Panini Peek: 2012-13 Preferred Basketball
You’d be hard pressed to find any collector who didn’t find 2011-12 Preferred Basketball to be one of the sports card world’s most outstanding new releases last season. Thanks to a captivating array of Silhouettes Signatures and colorful die-cut Panini’s Choice and Crown Royale autographs, Preferred was a welcome addition in a nontraditional, product-shortened NBA season.
But now that the 2012-13 season is in full swing (both on the court and in the hobby), Panini America officials are ready to begin working on a new-and-improved Preferred that will return the best parts of that debut release and one dramatic new addition: Rookie Cards.
The result should be another landmark NBA launch in a season full of them.
Due out in early March, 2012-13 Preferred Basketball once again will deliver a big-ticket thrill ride in every four-card box that features three autographs and one six- or eight-player booklet card. Every autograph in the set will be numbered to 99 or less and the autograph checklist includes more than unique 250 signers.
The product also will continue Panini America’s massive and historic Double Rookie Class, but with a unique twist in which each rookie will appear on three distinctly different autographed Rookie Card subsets: Rookie Silhouettes, Panini’s Choice and Crown Royale.
We’ll have tons more to showcase on 2012-13 Preferred Basketball in the coming weeks and months right here on The Knight’s Lance. But for now, enjoy this first extended look at the product:
The Knight's Lance 
I do like the addition of rookie cards, however, one of the more special aspects about Preferred was the quality checklist of veterans and legends of the game. I hope the rookie autographs don’t change the integrity of last year’s great checklist of players.
Good point, Kevin. I agree with you completely.
Its hard not to like this product when it combines a lot of collectors favorites. Just for once i would love to own a booklet card! And these ones a very sweet matching up a ton of good players
Looks amazing like always! Can’t wait!
Yes yes and yes. Loved this product last year and can’t wait to open some more next year. Love the design and the auto’d patches. However still haven’t got my Chris Paul from last year’s edition. Looking forward to this!
Will the Choice cards have new color variations?
Same colors but with a different foil accents so they will be different. But the silver foil at the bottom of the cards will be different.
My favorite release of last year, the silhouettes and patch booklets were a really nice addition to the basketball collecting landscape. I will echo the comment made above that while rookies are certainly a welcome addition, I hope don’t overrun the entire release. Especially with good availability of other rookie heavy products.
The early pics look solid, keep up the good work.
Just talked to the basketball guys. More than 40 retired players are featured on Silhouettes.
That is good news, Tracy.
The alpha of cards just showed its familiar shadows. With a little tease on what to come.
Can’t wait to see it on the spotlight.
Thanks Tracy!
Salute!
Peace!
Peace, brother!
I loved this product last year, can’t wait to get my hands on some of this years.
Hey Tracy you guys ever thought of putting team mascot mem cards in some of your products, just for something different.
Loved them last year. One thing I hope you change was that in the book cards, they you’d have a 90’s book card and some guys say Kobe, Iverson and McGrady were in their flashback uniforms, and other guys like Grant Hill were in their current Suns Jersey. And there were several cards in which the player was pictured in a uniform that didn’t make sense for the theme of the card.
Tracy just keep the redemptions out of it and nobody will complain.
Man!! These look awesome. Can’t wait.
Good to see another set returning instead of “creating” a new brand
wow i loved the silhouettes last year and i can’t wait for these!
but its really tough to build up a player collection with all these many rookie cards!
Any chance Rasheed is in the set?
Keep up the good work Panini!
Great looking preview cards. What’s the MSRP Tracy?
New collector here, really excited to get my hands on these for the first time!
Preferred was a great product last year. I hope it keeps the great mix of Legends with the Rookie cards. The silhouettes are a beauty, and I hope to pull some Vet Sihouettes along some of the top Rookie ones.
Hi Tracy! Those Rookie Silhouettes would definitely be comanding the market price by the time its release til forever.
what would be the Numbering and Variations of those?
Thanks again for an exciting preview.
Those Silhouettes are super ill I love the upgrade the lettering the whole card it self is just beautiful! Can’t wait to get my hands on some prime memb.
This is top notch panini at work!
These cards were a smash hit last year its great to see them back. The silhouettes are fantastic cards ad some of those booklets are just divine.
Definitely like that Crown Royale Look!
NICE!!! Will the Silhouettes of retired players have a different design from the rookies, or the same? Thanks
Great product Panini, keep up the great work! Silhouettes RULE!!!!!!!!
Looks like an excellent release for the second year in a row, those booklet cards get a lot of attention at the local show. Thanks for the peek Tracy!
I’m glad you guys are bringing this product back again! Last year, this had to be one of the most eye appealing cards out there. Can’t wait to see you guys incorporate the rookies into the checklist! I hope Rudy Gay signs in this! I know you guys have trouble getting him to sign in the past, still waiting on some of his stuff from last year lol.
nice looking stuff, this product was very expensive but was worht it if you pulled a patch book or silhouette (sp?) patch. I’ll gamble on 1.
I saw some pictures of Penny silos somewhere on the web. He was in suns jersey, was pretty cool, don’t see a lot of penny autos and a silo? Oh yeah baby
Hey Tracy – any chance there are DRose autos in this product? Also, just heard that you guys sold out of ’12-13 Preferred already? Thinking about pre-ordering a case…
D-Rose will not have any autographs in 2012-13 Preferred but he appears on roughly 10 different booklets, not including parallels.