Random Wax: 2023-2024 Contenders Basketball (2 Packs)

 23-24 Contenders:  Wemby is still a basketball freak of nature.  It is already his 3rd season in the NBA and he's averaging 24 and 10 this year while shooting 38% from deep.  The Spurs are also a top 3 team in the Western Conference and has had some big wins over OKC.

Great pull in these packs.  It is a small set which helps.  This design is a good one for me.  I like Contenders and getting the backgrounds in the photo is a good touch.

Ausar Thompson and Jaime Jaquez Jr. are solid players in the league.  I like the look of Rookie Stallions.

Two Game Night Ticket cards and a Bronze Game Day Ticket Parallel.  Some nice variety for a set that doesn't have a ton.

These Historic Draft Class cards are great.  Two photos and retired greats.  Good combo.

Lauri Markkanen has become one of the best big men in the league.  He averages 27, 7 and 2 while shooting 36% from 3.  He's a true big man at 7-1.

As a reminder the Section is the player's weight, the Row is their height, and Seat is their jersey number.

Another Historic Draft Class retired legend.

Lots of big men love.  And Kawhi, my favorite player in the league, and he's maybe having his best season yet.  He's had to deal with a few injuries, which he can't seem to shake but he and the Clippers have surged of late and are back in the playoff/play-in picture.

BREAKDOWN:
44 – Total Cards
6 – RC
2 – Retired Greats
2 – Game Night Ticket
2 – Historic Draft Class
1 – Stallions
1 – Draft Class
1 – Green Game Day Ticket Parallel
1 – Bronze Game Day Ticket Parallel

Random Wax: 2023-2024 Contenders Basketball (2 Packs) with Auto

23-24 Contenders:  Giannis and the Bucks haven't seen the results on the court in recent years but that doesn't take away from this man's greatness.  He's averaged 26+ points per game for eigtht of his 12 NBA seasons including 30+ the last three seasons.  In a league that values the three he still dominates other teams in different ways they can't defend and we don't see with any other players.  Don't forget about him when we talk about greats in today's game.

Contenders is a small set, so you'll always see plenty of stars in your pulls unless you just get really unlucky.  These three are greats in the game. What a difference a year makes.  Doncic traded to the Lakers, Durant to the Rockets and Tatum out for the upcoming season with an injury.

All three of these youngsters are really good players in the league.  I like Draft Class inserts and the look of Rookie Stallions.

Historic Draft Class cards give us a look back at past greats which is a highlight for me.  And Shaq is always a fun pull.

Unfortunately, Leaky Black didn't get a second season in the NBA.  That Chet Holmgren, of the champion Thunder, is on a Green Parallel and we get a Game Night Ticket Kyrie Irving.  That is actually a solid design.

Celtics legend.

Porzingis is now an Atlanta Hawk who've gone all in for the upcoming season with the East up for grabs.  Siakam is now a Pacer and things have changed so much in Indy since they made the Finals.  Haliburton out with an injury and Myles Turner took his game to Milwaukee.

Butler is in Golden State now while Anthony Davis ended up in Dallas in the crazy Luka trade.  I'm not the biggest AD homer but I hope he and the Mavs actually do well together.  Anthony Edwards, Georgia Bulldog alum, is the new hotness in the league.

BREAKDOWN:

44 – Total Cards

7 – RC

2 – Retired Greats

2 – Rookie Stallions

2 – Historic Draft Class

2 – Green Game Ticket Parallels

1 – Draft Class

1 – Game Night Ticket

1 – Rookie Ticket Autograph

Random Wax: 2023-2024 Contenders Basketball (2 Packs)

23-24 Contenders:  Shai Gilgeous- Alexander is a stud.  He may well be the MVP this season though The Joker will have a lot to say about that.  He's leading the league in scoring, is only 26 years-old and a great watch on the court.

Really good pull.  This set is 160 cards so you should see some pretty good star power in packs.  Joel Embiid is shut down for the season.  Shouldn't be a surprise considering all the injuries he's dealt with but man if there's one player you just want to see healthy, it might be him.

Rookie offerings.  I want Scoot Henderson to be good but he's still on the bench and I don't feel like Portland has a good plan for developing him.  I'm not saying he's worth of the #3 pick that he was, but I'd like to see him get an extended look in the starting lineup to get a real look at him as a player.  I like these Stallions cards.  That smokey look with the horses in the back is kinda cool.  

These cards are from two of the fat packs from a fat pack box I purchased last year.    

Big fan of these Historic Draft Class Contenders inserts.  Retired greats and fun photos are a win.

Here we have a Green Game Ticket Parallel, Game Night Ticket card, and a Bronze Game Ticket parallel.

Three of my favorites in the league today and a Wemby sighting.  I've got more of these to show off over time.  I had a good pull this time and lots of fun.

