Random Wax: 2020-2021 Chronicles

 20-21 Chronicles:  Domantas Sabonis is one of my favorite players in the NBA.  He's having a great year averaging 20 points per game and leading the league with over 14 rebounds per game.  He is also the son of basketball legend, Arvydas Sabonis.

LeBron hot pack!  LeBron and the Lakers are still in a good spot and get to move forward with the Luka era.  Everyone can't wait to see what excitement and/or drama this brings.

This brand shows off young players for the most part and this pack aged well.  LaMelo is a star, and thank goodness healthy, while Desmond Bane is a big part of the Grizzlies success.

It feels like Ben Simmons is on his 10th team since joining the league as he was bought out and signed with the Clippers this month.

I've had this pack since January of 2022 and just now showing it off three years later.  And wow.  I didn't know how good a pack this would be back then.  LaMelo, Bane and now Maxey.  And I would have bet Zion would have changed teams before Dame did.  But I would have been wrong.

These are fun.  Lots of variety and are great to look at years later.  KAT and Randle were traded for each other and KAT is killing it in New York.  Luka is a Laker in a trade that almost broke the internet.  Okay it didn't, but still it was the shot heard around the world.

BREAKDOWN:

30 – Total Cards

18 – RC

5 – Chronicles

4 - Classic

4 – Playbook

3 - Panini

3 – Prestige

3 – Luminance

3 – Green Parallel

3 – Panini Threads

2 - Marquee

1 – XR

1 – Phoenix

1 – Essentials

Random Wax: 2020-2021 Chronicles Basketball

20-21 Chronicles Basketball:  The real basketball playoffs start today.  AD and the Lakers are in the packed Western Conference but you can't count them out from making some noise.  Not sure they can get past the second round but weirder things have happened.

Only 15 cards in this pack including these base Chronicles designs.  I picked this pack up in January, 2022 but both Mike Conley and Kemba Walker looked at a lot differently two to three years ago compared to today.  But to be fair, Conley is still the starting point guard for one of the best teams in the West (Minnesota).

Chronicles keys in on youngsters.  Nesmith average 12 points per game for Indiana while Williams is a solid role player for the Bulls.  

Tyrese Maxey and Tyrese Haliburton are the big hits here.  Both were all-stars this season and are leaders on their teams.  Haliburton is now a Pacer as part of the Sabonis trade.

Memphis did not make the playoffs with Ja Morant hurt as well as other injuries the team had to deal with.

BREAKDOWN:

15 – Total Cards

10 – RC

2 – Score

2 – Marquee

2 – Chronicles

2 – Luminance

1 – Panini

1 – Prestige

1 – Donruss

1 – Playbook

1 – Rated Rookie

1 – Panini Threads

1 – Bronze Parallel

 

Random Wax: 2020-2021 Chronicles Basketball

20-21 Chronicles:  Donovan Mitchell is off to another great season with the Cavaliers.  Whether in Utah or in Cleveland this guy always flies under the radar though he really is an amazing player.

Not all the designs in Chronicles are hits but that is the good thing with this brand.  You can move on to the next one if you don't like one.  Great pull in this pack.  Giannis is getting used to new teammate Dame Lillard while Paul George and the Clippers recently added Jame Harden.  LeBron and the Lakers are struggling but if they can stay healthy it feels like they can have a get on a roll.

KD is now in Phoenix which now has its own trifecta in Durant, Booker and Beal.  Luka and the Mavs are off to a hot start.  They really need Kyrie and Doncic to click.  This is the Classic design.

Stewart is a key big man starting for Detroit while Obi Toppin could have his best season as a Knick.

Immanuel Quickly comes off the bench but is a good scorer in New York.  

I do like this base design but they could have snuck in a logo somewhere.  Marquee inserts are a good looking card.  Still sad to have seen Dame leave in the offseason.  Hasn't been all roses yet in Milwaukee but you have to think they'll figure it out.  Great pack of cards.  Some fun designs and a really nice pull.

BREAKDOWN:
30 – Total Cards
17 – RC
5 – Chronicles
4 - Panini
4 – Classic
4 - Luminance
3 – Prestige
3 - Playbook
3 – Green Parallel
2 – XR
2 - Threads
1 – Marquee
1 – Essentials
1 – Hometown Heroes

Random Wax: 2020-2021 Chronicles Basketball

20-21 Chronicles:  Selection Sunday so let's do some Hoops.  Plenty of this one on the shelf back in the day and I like the variety.  We'll kick it off with Giannis who is having another season for the Milwaukee Bucks who are battling it out with the Boston Celtics for the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

This set is heavy on rookies.  Bane is a legit star for the Grizzlies averaging 21/5/4 while shooting 41% from deep.  Stewart may not be a star but is a solid big man for the Pistons.  That Honors is a good-looking card.  Bane's uni works well with the colors and design.

Haliburton is another guy who is a rising star earning his first all-star bid this year averaging 20 points and 10 assists with Indiana.  I like that first card shown here.

All three of these guys are greats in the league.  Morant is going through a rough patch but on the court he's a stud.  If feels like Trae Young really needs to figure it out under new coach Quin Snyder.  He can already fill up a stat sheet but needs to be more.  And LeBron is historically great at his age but is dealing with an injury.

