The Worst NBA Autographs From Trading Cards

In an era where sports cards and autographs can sell for thousands, some NBA players seem to think a single line or random squiggle counts as a signature. Collectors spend real money chasing these cards, only to find what looks like an EKG reading or a doodle from study hall.

In this post, we’re ranking the worst NBA autographs, the signatures that make you wonder if the marker ran out of ink or if the player just ran out of patience. These are also some of the worst athlete signatures across any sport.

Note: The specific autographs shown here represent certain signing periods. Many athletes evolve their signatures over time. These examples are snapshots, not permanent reflections of each player’s autograph legacy.

15. Josh Howard

Howard’s “signature” starts as a potential “J” and immediately gives up. Smooth, sure, but it’s basically line art pretending to be an autograph.

14. Coby White

Coby’s “Cw” signature is short and simple, but unlike most on this list, it actually feels intentional. The letters flow naturally, giving it a smooth, balanced look that’s clean without feeling rushed. It’s still minimal, but there’s a touch of style.

13. Jalen Williams

Jalen’s autograph looks okay at first glance, a quick, looping stroke with solid flow, but once you try to decipher it, you’re left guessing. There’s no trace of a “J” or a “W,” just an elegant squiggle that could belong to anyone.

12. Rodney Carney

Rodney’s autograph looks less like “RC” and more like a tangle of rushed lines fighting for space. There’s movement and energy, but absolutely no structure, it’s the kind of signature that makes you tilt your head and squint, hoping to find a letter hiding somewhere. It’s chaotic, messy, and almost artistic in how little it resembles an actual name.

11. OG Anunoby

OG’s autograph looks like he started writing something meaningful, then remembered he had 500 more stickers to sign. The result is what kind of resembles “Og,” but after that it looks more like a rushed doodle than an actual name.

10. RJ Barrett

RJ doesn’t bother with much flair, he just prints “RB” like he’s labeling a lunchbox. It’s readable, but it feels more like something you’d sign on a delivery receipt than something meant for a collectible card. There’s zero flow or creativity, just two capital letters sitting there.

9. Keon Johnson

Keon’s autograph follows the same playbook as RJ Barrett’s, two printed initials and nothing more. His “KJ” is clean and readable, but completely devoid of personality. It’s efficient, but there’s no flow, no flair, and definitely no autograph magic, just another case of “print it and move on.”

8. Jonathan Kuminga

Kuminga keeps it in the same family as RJ Barrett and Keon Johnson, just initials and out. His “JK” is legible but uninspired, the kind of signature that feels more like a time-saving shortcut than something meant for collectors.

7. Maurice Ager

Maurice Ager’s autograph doesn’t just phone it in, it sends a text. It’s literally just the letter “A,” drawn with all the enthusiasm of someone initialing a receipt. There’s no attempt at a last name, no flourish, just one letter waving the white flag of effort. It’s the kind of signature that makes you wonder if he finished the rest of it on another card.

6. Demar DeRozan

DeRozan’s autograph is one continuous swoop that starts with confidence and ends with confusion. It’s smooth but it looks more like a warm-up drill for his wrist than an actual signature. There isn’t a single recognizable letter in sight, just a graceful curve gliding across the sticker as if to say, “Good enough."

5. Moritz Wagner

Moritz Wagner’s autograph looks like he signed it while the card was sliding off the table. It’s a quick zigzag that might technically form an “M” and a “W,” but you’d need imagination to see it. There’s no rhythm or identity, just three jagged peaks racing to get the signing session over with.

4. AJ Johnson

AJ Johnson’s autograph looks like it was signed in a hurry to beat the buzzer. There’s no flair, no flow, just the bare minimum required to qualify as an autograph. It’s so empty it feels more like a warm-up scribble than something meant to live on a trading card.

3. Saddiq Bey

Saddiq Bey’s autograph looks like he started to sign, sneezed, and decided that was good enough. It’s a line with no beginning, no end, and definitely no letters. There’s nothing recognizable about it, not an “S,” not a “B,” not even a hint of intent. It’s the kind of signature that makes you double-check the sticker to make sure it isn’t just a printing error.

2. Rui Hachimura

Rui Hachimura’s autograph barely exists. It’s a soft, looping curve that could just as easily be a checkmark or the start of a cursive “L.” There’s no “R,” no “H,” and no effort, just a single, graceful line coasting across the sticker like he was testing whether the pen still worked.

1. Cam Reddish

Cam Reddish’s autograph is so flat it could double as a horizon line. It glides straight across the sticker with the spark of someone dragging a pen across paper out of boredom. There’s no rise and no attempt at a letter, just a tired stroke that looks like it gave up halfway through. It’s less of an autograph and more of a visual sigh.