Panini America Offers Detailed First Look at 2014-15 Spectra Basketball (Gallery)

Ask most hardcore hoops collectors about last season’s most surprising products and there’s a great chance that many of them — if not all of them — will mention Panini America’s 2013-14 Spectra Basketball. Last season’s maiden voyage under the Spectra banner succeeded thanks in large part to loaded content, limited production and stunning Optichrome technology.

All of that, course, only served to raise the bar on future expectations for the Spectra brand — which means 2014-15 Spectra Basketball has some Shaq-sized shoes to fill when it releases in early May.

Each eight-card box of 2014-15 Spectra Basketball will deliver seven autograph or memorabilia cards on average — and every autograph card in the product is paired with a piece of memorabilia. The product highlights are many and include . . .

• One Rookie Jersey Autograph per box on average; look for rare Black Prizm versions.
• Once again this season, every card in Spectra Basketball will be printed on Optichrome technology.
• Look for the one-per-case Global Icons insert celebrating the NBA’s international stars, including rookie sensation Andrew Wiggins.
• The Spectacular Swatch Signatures insert featuring an oversized jersey piece and a superstar autograph.
• A full array of magnificently etched and colorful parallels, including Spectra Red Die-Cuts numbered to just 25.

We’ll have plenty more on 2014-15 Spectra Basketball in the coming weeks right here on The Knight’s Lance. Until then, though, here’s your first extended sneak peek:

All information is accurate at the time of posting – content is subject to change. Card images are solely for the purpose of design display. Actual images used on cards to be determined.