Market outlook
Stable Outlook 5/10
Veteran Refractors usually move with player performance, team visibility, and parallel scarcity, but they rarely experience sustained demand spikes unless the player has a major postseason run, awards push, or hobby-driven narrative. The provided tracking pages show active market listings, but not evidence of breakout scarcity pricing.[1][4][6]
Next months. Likely to trade in a narrow range, with small swings based on game performance, grading results, and parallel color interest.
Long term. Likely stable to modestly volatile rather than sharply appreciating, unless Zubac’s career narrative or team success creates renewed collector attention.
History
Ivica Zubac is a Croatian professional basketball player, born in 1997 in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, who developed in the European system before reaching the NBA. He became known as a skilled, high-efficiency center for the Los Angeles Clippers, valued for rim protection, rebounding, screening, and finishing around the basket. His significance to collectors comes from being a long-tenured NBA veteran with steady on-court relevance rather than a rookie-chase profile.[3][5]
This card was first released in the 2025-26 Topps Chrome Basketball product line, where Ivica Zubac appears as card number 63 for the Los Angeles Clippers.[3] The Chrome basketball checklist shows #63 as Ivica Zubac in the 2025-26 Topps Chrome set.[3]
- Sports Card Investor tracks multiple 2025 Topps Chrome Ivica Zubac parallels and variations, indicating broad parallel coverage within the set.[1]
- Beckett’s checklist confirms Ivica Zubac as card #63 in 2025-26 Topps Chrome Basketball.[3]
- The base Refractor is generally more collectible than the standard base card because it is a chromium parallel with stronger visual appeal and lower practical availability than the plain base version.[6]
Rarity and print run
- Tier
- Uncommon
- Print run
- High
- First printed in
- 2025-26 Topps Chrome Basketball
- Demand
- Medium
- Supply
- High
- It is a Refractor parallel rather than the plain base card.
- Modern Topps Chrome basketball products generally have large print runs.
- Card #63 is a widely distributed veteran/player card, not a short-printed rookie or insert.
Collector notes
Condition. Check centering, surface scratches, print lines, roller marks, and corner whitening, which are the most common issues on Chrome-stock cards. Refractors can also show fine surface scuffs and refractor finish scratches more clearly than paper cards.
Storage. Use a penny sleeve and top loader or card saver immediately after handling, and store in a cool, dry environment away from direct light. For high-value graded candidates, avoid repeated raw handling because Chrome surfaces scratch easily.
Authenticity. Verify the card number, player/team match, refractor finish, and print quality against known checklist examples. Counterfeits of modern Chrome basketball cards often show blurry text, poor foil alignment, incorrect surface sheen, or inconsistent card stock thickness.
Sources: sportscardinvestor.com, youtube.com, beckett.com, sportscardspro.com, collectibles.com
