Random Wax: 2022-2023 Donruss Basketball

22-23 Donruss:  Bradley Beal can score and he can shoot.  He's averaged 30+ points per game twice and for his career has shoot 37% from 3.  His issue at this point in his career is staying healthy.

Good pull in this pack.  Donovan Mitchel and Jaylen Brown both signed big contracts with Cleveland and Boston, respectively.  Brown is also a newly minted NBA Champion.

Fun looking back at how the youngsters are doing but no love here.  Dalen is tops among this trio with a career 3.0 scoring average.

That large Ticketmaster advertisement in the background makes the Jordan Poole card look like an insert.  Allen is a top contender for the 22-23 All-Hair Team.

Ja Morant on a cool looking Magicians insert.  That Mike Conley is a Green Holo Laser Parallel.

No complaints here outside the misses in the rookie pull.  Good looking cards and plenty of good players though.  The Kings added DeMar DeRozan this offseason.  I like him but it feels like the Kings, DeAaron Fox, Domantis Sabonis needed someone who would provide more floor spacing.

BREAKDOWN:

30 – Total Cards

3 – Rated Rookie

1 – Magicians

1 – Great X-Pectations

1 – Green Holo Laser Parallel

Random Wax: 2022-2023 Donruss Basketball Blaster

22-23 Donruss:  Nikola Jokic is the likely MVP which would be his third.  Just an amazing player who is so much fun to watch.  In the second round he and Nuggets are already struggling with the Timberwolves who are having a great year and playoff thanks to their stifling defense.

Domantas Sabonis is one of my favorite players but he and Kings struggled this year and were eliminated in the play in round.  Joel Embiid and Kevin Durant were both eliminated in the first round.  Both teams have lots of questions around them.  The Sixers need more depth and for Embiid to be healthy during a playoff run while the Suns need their three stars to gel.  It can still happen and it better because they have almost no path to making that team much better.  

Smith and Nembhard are solid players for their teams playing big roles.

More favorites of mine.  DeRozan was taken out in the play in round while Kawhi suffered again from injuries.  Clips have to get Paul George and James Harden resigned and hope the trio can get healthy.  They were the best team in the league for a stretch this year which gives LA fans hope.

Anthony Edwards is the early star in the playoffs.  He's giving no quarter and playing so well.  Franchise Features are okay.  KD is not a Phoenix Sun.  Shaedon Sharpe is only 20 years-old and he will be key to Portland moving forward.

One of the five Holo Green Laser Parallels.  Randle is injured and not in the playoffs while Trae Young and the Hawks are trying to figure out how to get better.  And maybe that means without him on the team.

The backs are nice.  Very colorful and plenty of information though sans all the years of stats we really want.

Paul George didn't sign an extension with the Clippers this season like running mate Kawhi Leonard did.  LA seems stuck paying whatever Geoge wants as it's almost a given teams like Philly will do whatever it takes to get him on their team.  Fun box of cards and I'm really enjoying the NBA playoffs this year.

BREAKDOWN:

90 – Total Cards

12 – Rated Rookie

5 – Holo Green Laser Parallel

3 – Franchise Features

1 – Bomb Squad

1 – Complete Players

1 – Great Expectations

Random Wax: 2022-2023 Donruss Basketball

22-23 Donruss: LeBron will be going to his 20th All-Star game, an NBA record.  Dude is still putting up crazy good stats at age 39.

Gilgeous-Alexander has been one of the best players in the league this year and was named an All-Star Game starter.  Ja Morant came back with a vengeance but an injury ended his year.  Can the Bulls move off Zach Lavine and his contract?  One of the things to watch at the trade deadline.  I doubt it unless they give up something else to sweeten the pot.

Jalen Duren is averaging a double-double this year for the Pistons.

Mark Williams is almost averaging a double-double for the Hornets while Kuminga is having his best season with the Warriors.

OG is now a Knick while Lowry is now a Charlotte Hornet.  Domantas Sabonis and Kings are having another good season.  Sabonis is leading the league in rebounding and is one of my favorites in the league today.

BREAKDOWN:

30 – Total Cards

3 – Rated Rookie

1 – X-Pectations

1 – Green Holo Laser Parallel

1 – Pink Holo Laser Parallel #/50

Random Wax: 2022-2023 Donruss Basketball (3 Packs)

22-23 Donruss: This Green Laser Holo Parallel shows off one of my favorites in the game today, Domantas Sabonis.  He's having a solid year but the Kings are struggling after winning the division last year.

These are from three packs of those small eight card packs you find sometimes.  Pretty good pull considering.  That really is a nice Ja photo.  He's still suspended but should hit the floor in mid-December.

