Rookies Only

[BBallCardInstitution]

Thought I would start something fresh around what I always considered to be the best part of collecting basketball cards, and that's the 60 player draft classes!

Topps Finest in 04-05 had autograph rookie cards in the base set but featured colored refractor, xfractors and colored xfractors, and just about all of the parallels are numbered in the double digits.

I've been going for the Shaun Livingston rainbow for 16 years! I about half way there!

[SacKingsCards]

Dang dude, that's quite the undertaking and journey! Really the first case of a "crazy" rainbow with the 21 cards, 8 of which are 1/1s including plates, right? 15 cards numbered /29 or less! Are you pursuing plates as well?

I recently did a deep dive of my Kevin Martin collection, and as a 04-05 rookie was particularly impressed with how much I liked Finest. I only have the base and the XFractor, but was super impressed with how clean and beautiful the design is. I'm looking to add a lower numbered KMart and have a Cuttino Mobley green jersey /25 coming in.

Love this set

[BBallCardInstitution]

Here is someone people forget about but was a headliner of the same draft as Livingston, Ben Gordon cards are overlooked today. Circa 2005, that was the rookie you were hoping to grab out of your next Skybox EXL pack!

Below is his Essential Credentials Now Rookie /74

[darz90scardz]

Love that Livingston, that’s such a nice year of Finest that I’ve never really dabbled in.

These are my only notable Penny rookies, not that he has many. I’m still missing the #266 First Day Issue.

[AbraCalabro]

Sick Amphanee refractor and 1st Day Issue.

Don't have too many RCs, just a small handful. This is one of them. Young T-MAC.



<--- mc1 in nerd voice: Ackchyually those aren't true rookies, those are parallels! *Hyperventilates in NERD*

[darz90scardz]

Sick Amphanee refractor and 1st Day Issue.

Don't have too many RCs, just a small handful. This is one of them. Young T-MAC.



<--- mc1 in nerd voice: Ackchyually those aren't true rookies, those are parallels! *Hyperventilates in NERD*

Insane T Mac. A lot of people have 97-98 Row 1 as their favorite Showcase design and I can’t even blame them.

But I shit you not, mc1 was the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread.

[BBallCardInstitution]

Love the Showcase and absolutely get it, these are for the puriests out there! Love the youth in these cards when they still exist as raw, pure potential!

[AbraCalabro]

Insane T Mac. A lot of people have 97-98 Row 1 as their favorite Showcase design and I can’t even blame them.

But I shit you not, mc1 was the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread.

lmfaoooooooooooooooooooo - bro, I swear every, single, time. He'd show up in a thread to kill the party.

Yeah man, when the Row 1s hit, they hit hard.

Love the Showcase and absolutely get it, these are for the puriests out there! Love the youth in these cards when they still exist as raw, pure potential!

Thanks dude, sweet Kobe! Rare to see one of those NOT slabbed lol. Probably more rare than the current pop reports have the slabbed versions at by this point.

[SacKingsCards]

Love that Livingston, that’s such a nice year of Finest that I’ve never really dabbled in.

These are my only notable Penny rookies, not that he has many. I’m still missing the #266 First Day Issue.

Awesome! How do you feel about that lack of RCs? On one hand, it makes collecting all of his RCs more attainable, but on the other hand it gives less options for you to be picky about designs and photos you like.

Good stuff all around

[AbraCalabro]

Here's a rookie I got in recently.

[darz90scardz]

Love that Livingston, that’s such a nice year of Finest that I’ve never really dabbled in.

These are my only notable Penny rookies, not that he has many. I’m still missing the #266 First Day Issue.

Awesome! How do you feel about that lack of RCs? On one hand, it makes collecting all of his RCs more attainable, but on the other hand it gives less options for you to be picky about designs and photos you like.

Good stuff all around

I’ve never gravitated towards the rookie card in general, so it’s not something that’s bothered me. It could also be a lot worse for Penny - at least he’s not in the 95-96 draft class, as we all know Finest didn’t even make rc refractors that year. Still amazes me to this day. And speaking of rc parallels that year, Abra just posted the coolest one imo with the Electric Court Gold.

The only others I have that fall into this category are the Webber 93 refractor and Vince 98 Chrome refractor. I have some more rookie YEAR stuff but it’s mostly via stuff like Iverson inserts and not true rc’s/parallels.

[BBallCardInstitution]

Here is a recent pick up from the dubs! Brandin "Podz" Podziemski came to the Warriors from Santa Clara University and has had an active role is advancing the team and his own skill set.

This card offer an awesome throwback to the 90's die cut xfractor (shout out '97-'98 finest) while paying its dues as an ultra modern parallel princess numbered to /10!

While the vast majority of cards I share won't be slabbed, this one was purchased slabbed. I'm a catch and release collector, this will get cracked out like so many before it!

[darz90scardz]

^that is sweet. Thing looks like a crown. Samurai head gear?

[darz90scardz]

Here are my only other notable rookie card parallels. Actually, let’s call them rookie year parallels in honor of mc1, the unwavering one.

[AbraCalabro]

Here is a recent pick up from the dubs! Brandin "Podz" Podziemski came to the Warriors from Santa Clara University and has had an active role is advancing the team and his own skill set.

