2022-23 NBA Hoops hobby cases made their way to the shop this week. I have always been a fan of the classic card line all the way back to 1989-90 when I was chasing the super popular David Robinson rookie card. Some newer, higher end products are great, but I love brands with a strong tradition behind them and Hoops has survived quite nicely over the decades.
This year’s box features top pick Paolo Banchero of the Orlando Magic on the front.
NBA fans and collectors eagerly await the new draft picks first appearance in their new NBA uniforms and Hoops, on top of being a classic, flagship line, has always been one of, if not the first, to offer the young bucks in their new threads.
There are 24 eight-card packs per box and one autograph, on average. There are no memorabilia cards among the promised content this year. Each pack seems to consist of four or five veterans, one of the throwback designed cards, a rookie or two and then an insert to finish off the pack.
We actually hit our autograph in the very first pack in the form of San Antonio Spurs rookie Malaki Branham. It’s a sticker auto but set against a rich, color burst backdrop.
Branham has seen decent minutes for the Spurs in his rookie season and had a 20-point game last month. He’s increased his scoring output in each month since November. The color on this Rookie Ink card certainly isn’t your father’s Hoops.
Speaking of shiny color…
The first pack also featured our first Jamtastic featuring one of the greatest dunkers of all time in Dominique Wilkins. This is a sharp, foil insert that showcases many of the best dunkers of all time.
In the first pack we also saw the first 1992-93 Hoops throwback design, featuring Vince Carter. These are a 30-year homage to the 1992-93 Hoops set that featured rookie cards of all time greats Shaquille O’Neal, Alonzo Mourning and others.
Early on we got a Hoopla card of Dallas Mavs superstar Luka Doncic. This insert is a popular one among Hoops collectors.
We pulled one of the Zero Gravity inserts that featured Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid. Panini likes space themed cards and this is another one in that line–designed as though the player is in a spaceship with the universe outside the window.
It was about that time that we got our first look at rookie star Paolo Banchero in the form of one of the 1992-93 throwback cards. Banchero has had a phenomenal rookie season to this point and the image on this card is terrrific.
We saw a few of the Road to the Finals numbered cards including a Jrue Holiday. After a few dead packs we saw our first card of Milwaukee Bucks rookie MarJon Beauchamp as well as a Kevin Durant red back card.
Shortly after we saw another Road to the Finals numbered card of Steph Curry. Although this one is numbered out of 2022, it’s always nice to see a numbered Curry card.
We managed to find a few Jaden Ivey rookie cards including the base and the throwback and then pulled a throwback of injured rookie Chet Holmgren. There were high hopes for the slim tower but he will miss the entire season.
There was a nice selection of inserts and numbered cards including Jamal Murray and Rudy Gay.
Like I mentioned earlier, it’s always great to see the rookies in their pro uniforms for the first time and this box offered its usual mix of rookies, quality inserts, some color and a few serial numbered cards. While our autograph isn’t a big one, for $120 per box or so, 2022-23 Hoops delivers what it usually does and Hoops cards of those who become superstars are still sought after by collectors.
Check out sports card boxes in Sports Zone’s online store here.
