Back before Christmas I ran into one of my local Walgreens pharmacies looking for a particular action figure for my daughter. I hardly bother looking for trading cards at retail anymore thanks to what the global pandemic has done to the hobby, however I spotted three packs of the recently released 2020 Panini Contenders Draft Picks handing on a peg. I quickly grabbed them just because I thought it would be fun to rip...plus I really want at least one LeMelo Ball card.
I can't remember the last time I opened a new pack of basketball cards. This is a product that I normally would have skipped, but when you find new stuff at local retail you buy it! Many of the names immediately stood out, such as these four Prospect Ticket cards, but I was mostly looking forward to the new slate of rookies.
I knew mascot cards were included in Topps' Opening Day product, but I had no idea this Draft Picks set included them. This Kentucky card was pulled for a fellow collector.
I pulled a call of one the Ball brothers...but it was the wrong one. Where ya at 'Melo?!
Of the retail exclusive green parallels was of Ja Morant. I love the shiny explosion like treatment this card received. Panini has been doing a great job over the past few years with their parallels and inserts.
The last card of the pack was this sticker auto of Xavier Sneed. I hadn't heard of him before, but apparently this undrafted free agent was signed in late November by my hometown Charlotte Hornets. I believe he was sent to their G-League team, the Swarm, in Greensboro, NC to continue to work on improving his shot and his overall game.
All in all these packs were fun to rip, but quickly reminded me of why I don't usually deal with draft pick stuff...especially of a year where there are no NC State alumni in the set.
Nice find. I don't watch basketball, but I would have snatched up those three packs in a heartbeat. Congratulations on landing the autograph.
ReplyDeleteI saw a bunch of those packs at the Walgreens during Christmas time but passed after looking up the images online. I couldn't figure out why Panini made a set like this, as if they lost their basketball license so they can only show stars in their college unis. Thanks for posting a pack, and nice auto pull!
ReplyDeleteI don't mind picking up cards of players in the college uniforms if they are from NC State, but otherwise I usually avoid these type of sets.
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