Victor Wembanyama 2022-23 Bowman Chrome University Prospect Autographs Green Refractor 25/99 #101 PSA 10 & PSA/DNA 10 | On-Card Autograph | 1st Bowman | MBA Gold Diamond

When fans and your future competitors, including perhaps the best basketball player ever, are debating whether to call you a unicorn or an alien, you know you are a special athlete.

The offered card is perhaps the best conditioned example on the planet of a card that energized the hobby thanks to its subject Victor Wembanyama, the best prospect the NBA has seen since LeBron James, its being the second autographed release of Wemby available to hobbyists, its status as the first Chrome autograph available of the sport’s top prospect and the 1st Bowman stamp that accompanies it, its low serialization, and a special inscription included on one of the 99 prints. 

LeBron James gave Victor Wembanyama his “Alien” nickname after the first of Wemby’s two exhibition games pitting his French outfit Metropolitans 92 against the NBA G League’s Ignite in October of 2022. Despite a 122-115 loss, Wembanyama shined. He scored 37 points, including seven three-pointers, and recorded five blocks. Wemby and his Metropolitans 92 took the second game 112-106 with Wemby leading the charge. Wemby scored 36 points to go along with 11 rebounds, showing why he was already expected to be selected with the first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft while kicking the hype train fully into gear. NBA players took notice of both his skill as well as his size, and the NBA knew he would be box office before he stepped foot on an NBA floor. Later in October, they announced that they would broadcast every Metropolitans 92 game of both the regular season and playoffs. The basketball world simply could not wait for him to don an NBA jersey. 

Neither could the world of trading cards. Wemby saw his first licensed card produced for Sports Illustrated for Kids in January 2023, followed shortly by his inclusion in the French SlamDeck Team France product. 

While these were released before the Draft Lottery would tell basketball fans where Wembanyama would suit up next season, Wembanyama’s first randomly inserted, pack pulled licensed cards appeared just days after the world found out: he would be following in the footsteps of David Robinson and Tim Duncan as a first overall pick for the San Antonio Spurs.

His first pack pulled licensed cards in the form of redemption autographs in 2022-23 Bowman University Inception, which had no base version in the product. However, it was Wemby’s second licensed pack-pulled release that set the hobby world on fire.

On May 15, 2023, the day before the NBA Draft Lottery and days before the release of Bowman University Inception, Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin shared a picture featuring himself, Mike Mahan, and Victor Wembanyama, with Wemby holding the 01/99 print of the offered card. On it, he had inscribed “1st card I ever signed.” 

The photo sent a shockwave through the hobby. Packed out as a redemption in Bowman Chrome University, the redemption cards for green refractors became some of the most sought after hits in the hobby when they were released on June 2, 2023. Topps announced that they would decide the winner of the special inscription in a live event on September 23, 2023, open to those who had submitted their redemptions by September 8, 2023. Thanks to the hobby event that this card became, each of the 99 examples evokes the excitement and hype that only a talent like Victor Wembanyama and a moment like his introduction to the hobby and the NBA can provide.

The offered print of this historic card has been assessed by PSA and received a Gem Mint 10 card grade. PSA/DNA has awarded the autograph a Gem Mint 10 autograph as well. At the time of cataloging, of the 20 prints to receive both a card and autograph grade, this stands as one of only 10 to receive a PSA 10 card grade. 

In addition to its PSA 10 designation, the card offers another attestation to its impeccable quality: the Mike Baker Authenticated (MBA) Gold Diamond. Reserved for only the top 5% of quality within an assigned grade, the MBA Gold Diamond highlights cards that are worthy of technical grade increases of 0.5 or more in the opinion of MBA. This example stands alone as the only example ever offered a Pristine grade by MBA, which in that population report sits above a Gem Mint 10, and is the lone example to receive a diamond certification at the time of cataloging.

The PSA certificate number for this card is: 95452101.

This card has also been assessed by Mike Baker Authenticated (MBA) and been awarded with an MBA Gold Diamond. The card is searchable on the MBA website under the PSA certificate number.

Going Deeper - Victor Wembanyama

The Number 1 Pick

On May 16th, 2023 the San Antonio Spurs won the NBA Draft Lottery for the third time in franchise history, earning the right to select first and secure a franchise player that will shape the team’s success for years to come. A month later, on June 22, they selected Victor Wembanyama, a 19-year-old professional player from France with a height of 7’4'' and an 8-foot wingspan. His raw natural physical talents were noticeable at age 14, and in just a few years was already projected as the #1 pick in the draft.

Wemby gained his first professional experience with Nanterre 92 at age 15, eventually signing a contract for three years with ASVEL in the EuroLeague, where his game began to rapidly develop. After his first season, he opted out of contract to sign with Metropolitans 92 of the LNB Pro A League, catching the attention of the American media while playing two exhibition games against NBA G-League ignite, where he dominated both games scoring 37 and 36 points, respectively, putting him on the NBA map. He proceeded to dominate the league in the 2022-2023 season, winning many accolades including becoming the youngest to win League MVP. 

At 7’4”, Wemby is considered the tallest in the NBA at the time of his debut at age 19, already being compared to the NBA’s top long-range shooters, ball handlers, shot blockers, and passers. The scouts describe him as offensively skilled both in the paint and on the perimeter, with impressive dribbling and ball control for a man of his size. He also rates high defensively, with the ability to pivot and move smoothly, and his significant height advantage makes him a premier shot blocker.

Wemby made history as the first French player to win Rookie of the Year, and stands as one of only six players in NBA history to win the award unanimously. Wemby was also the first rookie and youngest player ever named to the All-Defensive 1st Team, was named to the All-Rookie First Team, and led the league in blocks. Over the summer, he was named to the 2024 French Olympic Team where he led his nation in scoring (15.8 points), rebounding (9.7 rebounds), and playmaking (3.3 assists) on a per game basis on their way to a silver medal. 

Wembanyama followed up his stellar rookie year with his first 50 point game on November 13, 2024 against the Washington Wizards, thanks to a career best 8 made threes. In doing so he became the youngest player to hit 50 points in a game since Devin Booker in 2017. Wemby also earned his first All-Star nod, and despite being sidelined with Deep Vein Thrombosis in February still managed to lead the league in total blocks and blocks per game while playing more than 1,000 minutes less than his next closest competitor. Wemby has been fully cleared to return and looks set to dominate a league that thus far has had no answers for him.