By Chris Olds | Beckett Basketball Editor

As 2012 winds down, we figured we’d take a few minutes to take a look back at 2012 via the covers of Beckett Basketball — a magazine that only published eight times this year but will be making the move back to monthly in 2013.

Heck, we’re already working on March’s issue.

It was a choppy time for NBA collectors with limited releases and no Rookie Cards, but that time is over as we’re pretty fan into a new season and a double-dose of RCs to make up for lost time.

Here’s a gallery of the 2012 covers — we want to know, just for kicks, which one you liked best.

And if you want to give us your rundown of 2012, do that in the comments.

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Basketball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

By Chris Olds | Beckett Basketball Editor

You can be in the NBA’s Starting 5 by heading to a sports card shop in December.

A joint program through the NBA and its lone trading card licensee, Panini America, the NBA Starting 5 begins today and will allow collectors who pick up Panini cards at participating hobby shops the chance to get some exclusive cards, autographs, win prizes and maybe even get a VIP trip to the 2013 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot.

There will be an 18-card set made specifically for the promotion, and they will be distributed in packs available at more than 250 hobby shops around the country.

Five players are noted each week as starters and collectors who collect each card while buying in a hobby shop will receive a pack of Starting 5 cards. Some packs will include autographs and there may be a contest card inside as well good for shirts, memorabilia or trips such as one to the NBA All-Star Game.

Below are the players and a gallery of some cards made for the program.

Starting Five for Dec.1-8
Kyrie Irving
Brandon Knight
Harrison Barnes
Thomas Robinson
Austin Rivers

Dec. 9-15
Anthony Davis
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
Derrick Williams
Jared Sullinger
Andre Drummond

Dec. 16-22
John Henson
Bradley Beal
Dion Waiters
Kawhi Leonard
Iman Shumpert

Dec. 23-29
Kobe Bryant
Blake Griffin
Kevin Durant
Blake Griffin (from packs of 2011-12 Limited)
Kevin Durant (from packs of 2011-12 Gold Standard)

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

By Chris Olds | Beckett Basketball Editor

After a year on the basketball card bench because of the NBA lockout, the foilboard is back.

The Elite foilboard, that is.

Panini America unveiled on Monday the first images and basic product information for 2012-13 Elite, which will arrive in February.

Back for a run besides the foilboard, a staple of Elite, will be acetate Rookie Inscriptions autographs, which will be found among the three autographs and one memorabilia card  in every 20-pack hobby box.

The base set will be 100 cards capped by the 100 rookie autographs,  and it will include four parallels from the familiar Aspirations, Status, Gold Status and Black Status cards seen in the past.

Also in this one will be five other autographed insert card sets — Passing the Torch among them — and four memorabilia sets, according to the company.

Inserts in this one will include Dominators, Elite Signatures, All-Time Greats Signatures,  Craftsmen, Elites and Rookie Elites.

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Basketball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

By Chris Olds | Beckett Basketball Editor

The auctions have ended, the numbers have been crunched. The ranges have been tabulated and the OPG has been posted.

The 2012-13 Panini Threads basketball card set from Panini America has arrived on Beckett.com with the favorites, autographs and memories in tow. Let’s take a look inside the numbers crunched by Beckett Basketball Senior Market Analyst Rob Springs – and see even more — after the jump.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Total value:  $13,133
Average price:  $13.09

Highest cards:
– 2012-13 Panini Threads Team Threads Autographs #3 Kevin Durant $100-$200
– 2012-13 Panini Threads #151 Kyrie Irving AU RC $100-$200
– 2012-13 Panini Threads #201 Anthony Davis AU RC $100-$200

Other notable cards:
– 2012-13 Panini Threads Rookie Team Threads Autographs #1 Kyrie Irving $100-$200
– 2012-13 Panini Threads Rookie Team Threads Autographs #17 Anthony Davis $100-$200
– 2012-13 Panini Threads Triple Threat Materials Prime #19 LeBron/Wade/Bosh $75-$200
– 2012-13 Panini Threads Signage #10 Grant Hill $80-$160
– 2012-13 Panini Threads Team Threads Autographs #19 Ray Allen $40-$70

