Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s reported second straight NBA MVP award could mean more than another trophy for the Oklahoma City Thunder star. It could also turn some 2025 Topps Chrome Basketball cards into instant store credit for collectors.
ESPN reported Sunday morning that Gilgeous-Alexander has been voted the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive season. The NBA’s official announcement was scheduled for Sunday, May 17, at 7:30 p.m. ET on Prime, with Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama among the finalists.
That timing matters for the hobby because Topps’ Chrome Basketball MVP Buyback Program is built around the 2025-26 Kia NBA MVP winner. Once the MVP is determined and the program officially opens, eligible 2025 Topps Chrome Basketball cards of the winner can be redeemed at participating hobby shops for store credit.
For collectors holding Gilgeous-Alexander cards, that makes the MVP news immediately actionable.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Cards Could Carry Buyback Value
Topps lists four main credit tiers for the NBA MVP Buyback Program: base cards at $20, refractors at $40, numbered cards greater than /100 at $100 and numbered cards less than /100 at $200. The program is for store credit, not cash.
That means a collector who pulled or bought the right Gilgeous-Alexander Topps Chrome card before the award announcement could now have a card with a fixed redemption value, depending on the version.
Topps says eligible cards include 2025 Topps Chrome base and base parallel cards of the 2025-26 Kia MVP. Only select cards of the MVP winner are eligible, so this does not apply to every Gilgeous-Alexander insert, autograph or unrelated Topps card.
The fine print matters. Topps’ FAQ says shops should not accept MVP buyback trade-ins before the official program start date, and the program is expected to begin shortly after the NBA announces the 2025-26 MVP in spring 2026. Topps also says the program will run for roughly three months.
Topps Buyback Program Turns NBA MVP Race Into a Hobby Storyline
The NBA version follows a model Topps has already used successfully in baseball, where collectors chase Topps Chrome cards of eventual MVP winners and later redeem eligible cards for store credit.
The basketball twist is that the MVP race became part of the product’s value proposition throughout the season. Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic and Wembanyama were not just award finalists. They became the players collectors had reason to stash as the season unfolded.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s case was especially strong. He averaged 31.1 points, 6.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds over 68 starts this season, while Oklahoma City prepared for the Western Conference finals against San Antonio.
That creates a clean overlap between basketball relevance and hobby relevance. Gilgeous-Alexander is not just a buyback name. He is the Thunder’s franchise player, a defending champion and, now, a back-to-back MVP.
For collectors, the next step is practical: confirm the exact card type, check Topps’ eligible-card list and wait for the official redemption window before trying to trade in cards at a participating hobby shop or authorized mail-in partner.
The buyback values will not necessarily match the open-market value of every card. Some collectors may prefer to keep premium Gilgeous-Alexander parallels, especially if they believe his long-term hobby market will continue to grow. But for base cards and common refractors, the program gives collectors a simple floor: a guaranteed store-credit offer once the program officially opens.
That is the key collector takeaway from the MVP report. Gilgeous-Alexander’s award case already mattered in Oklahoma City. Now it may also matter in card shops.
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