The 2026 NBA Finals will have a new look and, eventually, a new collectible chase.
Every player in the New York Knicks-San Antonio Spurs Finals matchup will wear a “USA 250” patch on his jersey, the NBA announced on June 1. Topps added the collector hook: the patches will be removed after each game, with select game-worn patches later featured inside ultra-rare trading cards.
That means game-worn patches from Jalen Brunson, Victor Wembanyama, Karl-Anthony Towns, De’Aaron Fox and the rest of the Finals rosters could become part of a limited Topps release tied to one of the league’s most historic title matchups.
The patch is part of the NBA’s season-long celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. The league previously announced a partnership with America250 and Stand Together centered on service and volunteerism throughout 2026.
For fans, though, the most immediate appeal is simpler: this gives every jersey in the Knicks-Spurs Finals a built-in memorabilia story. The patch is not just a commemorative uniform detail. It is also a future game-worn trading card asset.
Topps Adds a Collectible Layer to Knicks-Spurs Finals
Topps framed the announcement as a chance for fans to own “historic cards,” and the timing is ideal for the company.
The Knicks are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. The Spurs are back on the Finals stage behind Wembanyama, the latest generational big man to lead San Antonio into a championship series. The NBA’s own Finals preview noted the obvious historical echo: the last time New York reached the Finals, San Antonio was also the opponent, with Tim Duncan filling the young franchise-player role Wembanyama now occupies.
That gives the patch cards more than a novelty angle. They are attached to a Finals rematch 27 years in the making, a Knicks team chasing its first championship in 53 years and a Spurs franchise trying to win its sixth title.
The matchup also extends the NBA’s current parity era. NBA.com noted that whoever wins will become the eighth different franchise to win the title in the last eight seasons.
Knicks Enter Finals on a Dominant Run
The Knicks’ road to the Finals has been defined by force, depth and a long-awaited payoff for a roster built around Brunson.
New York beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 130-93 to close out the Eastern Conference Finals, completing a sweep and sending the franchise back to the NBA Finals. Brunson’s series production stood at 25.5 points and 7.8 assists per game and the Knicks won all three of their playoff closeout opportunities on the road.
That matters entering the Finals because New York has not had to survive the same late-series grind as San Antonio. The Knicks arrive with rest, rhythm and a starting group that can pressure opponents in several ways: Brunson’s creation, Towns’ shooting and size, Mikal Bridges’ two-way wing play, OG Anunoby’s defense and Josh Hart’s rebounding and pace.
The Finals will test whether that balance can hold up against Wembanyama’s rim protection and San Antonio’s length. But the Knicks have already answered the bigger postseason question: whether this core could translate regular-season promise into June basketball.
GettyLAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 16: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs shoots against Karl-Anthony Towns #32, Jalen Brunson #11 and Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks in the fourth quarter of the championship game of the Emirates NBA Cup at T-Mobile Arena on December 16, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Knicks defeated the Spurs 124-113. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Spurs’ Road Ran Through the Defending Champions
San Antonio’s path was more stressful.
The Spurs entered as the No. 2 seed in the West, beat the Portland Trail Blazers in five games in the first round, handled Minnesota in the conference semifinals, then eliminated the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in a seven-game Western Conference Finals.
The clincher came on the road. San Antonio beat Oklahoma City 111-103 in Game 7, with NBA.com calling it a “heavyweight battle” that sent the Spurs to the Finals.
That result changes the feel of the series. The Spurs are young, but they are not arriving untested. Wembanyama has already carried a contender-level burden through a Game 7 against the defending champs. Fox has given San Antonio a veteran late-game guard. Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper have added the kind of young perimeter energy that makes the Spurs more than a one-superstar story.
The Topps patch announcement lands on top of all that: Wembanyama’s first Finals, Brunson’s first Finals as the face of the Knicks, and a rematch of the 1999 Spurs-Knicks series.
Knicks-Spurs NBA Finals Schedule Update
Game 1 is set for Wednesday, June 3, in San Antonio at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC. ESPN’s Finals coverage begins that night, with all games airing on ABC and streaming through the ESPN App.
The full schedule:
Game 1: Knicks at Spurs — Wednesday, June 3, 8:30 p.m. ET
Game 2: Knicks at Spurs — Friday, June 5, 8:30 p.m. ET
Game 3: Spurs at Knicks — Monday, June 8, 8:30 p.m. ET
Game 4: Spurs at Knicks — Wednesday, June 10, 8:30 p.m. ET
Game 5: Knicks at Spurs — Saturday, June 13, 8:30 p.m. ET, if necessary
Game 6: Spurs at Knicks — Tuesday, June 16, 8:30 p.m. ET, if necessary
Game 7: Knicks at Spurs — Friday, June 19, 8:30 p.m. ET, if necessary
For Knicks and Spurs fans, the patch will be visible from the opening tip. For collectors, the bigger wait comes later, when Topps reveals how fans can pursue the game-worn patch cards from this Finals.
Knicks-Spurs NBA Finals Jerseys Will Be Collectible After Topps News