The NBA is sticking with Panini. The league and the trading card maker announced what they called a “long-term, multiyear extension” of the exclusive trading card contract first signed in 2009. The deal means Panini won’t be facing any competition from other trading card makers for at least the next several years. It’s the second renewal of the agreement … [Read more...]
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Best Russell Westbrook Rookie Cards
If you’ve been holding Russell Westbrook rookie cards, your patience is now paying off. With the Oklahoma City Thunder guard joining Oscar Robertson as the only players to average a triple-double, his rookie cards are now among the elite. Below is a sampling of some of his rookie cards--autographed and non-autographed and at the bottom a list of which … [Read more...]
Five Affordable, Cool Vintage Basketball Cards
Unlike baseball cards--and even their football cousins--basketball cards don't even begin to cover the game's history. There were no mainstream complete sets before 1957 and only one in the first nine years of the '60s. There's even a gap in the 1980s when the pro game struggled so much, the NBA Finals were on tape delay and the league couldn't score a trading … [Read more...]
Hoops Cards on Steroids: 1976-77 Topps Basketball
You’re almost tempted to stick a stamp on the back and mail them from your favorite vacation spot. 1976-77 Topps basketball cards certainly feel like postcards. At 3 1/8” x 5 ¼” these cardboard behemoths represent the largest flagship sports card set ever made. With a deep Hall of Fame roster and just 144 cards to collect, it’s also one of the most collectible of the 1970s … [Read more...]
Select Basketball Features Varied Base, Prizms
Shots from the baseline can be exciting in basketball. Especially deep in the corner, from 3-point range. Very sweet. Panini America is putting out its own kind of base shot with its 2015-16 Select Basketball product, which is scheduled to be released on Wednesday. The Breakdown The 300-card base set will be sorted into three types of cards — Concourse, Premier Level and … [Read more...]
1973-74 Topps Basketball Set Low on Rookies; High on HOFers
The 1973-74 Topps Basketball set may never measure up to the sets produced during the golden age of basketball cards — the emergence of 1980s stars Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, followed by Michael Jordan, was a big turning point for collectors. But the set gave basketball card collectors another taste of the two-league war being waged by the NBA and the upstart ABA, … [Read more...]
Best Vintage Hoops Bargain? 1972-73 Has Doc, HOF Horde
The Doctor was in and so was the Zen Master. The ABA was back. Wheaties were in the mix and Wilt tipped it all off. The 1972-73 Topps Basketball set is a gold mine of 70s hoop goodness, even if some of the players still had their shirts on backwards. After pushing out a 233-card issue in 1971, Topps kicked it up another notch in ’72 with a tidy, 264-card … [Read more...]
2015-16 Panini Limited Marks Brand’s Return
A blast from the recent past returns to the schedule this spring. 2015-16 Panini Limited Basketball will mark its comeback effort after a three-year absence. Due out in mid-April, Limited will offer five cards per one pack box with three autograph or memorabilia cards, one base card and one insert or parallel in each. Cases will have 12 boxes. Panini says it will keep … [Read more...]
Cheap Basketball Card Boxes: Determining the Best Buy
Much like when Topps dominated the landscape in the 1970s, there is only one choice for current basketball card releases. Panini has the NBA exclusive and churns out numerous different issues at various price points during the year. While much of the discussion is about their ultra high-end brands, like Flawless and Immaculate, collectors with less disposable income have … [Read more...]
10 High Powered Vintage Basketball Cards
Basketball card collecting exploded during the 1990s, as did card production numbers. Once unappreciated cards from all eras suddenly had a big following--and bigger prices thanks to the rise of Michael Jordan, the arrival of David Robinson, the 1992 Dream Team, increased TV coverage and the convergence of numerous popular Hall of Fame players. Yet the NBA's history goes … [Read more...]
