[qdiddy32]

Hey guys, I'm trying to get to back collecting again and I'm not sure where to start. I haven't been collecting since 2010 and I was told that Panini are the hottest products out right now. Any suggestion is welcome. always collecting Kobe, Wade, and Chris Paul but not sure who are the upcoming stars that will hold weight years from now.

Thanks advance

[ryancholden]

I'd welcome any advice too. With some great help from a few members, I have started a pretty nice basketball (mainly RC) collection (which I will mark FT later this week). But I'd love to break some wax this year, and haven't the slightest clue what to open. Thanks for asking the question @qdiddy32.

[briankort]

I don't know all the specifics, but since you left collecting Panini is all there is to collect. No more Topps, Fleer Upper Deck or any thing else for basketball. Panini signed an exclusive contract with the NBA. So no more topps chrome or finest refactors or xfractors.

Panini did do some work and came out with the Prizm this year which is a replacement for chrome. It has refractors called "Prizms" and they had Green Prizms only released in retail packs. Everything else you could get before you can get now. Jerseys, autos, inserts, rcs and base. It's just all Panini.

As far as collecting since 2010, you should be looking for RC's of Damian Lilliard, Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, Kemba Walker. Thats the top of the crop, but there are other solid rookies too. If you watching games then it should be easy to see who the studs are and who the duds are.

Anyone feel free to correct me if I am wrong here.

[jdetter23]

Well as Brian said, Panini runs the show now, for NBA Products. Upper Deck has the college license and are the only products to get autos of MJ and Lebron in as they are exclusive with them. If you were to go with Upper Deck then i'd say SP Authentic is your best bet although im not sure they havent came out with anything this year.
Panini holds the exclusive rights to Kobe, Blake Griffin, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving so if you are trying to get their stuff then go with a Panini product. This year there are I think around 70 rookies in the 2012-13 products because of the lockout last year so its a double rookie class this year. There are lots of players right now that have potential in that class and you cant go ahead and say which are going to have staying power. Prizm is a great product to try as it looks really good and is a similar version to what topps chrome was. Totally Certified is also a fun product to open as you get a lot of hits in the box and theres always the chance of getting emerald or black parallels which are very nice. Panini Preferred is coming out soon and they had some great cards last year, especially with the veteran silhouette autos but price on those are I think around 200 and you get 4 cards, one being a booklet. National Treasure or commonly referred to as NT is a higher end product which will have rookie patch autos in them but it is gonna be about 550 for a box whenever it comes out and NT has staying power as the RPA's are really sought after.
-wanted to also note if you are trying to get any Lillard autos then you will have to try leaf products as he has an exclusive deal with them. They however are not in the pro uni's or the college uni's but instead they photoshop the logos out.

Hope this helps and wasnt to long lol

[qdiddy32]

Wow, thanks guys some real good info!

[taffster74]

The Panini license is only exclusive because topps and Upper deck opted to not renew there licenses. It wasn't the NBA saying we're going with panini and panini only - so don't think that those two were forced out. As to products.... 2012-13 Hoops is a good basic set - 2 hobby boxes should get you a complete set, a good pile of inserts and parallels as well as a total of 4 autos (2 per box). Prism is good - if you've got the bucks (it is increasing in value). Past and present (due in May, i believe) also looks quite good and affordable.

[ryancholden]

So I'm hearing Prizm is sort of where it's at? Are there a couple of higher end sets that have some better hits?

[lyyca63]

1 word PRIZM!!!!

[mickey7mantle7]

Got any MJ's?

[briankort]

The Panini license is only exclusive because topps and Upper deck opted to not renew there licenses. It wasn't the NBA saying we're going with panini and panini only - so don't think that those two were forced out.

I don't know all the details, but in a way I think they were forced out. It had to do with revenue and whether or not it would be profitable to still make cards based on the new NBA deal, right?

Anybody have a more clear picture of what happened?