I love Dame.  My Blazers are struggling but it isn't his fault.  Luka and Durant have had trades significantly impact this season.  It'll be interesting to see both situations play out.  Wow this was a great pack of cards.  I bought this pack 1 1/2 years ago and you never know how those young players will look when I finally get around to posting them.  The rookies in this pack and the strong veteran pulls made this a winner.

BREAKDOWN:

30 – Total Cards

20 – RC

5 – Chronicles

4 – Panini

4 - Classic

4 – Luminance

3 – Prestige

3 - Playbook

3 – Green Parallel

2 – XR

2 – Threads

1 – Honors

1 - Marquee

1 – Essentials

Random Wax: 2020-2021 Chronicles Basketball

20-21 Chronicles: Kevin Durant is having another amazing year at age 34.  He and the Nets picked up some steam and sit as the #4 seed in the Eastern Conference.  If he can get and stay healthy the Nets have to be looked at as a team that can compete with the best.

I like this design.  Just needs a team logo to put it over the top.  Picked this one up in December, 2021 and just now getting to post it.  Jayson Tatum is having an MVP season in Boston while Zach Lavine and DeMar DeRozan are looking for answers as the team struggles.  Though individually they are both having a really good season.

What a pull in this box.  LeBron is one of the best in the league once again.  Donovan Mitchell is killing it after being traded to Cleveland.  I've always been high on this guy and it's great seeing him take it to another level.

A trio of Lakers here.  If only AD could stay healthy, the Lakers are a playoff team.  Probably the 8th seed but still. 

Nice rookie pulls.  Not great but nice.

I'm a big fan of Anthony Edwards, a Georgia Bulldogs alum, and he is having a great season for the T-Wolves who have struggled after the trade for Rudy Gobert as well and injuries to Karl Anthony-Towns.  I'm hoping they can figure out a way to turn it around so we can see those guys in the playoffs.  KAT is a special big man.

BREAKDOWN:

30 – Total Cards

18 – RC

5 – Chronicles

4 - Classic

4 – Luminance

3 – Panini

3 – Threads

3 - Prestige

3 – Playbook

3 - Essentials

3 – Green Parallels

1 – XR

1 – Crusade

Random Wax: 2020-2021 Chronicles Basketball Hanger Box

2020-2021 Chronicles Basketball:  The NBA draft is tonight and you have to expect some wheeling and dealing as well as teams hoping they grab the next big player.  Kawhi was drafted with the 15th pick of the 2011 NBA Draft.  By the Pacers no less before being traded by Indiana with Dāvis Bertāns and Erazem Lorbek to the San Antonio Spurs for George Hill.

I really enjoy looking back at past drafts to see who was selected where and what players were selected ahead of them.  II also enjoyed looking at my pull in this box.  Great player after great player.

Hopefully the Blazers can build a contender around Dame.  They've already traded for PF Jerami Grant which is a nice pickup.  A lot of work to still do though.  The Hawks are also expected to make changes to be more competitive after struggling this season, one year after making it to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Plenty of different designs in Chronicles to like and not to like but the variety is a big part of the appeal. 

Some nice rookie pulls with Ball and Pritchard.  There are rumors Charlotte is interested in Russell Westbrook but that makes zero sense.  But it makes zero sense for anyone to be interested in Westbrook at this point in his career with that contract.

Didn't even notice I featured two "Tyrese" in this photo.

Definitely a fun box.  We'll end it with one of my favorites, Anthony Edwards, who had a good sophomore year at just age 20.  Minnesota has to feel like they can be really good with the right roster moves.

BREAKDOWN:

30 – Total Cards

18 – RC

6 - Chronicles

4 – Panini

4 – Classic

3 - Playbook

3 – Luminance

3 – Green Parallel

2 – XR

2 – Threads

2 - Prestige

1 – Donruss

1 - Crusade

1 - Marquee

1 – Essentials

2020-2021 Chronicles Basketball Hanger Box

2020-2021 Chronicles Basketball: A new year and some new basketball cards...whoo hoo!  I hope everyone had a fun and safe New Years.  These showed up on the shelves a few weekends ago but figured I'd share today.  Chronicles has plenty of variety and lots of rookies.  I historically liked the Crusade look so pulling a Dame from the brand is great. Even if the Blazers, and Lillard, are struggling Dame is still fun to watch.

Even though I could have easily read the box I assumed these were 2021-2022 cards but nope.  Must be one of the products hit hard with all the delays.  Really good pull in this box.  Lillard makes another appearance next to Steph and Joel Embiid.

Lots of youngsters here with 20 RC cards including the crème of the crop in LeMelo Ball.

That Wiseman is a green parallel which looks pretty cool in hand.  

Fun box of cards.  I like the base Chronicles, Threads, Classic and Crusade cards.  The Classic and green parallels are exclusive to hanger boxes.  Happy New Year!

BREAKDOWN:

30 – Total Cards

20 – RC

5 – Chronicles

4 – Classic

4 – Playbook

3 – Panini

3 - Prestige

3 – Green Parallel

2 - Essentials

2 – Luminance

1 – XR

1 – Crusade

1 – Donruss

1 – Marquee

1 – Rated Rookie