Jalen Duren is having a good year at center for the Pistons.

Lonzo Ball is out this year with injury.  John Collins has moved on to Utah and is doing a solid job there.

We'll look at some backs which are solid.  The backs look nice.  No real complaints outside of wanting to see career stats.

Porzingas has had a good start to his Celtics tenure while Cade Cunningham is doing well (23 PPG/7 APG) after coming off an injury marred last season.  Nice Jaylen Brown photo highlighting his focus on the ball.  In my mind he's shooting a jump shot upon geting the ball.

BREAKDOWN:
24 – Total Cards
4 – Rated Rookie
3 – Green Laser Holo Parallel

Random Wax: 2022-2023 Donruss Basketball Blaster

 22-23 Donruss Basketball: Hopefully this season we'll get to see what KAT, Rudy Gobert and Anthony Edwards can really be together.  I'm a big Edwards fan and would love to see him and the T-Wolves get into the playoffs.  I'm not convinced selling the farm for Gobert was a good idea but I would like to see if they can make it work.

Great pull in this pack including my favorite players in the league in Kawhi and Dame.  It still hurts to know he'll be leaving Portland but hopefully it can somehow turn into a positive depending on the return.  But wouldn't you want to see what he and Scoot Henderson could do together?

Chet Holmgren, fingers crossed, will have a full season on the court.  He was healthy and looked good in the Summer league.

The backs are nice and colorful.  We'll show some off here for a change of pace.  Some great wings and shooters here.

I'm an Aaron Gordon fan but I have to admit I thought the Nuggets overpaid for him in the offseason after trading for him in the 2021-2022 season.  Well, he helped land them a championship and was a pivotal piece to the team.  What do I know.  Speaking of Anthony Edwards...

The Sacramento Kings had a pretty quiet offseason after their breakout year landing as a #3 seed.  Hopefully they can be just as good this year.  Fox is great and I love Sabonis.  Two greats of the game today in Tatum and Lillard on these nice looking inserts.

NIQUE!  My all-time favorite player showcased on a Bomb Squad insert.  Still not sure about the design of the card but I'll never complain about a Dominique card.

BREAKDOWN:

90 – Total Cards

13 – Rated Rookie

5 – Green Laser Holo Parallel

2 – Bomb Squad

2 – Franchise Featuress

1 – X-Pectations

1 – Retired Great

1 – Complete Players

Random Wax: 2022-2023 Donruss Basketball

22-23 Donruss:  Luka Doncic and the Mavericks are running it back with Kyrie Irving.  That didn't work so well in limited playing time last season.  It's an interesting experiment.  Kyrie is so good but there hasn't been a lot of goodness in his last few stops in the league.

Great pull in this pack.  I do like this design so I won't hesitate to pick these up.

Some nice rookie pulls as well.  Jaden Ivey averaged 16 points per game while Jalen Williams averaged 14.  No complaints with either of those.  That Williams is a Green Laser Holo parallel.  

Michigan Wolverine alum Franz Wagner had a really good sophomore season averaging 18 points per game while shooting 36% from the field.

Some nice photos here of Williams and Jackson.  We end it with a Bomb Squad insert of Donovan Mitchell who had his best season yet as a Cleveland Cavalier.

BREAKDOWN:
30 – Total Cards
4 – Rated Rookie
2 - Green Laser Holo Parallel
1 – Bomb squad

2022-2023 Donruss Basketball

 22-23 Donruss Basketball: Game six tonight and Boston will need all the help they can get if they expect to continue to dig out of their 3-0 hole to Miami they had put themselves in.  Jaylen Brown hasn't had a good series and Boston would be really happy if he found his stroke tonight.  I'll be rooting for the Heat.  Just saying.

This year's design has a bit of Hoops feel to it and I like this look.  Of course anything is better than last year's design.  Bam and the Miami Heat need to win their home game tonight and not give Boston any hope.

Some youngsters.  Holmgren still hasn't seen the court due to injury while Shaedon Sharpe had modest success as a rookie for the Trail Blazers.

No issues with these inserts.  If only Paul George and Kawhi Leonard could stay healthy.

Can't wait to see Jamal Murray and the Nuggets in the NBA Finals.  I'll admit I didn't think Jalen Brunson wasn't worth the contract he received from the Knicks but he did really well in his first year of the deal.

Fun having so much basketball on the shelves right now and these new Donruss add to it.  This pack was fun with the exitement of new cards and good pull.  Go Miami!

BREAKDOWN
30 – Total Cards
3 – Rated Rookie
1 – Complete Players
1 – Franchise Futures
1 - Green Laser Holo Parallel