By Chris Olds | Beckett Basketball Editor

The NBA season nearly upon us — another year ready to take shape, but this time without any legal drama — and it’s one that has a double-dose of something that most collectors love.

Rookie Cards.

Panini America‘s offerings this season will include Rookie Cards from both last season and this year’s NBA Draft crop, which presents a bit of a challenge for some of us.

For the next issue of Beckett Basketball, we simply want to know … What one rookie will you collect … and why?

Tell us in the comments below. Please include your name and location with your comment. We’ll run a selection of the best answers in the next issue.

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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 Unibrow has a new home with Panuni America.

Err, Panini America.

Anthony Davis, the  No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft, signed an exclusive card and autograph agreement with the company, which was announced on Wednesday.

Panini, the lone licensee of officially licensed NBA cards but not the only manufacturer of basketball cards, now has deals with 54 of the 60 picks in this year’s draft. He’ll join Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Thomas Robinson, Harrison Barnes, Andre Drummond, Austin Rivers, Jared Sullinger and John Henson, who all signed exclusive deals with Panini before the draft.

“Anthony Davis is a tremendous player – not only on the basketball court but also in the world of officially licensed trading cards – and his impact on our complete line of 2012-13 NBA products will be substantial,” said Panini America CEO Mark Warsop in a prepared release. “We proudly welcome him into the Panini America family, where his Rookie Cards will be among the most coveted collectibles in the sports world next season.”

A member of the national champion Kentucky Wildcats, Davis was the team’s leading scorer (14.2 ppg) at the University of Kentucky and shot-blocker (4.7 per game) as well as tops in the country. He’s the fourth No. 1-0verall draft pick to sign with Panini, joining Kyrie Irving, John Wall and Blake Griffin.

He’ll make his Rookie Card debut in 2012-13 NBA Hoops which arrives on Aug. 15, though he just might appear on his first card sooner as Panini has yet to announce two promo card subjects for the National Sports Collectors Convention which begins this evening in Baltimore and runs through Sunday.

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

Panini America has seven new members on its basketball team.

The exclusive licensee of NBA trading cards announced on Tuesday that it has signed exclusive trading card deals with seven projected top first-round picks in Thursday’s draft, meaning that Panini products will be the only places to find cards of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Thomas Robinson, Harrison Barnes, Andre Drummond, Austin Rivers, Jared Sullinger and John Henson.

Kidd-Gilchrist was a member of the national champion Kentucky Wildcats, while Robinson was the Big 12 Player of the Year at Kansas and Barnes was an All-ACC honoree at North Carolina.

“We’re genuinely excited to add these gentlemen – the next generation of NBA superstars – to the Panini America family, and we can’t wait to get their first trading cards into the hands of fans and collectors,” said Panini America CEO Mark Warsop in a prepared statement. “The presence of these players in our complete line of 2012-13 products, in concert with the best rookies from the 2011-12 season, will create an unprecedented opportunity for fans and collectors to pursue a Double Rookie Card class in Panini America’s official NBA products throughout the entire season.”

Each of the 2012-13 Panini products will include a double rookie class — cards of both this year’s and last year’s draft picks, who did not appear on any standard cards in 2011-12 NBA products save for blind redemption cards that won’t be redeemed until after the first 2012-13 products arrive. (Need a checklist or OPG for a Panini basketball product? Click here.)

That’s a move that was lauded by the NBA.

“Panini America has bolstered what promises to be a great season for NBA trading cards,” said Lisa Goldberg, the NBA’s Vice President of Licensing and Global Merchandising, in a prepared statement. “Panini America continues to create new and innovative ways to generate excitement in the trading card industry and the 2012-13 double Rookie Card program is another example.”

Up first in August will be NBA Hoops, followed by Prestige in August and Threads in October. While Panini had just five products this past season — two of which have not arrived yet and are coming next week — the 2012-13 calendar may have as many as 20 NBA products for collectors to chase.

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.

April 11 Update:  Added new info and images.

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By Chris Olds | Beckett Basketball Editor

When Panini America‘s 2011-12 Limited arrives in late May it won’t just be packing the latest and greatest in autographs and memorabilia.

It will be packing redemption cards for the first rookies of this year’s NBA class — and next year’s crop, too.

Limited is one of three 2011-12 products that will take this approach with the other two being the forthcoming Past & Present and the forthcoming Gold Standard.

While full details are still forthcoming from the company, what is known about Limited is that each $100 (or so) six-card pack (15 packs per case) will include one Draft Class autograph redemption card inside along with one autograph, one memorabilia card one parallel and a selection of base cards when it arrives on May 30.

While a full slate of what’s in store has not been released, the company has noted there will be a heavy emphasis on prime swatches and lower-numbered chase parallels. Some of the notable signers for this one will include Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Dirk Nowitzki, Derrick Rose, Magic Johnson, Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, Larry Bird, Bill Russell and Shaquille O’Neal.

