Hoop Dreams: Peeking Two Weeks Worth of Panini America Basketball Auto Arrivals
Man, you miss two weeks in the office around Panini America and you miss a lot.
After being on the road for 10 straight days at the 2012 NHL All-Star Game in Ottawa and Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, I returned to HQ this morning to find a waiting treasure trove of jaw-dropping autographs recently returned for upcoming Panini America NBA releases.
Last week we shared the exploits of Panini America NBA acquisitions specialist Ivory Tabb, who’s been bouncing around the country conducting player signings for the juggernaut that will be 2011 Preferred Basketball. Today, I got up close and personal with some of the fruits of her labor.
These gems, as you’ll see below, aren’t so much basketball cards as they are genuine works of collecting art. I could attempt in vain to spit praising prose on what you’re about to see, but these images tend to speak for themselves. Oh, and as a way to properly set the stage for the upcoming 2011-12 Hoops release, I’ve also included the first three signed original 1989-90 Hoops BuyBacks that have been returned.
Enjoy.
The Knight's Lance 
Sometimes I want to splash myself with water looking at these galleries to make sure I am not dreaming. Some amazing stuff!
Thanks for the pics!
P.S. Checklists for Hoops and Preferred PLEASE?!? 🙂
SICK Drexler, Rodman, Kukoc, Gilmore, Stockton, Hill, and Cage patch autograph’s. Nice work Tracy!
What are these numbered out of?
The Love, Rodman and Stockton are fantastic looking cards, well they all are but those especially. A lot of oldschool collectors will be all over those buyback cards in Hoops. At least with Harden on cards there will be no more upsidedown stickers.
/drools
That Alex English Hoops BuyBack will be mine. Are they numbered?
They will be numbered, yes sir.
What I love most about these are the “old-timers/ retired” players signatures—full name and most with jersey numbers, while the young guys are initials if you are lucky with the exception of Z-Bo.
Oh. My. God. This stuff is amazing. I NEED that Chris Paul. And that Grant Hill. And that Derrick Rose. And that Kevin Durant. When does this product come out? I think I’m going to buy a couple hundred cases.
Looking forward to the Hoops release. Brings back memories of my early collecting days.
Hopefully the buy backs will have some form of hard to replicate security on them so that there will be no confusion with in-person autos from the 1989-90 set, and will not easily counterfeited.
Love to see more shots of the Hoops, are they embossed?
OK, I stand corrected. The Hoops BuyBack autos will not be numbered but they will be stamped.
Love the Randolph auto!! The Silhouette patches are player worn, right? Not manufactured?
These cards look great, especially the Crown Royale Primes. Also fabulous to have no stickers! Only thing is, does this mean that the above players who have redemption cards unfulfilled have now signed those as well or do they take a back seat to the new product?
The Crown Royale release is one of the coolest products you put out. I love the Silhouettes and I am digging the X-man buyback autograph.
Love seeing those autographs come in, however, the lack of Blazers saddens me!
They look really nice!Love the old Hoops cards.Tracy any timeline for NT Football?
The Hoops buybacks are kickbutt. I have always loved that design. Do you guys have a checklist availible? I hope there is at least one T-wolve.
That Stockton patch auto is awesome!
Stunning! Speechless!
OMG SICK prime patches cards !!!