Springs says: Panini Threads has been broken at a much higher level than originally anticipated.  The Rookie Autographs on wood are very popular and selling quite well, despite not being serial-numbered.  Both the Team Threads and Rookie Team Threads Autographs continue their string of selling very well, as collectors really dig these autographs — maybe the rookie versions will morph into the actual Rookie Card autographs in future years.  The Century Stars insert is the tough one to pull out of Panini Threads and sales on these singles are very strong.  Overall, a very good (and fun) break for collectors with solid value for the price.

Olds’ Opinion: For some reason, I didn’t enjoy the base set of this one as much as previous Threads releases in other sports but it’s a stronger release than Prestige in my book. The wood autographs are unique and interesting and the demand for those cards seems to back it up. For those who like a simpler base set experience a la Hoops, this one offers that with a few more bells and whistles.

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Basketball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

Beckett Customer Appreciation Month continues where registered users can win great prizes throughout October.

Go to www.Beckett.com/customerappreciation and click on “Enter the Contest.”

There is a limit of one entry per day and you need a valid name and email address registered with your Beckett.com account.

Visit the Beckett Forums to see daily winners.

Today’s prize: 2009-10 Playoff National Treasures Century Silver #15 Kevin Durant /10

ENTER NOW!

By Susan Lulgjuraj | Beckett Football Editor

Panini America has added another star to its lineup.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck has signed an exclusive multi-year autograph and memorabilia deal to its Panini Authentic division. Luck is the first NFL player to reach an exclusive deal with Panini Authentic, joining NBA stars Blake Griffin, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant.

Signed helmets, jerseys and photographs of Luck will only be available exclusively through the Panini Authentic website.

“We’ve been waiting for just the right player to spearhead Panini Authentic’s expansion into other sports. Andrew Luck is that player,” Panini America CEO Mark Warsop said in a statement.

The agreement does not involve trading cards – so Luck’s memorabilia and signed cards will continue to appear in products from different companies.

Luck has thrown for more than 1,400 yards in his first five NFL games. He currently ranks fifth in the league in passing yards per game with 297.6 – trailing only Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Matthew Stafford.

His abilities have brought hope to a Colts franchise that finished 2-14 last season. Luck is also a key member of one of the most highly-touted rookie quarterback classes in decades, alongside Redskins QB Robert Griffin III and Dolphins signal-caller Ryan Tannehill.

The Stanford University grad discussed the Panini Authentic partnership in a statement.

“From producing my first rookie trading cards this season, to this new partnership with Panini Authentic, Panini America has been a great supporter during my rookie season,” Luck said. “It is an honor to be the first NFL player to join Panini Authentic and I look forward to working with them in this new capacity moving forward.”

Susan Lulgjuraj is an editor of Beckett Football. You can email her here with questions, comments or ideas. Follow her on Twitter here.

By Chris Olds | Beckett Basketball Editor

Panini America will announce a new NBA player in its Panini Authentic lineup  on Monday, someone who is big enough his memorabilia will be showcased alongside the stars you see above.

While our money is on Derrick Rose — but that’s just a guess — we want to know who you think it will be.

Tell us in the comments below.

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Basketball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

This week’s ESPN “Mint Condition” has arrived and this week they’re exploring the NBA Finals and the latest products from Panini America. Check out the video …  after the jump.

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By Susan Lulgjuraj | Contributing Editor

The Oklahoma City Thunder are in the NBA Finals for the first time in history. While this young group of stars is making a name for itself on sports highlight tapes and articles, many of the players are no strangers to card collectors.

On the Thunder’s roster, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant immediately jump out. Two of the best players in the league and they’re getting a chance to show it on a national stage against the Miami Heat.

