Rare 2008 Exquisite Dual Logo Auto Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady card gets BGS Grade

Pictured: 2008-09 Exquisite Collection Logo Autographs #DLOGMM Ming/McGrady

Exquisite it was and still is. Upper Deck did everything perfectly with their 2008-09 Exquisite Collection release giving high quality cards to collectors with autographs and patches to swoon over. Among the 20 Dual Logoman Autographed cards released, one of the prized pieces in the 1-of-1 run was the pairing of Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady.

Time has not faded how cool the Exquisite Collection was or is. In the subset of UD’s release, the manufacturer did some fantastic all-time pairings, Kobe Bryant with Vince Carter, Bryant with LeBron James, Bryant with Lamar Odom, and Bryant with Jason Kidd.

Cousins McGrady and Carter also got their card in the Dual Logo Autograph format.

Some of the other great combos included Kevin Durant and Kevin Garnett, Garnett and Dwight Howard, and Garnett and Paul Pierce.

By the time UD released their 2008-09 set, McGrady was still at the height of his superpowers having been a seven-time All-Star (2001-07). As soon as Ming entered the league after being the top overall pick in 2002, he was a superstar for more reasons than one. Listed at 7-6, 310 pounds, Ming was big, talented, and captured the imagination across the globe hailing from China.

At the end of the 2007-08 season, the Rockets earned the fifth seed (55-27) in the Western Conference Playoffs running into a buzzsaw that was the Utah Jazz. Hopes were high for Houston fans leading into the ‘08-09 campaign that the duo of McGrady and Ming could carry the team deep into the postseason. By all accounts, the meeting of the Rockets and Lakers in the semifinals was better than the championship series with Houston pushing the eventual champs to a full seven games.

Because the cards are truly rare featuring top talents in the NBA at that time with most considered all-time greats, there’s not a lot of wheeling and dealing of Exquisite Dual Logoman Autos on the secondary market. One that draws a close comparison is the 2008-09 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual Logoman Autographs #DLOG-RD Derrick Rose/Chris Douglas-Roberts which sold at a Goldin Auction in December of 2024 for $8,669.

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Pictured: 2008-09 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual Logoman Autographs #DLOG-RD Derrick Rose/Chris Douglas-Roberts