Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Star on Panini America’s NBA All-Star Saturday
HOUSTON — Two of the best young rookies in the NBA provided an abundance of electricity and star power on Saturday at the 2013 NBA All-Star Jam Session, as former Kentucky teammates Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist took turns wowing basketball fans inside the Panini America booth. Davis, the No. 1 overall pick of the New Orleans Hornets in the 2012 NBA Draft, tipped things off Saturday morning; Kidd-Gilchrist, the No. 2 overall pick of the Charlotte Bobcats, provided a fitting Saturday-afternoon encore.
Both appearances packed a tangible, goose-bump-inducing vibe, hundreds of free autographs and countless smiles. What’s more, the young superstars made the Panini America booth the place to be throughout a jam-packed Saturday, drawing throngs of fans that often swelled to five people deep just to watch the proceedings and snap a few pics.
The appearances also gave curious onlookers a unique, behind-the-scenes look at a Panini America card-signing session as the company’s NBA acquisitions maven, Ivory Tabb, had the players sign their cards for 2012-13 Preferred Basketball after their public signings were completed. Judging by the feedback of those watching, NBA fans and NBA collectors have something in common: They both like what they see in Preferred.
Here’s hoping you’ll like what you see in the gallery below, which details a highlight-filled Saturday at the 2013 NBA All-Star Jam Session.
Stay tuned to The Knight’s Lance for continuing coverage of 2013 NBA All-Star Weekend, including video interviews with Davis, Kidd-Gilchrist and such NBA legends as Tim Hardaway, Dominique Wilkins and Gary Payton.
The Knight's Lance 
Wow! That´s a really good way to promote Panini in the all-star weekend! How I wish I could have one of those posters and private signings autograph of Anthony Davis! I really like the Preferred rainbows and the silhouettes of the Unibrow and Mike Gillie! Thanks Panini for the sneak peek of Preferred Basketball!
I see Chris Schoenfeld, World Famous Panini America Fan in the third picture. Wish I was there……
HOLY WOW! That was like a brain freeze without the slurpee! Those Preferred cards look so nice! And the dual signage of Irving and Davis is really neat! What is the deal on the jumbo posters?! Will they later be sold in the Panini shop!? I have got to get my hands on one of those lol.
Looks like it was a great day to just hang out at the Panini booth! The Irving/Davis dual autograph is awesome. Are those going to be inserted into a product or are they promotional cards?
Amazing turnout, looks like a great time was being had by all. Thanks for the event coverage Tracy!
There is this sports room that personally know of that one of those poster size pics would fit in perfectly 🙂
Very cool indeed! Looks like lotsa fun happenin’ at the Panini booth!
Thanks for all of the coverage and behind the scenes. Can’t find things like this anywhere else
Are the Panini’s choice awards cards going into the Preferred series. They are so nice, and the players really put down so awesome autographs. The silhouettes gave me a better feeling this time around. I think Panini did great with these last couple basketball programs. Give my best to the whole crew.
Yes, sir. All of those cards are going into Preferred.
if you lose that jumbo you can only blame ‘yourself’ lol…looks a like a ‘top-shelf’ weekend hope it was as fun as it looked