BREAKDOWN:
44 – Total Cards
6 – RC
2 – Draft Class
2 – Rookie Stallions
1 – Retired Great
1 – Game Night Ticket
1 – Historic Draft Class
1 – Green Game Day Ticket Parallel
1 – Bronze Game Day Ticket Parallel

Random Wax: 2023-2024 Contenders Basketball (2 Packs)

23-24 Contenders:   Steph Curry and the Warriors have surged lately after the addition of Jimmy Butler.  Steph isn't having his best statistical year but he's still one of the best in the game.

These are two more fat packs from a box I purchased last year.  Good pull and the design is one I like.  I'm in the minority as a member of the Contenders brand fan club but they work for me.

Stallions are a nice-looking card.  I like the coloring and background.  Brandon Miller, though injured this season, is a legit rising star in the league and a great pairing with LaMelo Ball.

These Historic Draft Class inserts are great.  Wish we had retired greats on other designs within the set as well, but these are still fun.

Franz Wagner, Michigan alum, has become an excellent scorer and is scoring almost 25 points per game this season.  Nikola Jokic is maybe having his best season as a pro.  He is currently top three in the league in points, rebounds and assists per game.  That is nothing short of amazing.  

Young Kyrie!  These Draft Class cards are fun.

That CJ McCollum is a Game Day Bronze Parallel.  Interestingly enough, LaMelo Ball was my oldest grandson's favorite player but he was just recently supplanted by Ja (on a Game Night Ticket).  Fun coincidence since I scanned these in July.

BREAKDOWN:

44 – Total Cards

5 – RC

2 – Stallions

1 – Retired Greats

2 – Historic Draft Class

2 – Bronze Game Day Ticket Parallel

1 – Draft Class

1 – Game Night Ticket

Random Wax: 2023-2024 Contenders Basketball (2 Packs)

23-24 Contenders:  We'll kick this one off with Anthony Davis on a Pink Game Ticket Parallel #199.  I'm not as big a fan as most of AD, but it doesn't mean he isn't one of the great bigs in the game.  Maybe the Lakers will be able to pull off a trade for a big man that allows him to move back to power forward this season.  LA is doing well but they still need some help to get to the next level of teams.

I say it all the time.  The Joker is so much fun to watch and just an amazing player.  DeMar DeRozan is now a Sacramento King and teamed up with De'Aaron Fox now.  

These are all nice cards that showcase young players.  I like the look of the Stallions inserts quite a bit.

These are great cards.  We get retired greats on a nice design as we get to look back at when they were drafted.

Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs are killing it this year.  They really have it figured out.  I hope they can keep it going and be the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

I like the 23-24 design over the previous year's look.  Jaren Jackson Jr. is having another really good year are as the Grizzlies who are a top team in the West.  Fun packs of cards.  I got a few personal favorites including Anthony Edwards showing up on a Game Night Ticket.

BREAKDOWN:
44 – Total Cards
6 – RC
2 – Draft Class
2 – Game Night Ticket
1 – Retired Greats
1 – Rookie Stallions
1 – Historic Draft Class 
1 – Green Game Ticket Parallel
1 – Pink Game Ticket Parallel #/199

2023-2024 Contenders Basketball Blaster with Autograph

23-24 Contenders:  We'll kick it off with Joel Embiid who's currently getting ready for the Olympics with the rest of Team USA.  Another disappointing season for him (injuries) and the 76ers (early playoff exit) but Embiid is really one of the best in the league when healthy.  Philadelphia added Paul George, Caleb Martin, Eric Gordon and Kyle Lowry this offseason.  I'm not saying that puts them at Boston or New York's level but I could easily see them as the #3 seed in the Eastern Conference next season assuming good health.

This is my first look at this year's Contenders set and I like it more than 2022-2023 Contenders.  This year there's more color and the arrangement of information on the card fronts isn't as compact.  I know many aren't as big a fan of the Contenders blueprint but it works for me.

Rookie offerings as well.  That Taylor Hendricks is a Red Parallel.  Scoot Henderson was the #3 overall pick to Portland but stuggled last season.  He did show more promise in the second half of the season.  The Trail Blazers have a logjam at guard and might still make a move prior to the season.

Ricky Council IV didn't turn any heads in Philly but did have a solid rookie campaign.  I like the Game Night Tickets.  Different enough to add some good variety.  I really like the Rookie Stallions inserts.  The Warriors drafted well getting Brandin Podziemski in the first round of last year's draft.

The backs look pretty good.  Plenty of color and the stats we're used to.  As a reminder the SEC/ROW/SEAT are the players weight, height and jersey number respectively.

Pretty good checklist for the Historic Draft Class inserts.  I'm not a Paul Pierce guy but it's always fun pulling retired greats.

Fun box of cards.  I purchased a box of fat packs so you'll see more of these.  We'll end it with some favorite players of mine.  That Sabonis is a Bronze Parallel.

BREAKDOWN:
40 – Total Cards
7 – RC
2 – Game Night Ticket
1 – Draft Class
1 – Red Parallel
1 – Retired Great
1 – Bronze Parallel
1 – Rookie Stallions
1 – Historic Draft Class
1 – Rookie Ticket Autograph