But other guys are helping OKC on this exciting run. Here’s a look at some of the Thunder players and their cards:

Russell Westbrook

It’s hard to think this is Westbrook’s fourth year in the league, but the point guard plays with such poise and leadership, it feels he’s been around a lot longer. Westbrook is one of the main reasons OKC is where it’s at right now. He averaged 23.6 points a game in the regular season and 21.7 during the playoffs.

But the biggest hit has come on his cards. Some of Westbrook’s Rookie Cards have hit ridiculous levels. Westbrook’s 2008-09 Exquisite Collection jersey autograph RC /225 has commanded more than $1,000. Recently, some of these have sold on eBay for around $1,500, but others for as low as $600. (Need a Westbrook OPG or checklist? Click here.)

Kevin Durant

Durant is getting paid more than $16 million this season. If the Thunder win a title, it will likely be considered worth it. He’s averaging 27.8 points and 7.9 rebounds a game in the playoffs.

And if you don’t already have one of his Rookie Cards, good luck getting one without paying a significant amount of money.

His 2007-08 Exquisite Collection jersey autograph /99 is going for thousands of dollars. The high-book value is $3,000 and the autograph patch version (numbered to 35) has a high-book value of $4,000.

If you want a simpler RC of Durant, his 2008 Bowman, Bowman Chrome and Artifacts can be had for $50 or under – although not autographed. (Need a Durant OPG or checklist? Click here)

James Harden

He has gotten better every year he’s been in the NBA. The Arizona State graduate averaged 9.9 points a game his rookie season, bumped it to 12.2 last year and averaged 16.8 this year.

Harden hasn’t slowed in the playoffs either. His 17.6 points a game are third-best behind Durant and Westbrook. His Rookie Cards also rising in value.

Tops on the list is 2009-10 Playoff National Treasures – jersey, autograph, numbered to 99. The high-book value of this card has recently gone up to $700.

However, collectors don’t have shell out that kind of money for other cards. Some of his other autographed Rookie Cards can be had for about $40-$50 such as 2009-10 Rookies and Stars, 2009-10 Timeless Treasures, 2009-10 Donruss Elite and 2009-10 Absolute Memorabilia. Need a Harden OPG or checklist? Click here)

Derek Fisher

Here is the veteran of the group. Fisher has been in the league 17 years, spending most of them with the Los Angeles Lakers. Although he didn’t play most of the regular season, Fisher has seen time in the playoffs. He’s averaging 6.5 points in 21 minutes in 15 games.

Some of Fisher’s best RCs are 1996-97 Topps Chrome and 1996-97 Bowman’s Best.

He has one autograph from this season’s cards on the market, 2011-12 Hoops Autographs.  (Need a Fisher OPG or checklist? Click here)

Serge Ibaka

Another young player trying to leave his mark. Ibaka has upped his production in the playoffs. In 15 games, he’s averaging 10.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.3 blocks.

If you’re looking for one of the Thunder to start collecting, Ibaka isn’t a bad place to start, especially after comparing his prices to some of his teammates.

His most expensive Rookie Card is 2009-10 Classics, an autograph numbered to 99. The card sells for around $80. (Need an Ibaka OPG or checklist? Click here.)

By Chris Olds | Beckett Basketball Editor

Panini America‘s first post-lockout season for NBA cards is winding down and that means one thing.

It’s time for a look at 2012-13 — and from all accounts it will be a card calendar loaded with more than three times as many releases as 2011-12 … and twice as many Rookie Cards than a normal year.

Arriving in August, 2012-13 NBA Hoops will include a 300-card base set which will include Rookie Cards for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 NBA Draft classes. There will be two autographed cards found in every 36-pack hobby box. (Need a checklist or OPG for a past Hoops set? Click here.)

Just like this past season, there will be a rare single-player chase card — a Kevin Durant “Durantula” card this time — as well as autographed buybacks from the inaugural 1989-90 set. Also included for collectors to chase will be an NBA champions card.

Rounding out the offerings will be several insert card sets — Draft Night Signatures, Kobe’s All-Rookie Team, Rookie Impact and Spark Plugs.

We’ll have more on this one between now and release. Until then, check out this small selection of images from the product below.

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Basketball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.