​1 / 28Barstow High School hosted its football team banquet on Saturday, May 23, 2026 unveiling the highly-anticipated CIF state championship rings.(Jose Quintero, Daily Press)Long before collectors chased refractors and autographs, former Victor Valley High School standout Rudy Redmond quietly became the first known athlete with local ties to appear on a nationally distributed trading card. His lone appearance in the 1973 Topps football set, featuring him in a Detroit Lions uniform, marked the beginning of a collecting legacy.More than 50 years later, that small piece of cardboard has become the starting point of an unexpected story. A story that stretches from the NFL to MLB, to the Olympics, UFC championship fights and even professional wrestling.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe arrival of name, image and likeness (NIL) rights allowed trading card manufacturers to sign active college athletes directly, dramatically expanding the number of collegiate products entering the hobby.Today, dozens of athletes with High Desert roots have been immortalized on trading cards, creating a surprisingly rich collecting history that few people even realize exists.Three trading cards featuring High Desert athletes are pictured, boxing world champion Ryan Garcia, left, UFC fighter Dominick Reyes, center, and Major League Baseball pitcher Aaron Sanchez.Most cards sell for just a few dollars, while some can command thousands, and in the rare cases of superstars, in the millions.For athletes, appearing on a trading card has always represented something far greater than monetary value. It’s a milestone, tangible proof that a player has reached a level worthy of being remembered alongside the biggest names in their sport.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“When I signed my first card that was another big moment in my life as a professional athlete,” said UFC fighter Dominick Reyes, a Hesperia High School graduate. “I’d been immortalized in a Topps trading card. Legit. Yeah, it was an amazing moment that I am very proud of. I’m a kid who grew up in the High Desert and now I’m world renowned. God’s blessings.”More: Cody New and Jacob Webster are selected on Day 2 of the 2026 MLB DraftSo here we are. The Daily Press put together a list of High Desert athletes to be featured on nationally manufactured trading cards.Compiling that history wasn’t easy.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTracking down every athlete proved to be a challenge, requiring countless hours searching manufacturer checklists, databases and hundreds of eBay listings. While every effort was made to make this list as complete as possible, there’s always the possibility another forgotten card is still waiting to be discovered.If we missed someone, we’d love to hear from you. Email JQuintero@VVDailyPress.com, send a message on Instagram at @760Varsity, or on X, formerly Twitter, at @J0seQuintero.If one sport tells the story of the High Desert’s trading card legacy