Several Prime autograph insert sets also will be found in the product, including:

– Jumbo Jersey Numbers, limited to five or fewer copies.

– Decade Dominance, limited to five or less.

– Glass Cleaners, limited to five or less. This one will include both current and retired stars on a new look.

– Trophy Case, limited to 10 or less. This new insert set will showcase, you guessed it, trophy-winners.

– Retired Numbers, limited to five or less.

A couple of other ink-focused inclusions — but clearly not everything in the mix — will include Limited Trios Signatures (three autos from a themed selection; 49 or less) and Potential Signatures, which will showcase some of the league’s top young stars. Decade Dominance Signatures will showcase long-time stars, while Masterful Marks will focus on 50 top veterans and young stars.

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 in important reminders, deadlines and announcements

• Submit your Super Collector entries to be in BSCM (Deadline: July 1)
• Win a piece of original art from Diamond Kings! (Deadline: July 1)
• Weigh in on the looming NFL Lockout (Deadline: June 28)

Mega-important announcement of the week

• JULY IS BECKETT CUSTOMER APPRECIATION MONTH!

Box Busters

• 2011 Topps Series 2 Baseball
• 2011 Topps Rising Rookies Football

This week in Chris Olds’ mailbox

• What did Olds buy this week? (Video)

First looks and sneak peeks of the week

• 2011 Absolute Memorabilia Football
• Plans for the 2011 National Sports Collectors Convention coming together
• Upper Deck partners with Marvel for Captain America card set
• The latest from Onyx Authenticated
• 2011 TRISTAR TNA Signature Impact Wrestling

Auction Action

• 2011 Dirk Nowitzki original art sketch card – BGS 1/1 (Starting bid: $49.99)
• 2009 Michael Jackson autograph (Starting bid: $999.99)
• 2000 Lakers Master Collection Magic Johnson Jersey (Starting bid: $99.99)

NHL and NBA Draft delights

• Panini signs Kyrie Irving to exclusive deal
• Oh yeah, and they got Derrick Williams, too
• Upper Deck set to appear at this weekend’s NHL Draft

Other news nuggets

• New USA Baseball event gets more exposure
• Stephen Strausburg Superfractor raffle site goes live

Just for fun

Click here to view the embedded video.

By Chris Olds | Basketball Editor

On Thursday night, Kyrie Irving became a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. On Friday morning, he became a member of the Panini America team.

The No. 1 overall draft pick out of Duke signed an exclusive contract Friday to sign autographs for the NBA’s only official trading card licensee as well as sign memorabilia for the Panini Authentic line and appear on packaging and promotion for the company’s products. He joins Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, John Wall and Derrick Williams — the No. 2 pick in the draft — as exclusive spokesmen for the company.

“It’s a great feeling. I am proud and excited to join the Panini team,” said Irving, who averaged 17.5 points a game during his injury-shortened season with the Blue Devils. “This is another great class that I’ve been drafted into … I’m honored to be added to that roster.”

He’ll make his NBA card debut in 2011-12 Prestige.

“In just 11 games at Duke, Kyrie displayed the kind of uncanny playmaking and leadership abilities that basketball collectors and NBA fans covet,” said Mark Warsop, CEO of Panini America. “Certainly he caught our attention inside Panini America headquarters. We’re tremendously excited to add him to our unparalleled roster of NBA talent. He’ll fit in nicely here.”

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

By Susan Lulgjuraj | Contributing Editor

Panini America didn’t wait to see where Derrick Williams would be drafted in Thursday’s 2011 NBA Draft. It feels University of Arizona star will be taken with one of the first two picks.

So, it already signed him to an exclusive agreement.

What does that mean for collectors?

The only place to find Williams’ autograph or memorabilia cards will be in Panini products, which became the exclusive NBA trading card partner at the start of 2009-2010 season.

His first card will be in 2011-12 NBA Prestige.

“It’s every little kid’s dream to get that first NBA Rookie Card and that was no different for me,” Williams said. “Signing with the great team at Panini is a huge step in me realizing that dream. I can’t wait to see what they have in store for my basketball cards.”

Williams is the reigning Pac-10 Player of the Year. As a sophomore, he averaged 19.5 points and 8.3 rebounds in 38 games, and led Arizona to the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament.

He was one of the most efficient power forwards last season and was relied upon heavily by the Wildcats.

Williams joins Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin and John Wall to its list of exclusive athletes. Williams’ items could also be found in Panini Authentic products, a line of collectibles.

“Derrick has been one of the most talked-about prospects in college basketball for years and his spectacular two-year career at Arizona showed the world why,” Panini America CEO Mark Warsop said. “We’re thrilled to have him join the Panini team and we’re excited to share his only licensed trading cards and memorabilia with a collecting world that has been awaiting his arrival.”

Susan Lulgjuraj is a contributing editor for Beckett Media. You can email Susan here. Follow her on Twitter here.