Random Wax: 2019-2020 Hoops Basketball

2019-2020 Hoops Basketball:  NBA Playoffs start today!  This pack has been around for a while and today is a good day to post it.  Plenty of stars in this pack who will feature prominently in the games.  LeBron and the Lakers may not have looked that great in the bubble but have to be right there with the Clippers as favorites to come out of the Western Conference.

Speaking of the Western Conference, the Clippers aren't the #1 seed but do seem to be the favorite to win the West and maybe take it all.  Jusuf Nurkic was able to come back from injury thanks to the break in the season and was a big part of the Blazers run at a playoff spot.  Jimmy Butler is a favorite of mine and is a part of the very good Miami Heat after being traded there in the offseason.

Some pretty good inserts and of course Ja Morant is right up there with Zion as far as being chased by collectors and fans.  He is so good.

This was a fun pack led by its star power.  If the Lakers are to compete for a championship that guy below will have a lot to say about it.  He's looked good in the bubble and I'm excited to see what Anthony Davis will do in the playoffs.

BREAKDOWN:

30 – Total Cards

7 - RC

2 – Hoops Tribute

1 – Frequent Flyers

1 – Class of 2019

1 – Lights Camera Action

Random Wax: 2019-2020 Hoops Basketball

 2019-2020 Hoops Basketball: Still working through packs bought quite some time ago.  This year's Hoops has been pretty good to me.  I've pulled a few Zions and an auto.  This pack had neither but still delivered very well with two personal favorites in Steph Curry and Damian Lillard and plenty of other stars.  

 Plenty of other stars in the pack as well.  I can't wait until these guys are all back on the court.  The season was so much fun before getting shut down.  Nikola Jokic has slimmed down during the downtime.  I can't wait to see what that translates to on the court.

 With the shortened end to the season and going right into the playoffs there could definitely be some surprises in store.  Denver is already really good.  Could they upset one of the Los Angeles teams?  I don't think anyone really knows what is in store for the rest of the season.

 More big names round out this pack.  Lots of fun and I'm looking forward to seeing all these guys on the court.

BREAKDOWN:
30 – Total Cards
6 – RC
2 – Lights Camera Action
1 – Hoops Tribute
1 – Teal Explosion Parallel
1 – Get Out of the Way

Random Wax: 2019-2020 Hoops Basketball

2019-2020 Hoops Basketball:  My small town Wal-Mart finally had someone come through and buy out all the basketball cards.  We had quite bit of the Prizm Draft Picks and some other random basketball on the shelves.  Gone.  Someone must have bought all of them at once.  All good.  I still have some packs I've been waiting to post so here we go.  Hoops put out some good cards this year and with Zion a part of the chase they, like all basketball cards, are a hot commodity.  This pack had a pretty good pull and finding Sir Charles is always a fun thing.  But no Zion this time but I've already pulled a few of his Hoops cards this year.

This is one of two Kawhi Leonard cards in this pack.  He's my favorite player in the league today so that is great.  It seems like this forced break in the season could help players like he and Paul George who have their playing time managed quite a bit.

Rudy Gobert of course is the face of kicking off the cancellation of sports.  It was only a matter of time no matter what but his antics put him front and center of the virus conversation in relation to sports.  Lonzo Ball is having a nice bounce back year with the Pelicans.  Stephen Adams is having another solid year for the surprising OKC Thunder.

I pulled a second Hoops Tribute insert.  Andrew Wiggins is now a Golden State Warrior after being traded for De'Angelo Russell.  I like Wiggins and think/hope he can be a great fit there.  This was a fun pack.  If they can be found I'll definitely pick up more of these.  Be safe and stay positive my friends.

BREAKDOWN:

30 – Total Cards
5 – RC
2 - Hoops Tribute
2 – Retired Greats
2 – Frequent Flyers
1 – Purple  Parallel

Random Wax: 2019-2020 Hoops

2019-2020 Hoops Basketball:  The NBA All-Star game is tonight but Dame will not be in the game due to injury.  Man that stinks as he's been so good lately and Portland is trying to make a run at a playoff spot.  I really like this photo of Lillard and this card so even though I pulled a Zion in this pack we start it off with Damian.

