Splitting Picks: Upper Deck, Topps Fight Over NBA Rookies

While Upper Deck fights to win the battle for Topps, the two rivals have been trying to win over the NBA’s new draft class.

Agents were busy cooking up endorsement deals for the NBA’s top draft picks even before last week’s selections were made.

Upper Deck announced it has added several rookies to join Kevin Durant (Seattle #2) on its roster of exclusive autographs for the coming season. While Topps signed #1 overall pick Greg Oden, they weren’t able to snare his Ohio State teammate Mike Conley Jr. The point guard drafted #3 by Memphis is an Upper Deck man. UD also signed Florida’s Al Horford (Atlanta #3), Jeff Green (Boston, #5), Corey Brewer (Minnesota #7), Joakim Noah (Chicago #9) and Kansas’ Julian Wright (New Orleans #13).

The players will be making their Upper Deck/Fleer basketball debut in Fleer Ultra SE Basketball this September.

Topps had already signed Oden, North Carolina’s Brandan Wright (Charlotte #8), Chinese sensation Yi JianLian (Milwaukee #6) and USC’s Nick Young (Washington #13). The four made their Topps debut in the online-only draft day edition cards Topps offered last Friday.

Oden’s deal with Topps was for three years at $3 million.

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