76ers through a collaborative Instagram post with the four-time MVP before any NBA insider broke the news.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the signing shortly afterward, but Topps’ post appeared nearly a minute earlier.
The announcement featured what looked like a signed one-of-one LeBron trading card, leading to speculation that the reveal had been planned well in advance.
Sources told The New York Post that the card is authentic but has not yet been autographed.
Instead, the image was digitally altered to show what James’ signature will eventually look like, with the actual autograph expected to be added in the coming days.
Neither the NBA nor the 76ers immediately acknowledged the signing on social media, even as the news spread across the basketball world.
The unusual rollout came shortly after James appeared at Fanatics Fest in New York, where he participated in a live recording of his Mind the Game podcast.
Fanatics, which purchased Topps for $500 million in 2022, has close ties to both James and CEO Michael Rubin.
During Fanatics Fest, James also fueled speculation by saying he wanted to join a team that would “trust the process,” echoing the famous slogan associated with the 76ers.
Rubin and James were also seen together at a private event in New York last week, adding to the belief that the announcement had been carefully coordinated.
How Topps beat everyone to the LeBron James-76ers decision – and blindsided NBA https://t.co/Ybdcsp1hsA pic.twitter.com/6nLyGLu3RW
— New York Post (@nypost) July 24, 2026