Hoops has been good to me this year.  This is the first of my three packs that didn't have an autograph.  That's crazy good pulls.  This one still had plenty of star power even if there wasn't any ink.  

I'm not a Lonzo Ball guy but I think he looks better this year.  While his overall field goal percentage is down, his shooting from deep is up and he just looks more comfortable on the court.  We'll see if he can continue to improve.  More than anything I'm so happy his dad isn't part of the news anymore - that dude was annoying.

It's nice to see Victor Oladipo back on the court. A.D. has looked great this year.  Playing with a stud like LeBron will do that for you.  Not that A.D. wasn't already a great player.  But after LeBron suffered through injuries last season we really didn't know what this year would look like.  Now LA is the best of the West and it's hard not to see them at least in the conference championship this year.

That Cam Romeo Langford is a holo parallel even if it is next to impossible to see in the scan.  Definitely a fun pack.  There will be more of these in my future.

BREAKDOWN:

30 – Total Cards
5 – RC
2 – Hoops Tribute
2 – Arriving Now (1 – Holo Parallel)
1 – Lights Camera Action
1 – Teal Explosion Parallel

Random Wax: 2019-2020 Hoops Basketball with Autograph

2019-2020 Hoops Basketball: Over the years Hoops packs have done me well with autographs though other than a Jayson Tatum auto I don't think many have really turned out to be much.  This one is no different with an auto of Chuma Okeke (shown later in the post) who isn't in the NBA right now.  Still this was a really good pack which starts with this Teal Explosion Anthony Davis.  I also pulled his base card.  And I pulled my first Luka Doncic card of the year.  About time. 

These guys keep the star power going.  The Greek Freak has upped his 3 point game this year after an MVP season last year.  He won't be mistaken for Steph Curry anytime soon but the fact he is making a point to make it that much harder to defend him is scary for the rest of the league.

Rookies are always a big part of the Hoops sets.  I like the design of the Class of 2019 inserts.

I'll be curious if D'Angelo Russell and Kevin Love are traded.  Russell seems a likely candidate as Golden State has nothing to play for with all their injuries and when Curry and Thompson are both healthy next year court time will be hard to come by.  Everyone talks about Love moving but I'm not sure I take on his max contract.  His injury history and age make that a tough sell for me.

The aforementioned autograph.

This Doncic Lights Camera Action is a Holo parallel.  Finally pulled one of his cards and a parallel at that.  Dude is the real deal.  This was a great pack and tons of fun.  There will be more.

BREAKDOWN:

30 - Total Cards

7 - RC

2 - Lights Camera Action (1 - Holo Parallel)

2 - Hoops Tribute

1 - Class of 2019

1 - Teal Explosion Parallel

2019-2020 Hoops Basketball with Autograph

2019-2020 Hoops Basketball:  My first pack of Hoops for the year and I grab Zion.  Good start.  The design on these is a good one.  Maybe not great but very solid.  I pulled an auto in this pack which is always a great surprise.  It is Ky Bowman (end of post) who is doing alright in his rookie campaign with the Golden State Warriors.    

  The Zion definitely helps any pull but these three also made this a good pack.  The set is 300 cards strong including the Tribute subset so there are plenty of players to pull.  

The Hoops Tribute cards are where you'll find a mix of retired greats, current stars and rookies.

I usually like the Lights, Camera, Action cards.  This version is one that I'm still warming up to.

The backs are the standard boring backs you normally see with Hoops.  Had to get the Mike Scott card in just for the headband he is rocking.  The Josh Jackson photo is a good one as well.

I like the design this year and was happy with my pack.  A Zion and an auto just sweeten the pot.  I seem to pull quite a few auto from Hoops and this continues that streak.  I look forward to more of these as the year goes on and I am seriously considering picking up one of the Hoops holiday blasters I'm seeing in stores now.

BREAKDOWN:

30 – Total Cards
6 – RC
2 – Lights Camera Action
1 – Hoops Tribute
1 – Arriving Now
1 – Retired Great
1 – Teal Explosion
1 – Great Significance Autograph