A Memo to Readers of “The Knight’s Lance:” Your 2011-12 NBA Hoops Insert Set is Ready

It started way back in April, almost 10 months ago, with a simple post: “Collectors’ Choice: You Make the Call for a Special Insert in 2011-12 Hoops Basketball.” It was a post spurred by Panini America NBA Brand Manager David Porter, who asked whether or not readers of “The Knight’s Lance” might be interested in selecting an insert set for the product.

My response, quicker than electricity, was an adamant, over-the-top “absolutely.” In fact, I contended that you would be so interested that we should give you — the collective “Knight’s Lance” audience — complete autonomy over the set. And from there, “A Night to Remember” took on a life of its own.

Through a series of unique polls conducted right here, you selected the theme of the insert, the name of the insert, the checklist for the insert and even the design of the insert. From start to finish, the passion-packed polling process took just more than a month and included some of the most intense and inspiring collector interaction we’ve seen in quite some time. And for that, we thank you.

Now, almost eight months later, everyone at Panini America is proud to say that your insert set — the one you hand-picked from start to finish — is completed and will be live in packs of 2011-12 NBA Hoops beginning next week. To be sure, the 20-card set is a history-maker for it represents likely the first time a major trading card manufacturer has turned over the Product Development reins directly to collectors.

So, from us to you: Kudos for a job extremely well done.

Below you’ll find exclusive images of every card in the set — front and back. But before you do that, know that Porter just hand-delivered to me a complete 20-card “A Night to Remember” set. And we’re going to give it away as a “thank you” to one lucky reader who participated in the polling process.

Thanks again for your participation and stay tuned to “The Knight’s Lance” for more opportunities just like this.