Cole Anthony

To Caeden, From Cole

A rookie card that stopped being about the game the moment he wrote my name on it.

Last season, the Magic traded Cole away. Before he left, there was a send-off at a local park here in Orlando so people could say goodbye, and I went with my older brother Christian, who's thirteen.

I brought my 2020-21 Panini Prizm rookie card, the one with him going up for a shot in his Magic jersey. I wasn't expecting much more than a quick autograph in a long line. But Cole didn't just sign it. He talked to me for a little while, asked me about being a fan, and then he wrote "To Caeden" right across the card before he signed his name.

Grown-ups talk about rookie cards like Cole's like they're worth something. And maybe this one is. But that's not really what I think about when I look at it. I think about a guy who was leaving the team I loved, who still stopped and made time for one more kid in line. That's not something you can put a price on.

The card is on display in my room, and it's not going anywhere.

Players get traded. Teams change.
But some signatures are for keeps.

Christian, Caeden, and Cole Anthony, Dr. James R. Smith Neighborhood Center — August 10, 2025, at a 50 Ways Foundation event.

Caeden and Cole Anthony on the court, with Christian behind — September 15, 2024, at Cole Anthony's Youth Basketball Camp, Orlando.