This card offer an awesome throwback to the 90's die cut xfractor (shout out '97-'98 finest) while paying its dues as an ultra modern parallel princess numbered to /10!

While the vast majority of cards I share won't be slabbed, this one was purchased slabbed. I'm a catch and release collector, this will get cracked out like so many before it!

Dude that is a crazy die cut!!! What a standout! Very nice.

Here are my only other notable rookie card parallels. Actually, let’s call them rookie year parallels in honor of mc1, the unwavering one.

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Absolute ICON with that Webber, sick VC also.

I just heard back from mc1's secretary of didactic information and want to let you know that he approves of your post. I heard HEAVY nerd mouth breathing in the background when listening to the voice mail, so I know he got the message.

[BBallCardInstitution]

Shout out to the Hornets who, only recently, managed to get there ticket sales above their merch sales for the first time in franchise history! Marking this occasion is a Lamelo Ball Donruss Holo Black Laser 1/1. As a Degenerate Wax Ripper, I found this one as the last card in a box I had to negotiate to afford.

Imagine that dealers eyes as this one slides out as the last "hit" in the pack/box! Sweet Pulls are Sweet Pulls!

[BBallCardInstitution]

Shout out to the Hornets who, only recently, managed to get there ticket sales above their merch sales for the first time in franchise history! Marking this occasion is a Lamelo Ball Donruss Holo Black Laser 1/1. As a Degenerate Wax Ripper, I found this one as the last card in a box I had to negotiate to afford.

Imagine that dealers eyes as this one slides out as the last "hit" in the pack/box! Sweet Pulls are Sweet Pulls!

[SacKingsCards]

I’ve never gravitated towards the rookie card in general, so it’s not something that’s bothered me. It could also be a lot worse for Penny - at least he’s not in the 95-96 draft class, as we all know Finest didn’t even make rc refractors that year. Still amazes me to this day. And speaking of rc parallels that year, Abra just posted the coolest one imo with the Electric Court Gold.

The only others I have that fall into this category are the Webber 93 refractor and Vince 98 Chrome refractor. I have some more rookie YEAR stuff but it’s mostly via stuff like Iverson inserts and not true rc’s/parallels.

I guess maybe this isn't the appropriate setting, but I love that perspective. I've never held RCs in higher regard than other cards, typically preferring the photos, stats, and descriptions on vet or even retired cards. Plus they're more affordable and you have a wider catalog of cards to collect. I know it sucks that 95-96 has no refractors, but I feel like it's a really cool standout about those rookies. I'll take anything that differentiates!

Shout out to the Hornets who, only recently, managed to get there ticket sales above their merch sales for the first time in franchise history! Marking this occasion is a Lamelo Ball Donruss Holo Black Laser 1/1. As a Degenerate Wax Ripper, I found this one as the last card in a box I had to negotiate to afford.

Imagine that dealers eyes as this one slides out as the last "hit" in the pack/box! Sweet Pulls are Sweet Pulls!

Wow, I can't imagine pulling a card like that! When did you pull it? That would've been a mind-blowing pull in 2020. Not to be pedantic, but I think that's the black choice no? Freaking awesome.

[BBallCardInstitution]

Yes, it was from the Donruss Choice mini box, I pulled it the year it was released. Rookies make up a huge percentage of my total PC. I enjoyed ripping Topps Chrome for years and always saved the rookies. Now, 30 years later, I have them sorted by year and broke into other sets to primarily collect more rookies!

[BBallCardInstitution]

Had to take a second a send a quick shout out to Luca Doncic for his 60 point night. Congrats on the continued success! It shines just like the xfractors of old!

Donruss Optic Checkerboard, I believe this parallel was short printed to around /25 was a retail exclusive in 18-19!

Jamal Crawford had 50 point games with three different teams, one of them was my Warriors! Don't leave the Lakers and score 50 somewhere else without winning a ring first, it's been done!

Congrats Luca!

[darz90scardz]

That is one pretty ass Luka. I can’t imagine what those things go for being as limited as you say.

[AbraCalabro]

Had to take a second a send a quick shout out to Luca Doncic for his 60 point night. Congrats on the continued success! It shines just like the xfractors of old!

Donruss Optic Checkerboard, I believe this parallel was short printed to around /25 was a retail exclusive in 18-19!

Jamal Crawford had 50 point games with three different teams, one of them was my Warriors! Don't leave the Lakers and score 50 somewhere else without winning a ring first, it's been done!

Congrats Luca!

Great, simple looking design.

[BBallCardInstitution]

Quick shout out to the rookie of the year front runners! While Cooper Flagg was the shoe in, injuries and team record don't help his story. VJ Edgecomb surprised everyone early and maintained, even if only just. But Kon "the Kon Man" Knueppel came out, surprised everyone and keeps on surprising! With the individual success (most 3's by a rookie ever), his team having playoff hopes and his first ability (availability) showing near Ironman status, Kon has my vote!

Below are the topps chrome xfractors for each of these rookies.

[Hallco]

I probably did this wrong, but this is my all time favorite rookie card for basketball! Sue me!