Random Wax: 2022-2023 Hoops Basketball

22-23 Hoops:   The 76ers got a surprising win (1 game) over the Celtics, without Joel Embiid, in the first round of the playoffs.

Maverick fans can't enjoy these Luka cards.  This was a reduced priced pack I purchased in 2024 but just now posting.

And there he is again...  Collin Sexton is on a Teal Explosion Parallel while 2X All-NBA Vince Carter shows up on an appropriate Purple Parallel Hoops Tribute.

Rookie cards.  Not the best of my pulls.

CJ McCollum has made a big difference for the Atlanta Hawks since he arrived as part of the trade that sent Trae Young to the Wizards.  Atlanta has had a good first round series with the Knicks.  AD was also traded to the Wizards in a separate deal with the Mavs.  I don't see how it works but I do hope we get to see AD and Trae Young play together.

BREAKDOWN:
30 – Total Cards
5 – RC
3 – Hoops Tribute
1 – Skyview
1 – Arriving Now
1 – Purple Parallel
1 – Teal Explosion Parallel

Random Wax: 2022-2023 Hoops Basketball Blaster

22-23 Hoops:   AD is no longer a Laker.  AD was a Maverick for only 29 games.  AD is now a Washington Wizard.  It's been a crazy year and a half for him.  AD is on a popular Hoops Tribute card here.

Trae Young is also a Washington Wizard.  That trade has worked out well for the Hawks.  What will the Wizards look like with Trae and AD?  Are they truly all in on contending?  Will they keep AD?  Plenty of questions Wizards' leadership must figure out.

Dyson Daniels is an All-Defensive 3 and D standout now on the Hawks.  He was a great pickup.  The Rockets have scuffled lately but are still a playoff team and Jabari Smith Jr. will be a big part of any success they have.

Youngsters on different inserts including a Rise N Shine Relic.  Mark Williams is now the starting center for the Phoenix Suns.  I wish TyTy was doing better.  I just want to hear his name in the news.

Nice Ja photo even if his career has taken a left turn.  Booker and the Suns have surprised this season and he's having another excellent season averaging 25/3/6 per game.

Just don't get Pure Players but Doncic is always a plus.  I do like Frequent Flyers and Skyview isn't bad.  No matter what I think of the designs I do like the stars.  Jayson Tatum has come back early from an Achilles injury to bolster an already good Celtics team.

Doesn't scream "greetings card".  Just saying.

Austin Reeves and the Lakers had surged of late, but Luka is now injured and it's unsure what they'll look like going into the playoffs.  Just now posting this blaster after picking it up in 2023.

More Hoops Tribute cards, including a retired great, and one of the best photos in the set showing KAT skying towards the rim.

BREAKDOWN:

90 – Total Cards

13 – RC

5 – Hoops Tribute

3 – Arriving Now

3 – Blue Parallels

2 – Purple Parallels

1 – Skyview

1 – Pure Players

1 – Holo Parallel

1 – Retired Great

1 – Frequent Flyers

1 – RiseNShine Relic

1 – Rookie Greetings

 

Random Wax: 2022-2023 Hoops

22-23 Hoops:  Dame is back in Portland where he should be.  He'll be out this season with injury but hopefully this is the path to him ending his career as a Trail Blazer.  I'm a huge Lillard fan and he's my favorite Trail Blazer of all-time.  So good in his prime, he's a 7X All-NBA, 9X All-Star and was chosen to the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team.

Some big man love.  Bam Adebayo is only 27 and has already been named to the All-Defensive Team 5X.  And he's played in two NBA Finals.

Keegan Murray just secured a 5 year $140M rookie extension.  He's averaged 13 ppg and 6 rpg while shooting 37% from deep in his career in Sacramento.

Dorian Finney-Smith on a Teal Explosion Parallel while Davion Mitchell is on an appropriate Purple Parallel.  I like that Mitchell photo.

A couple of Hoops Tribute inserts and a Pure Players insert (which I still don't get).  But great pulls.

This pack was reduced in price when I bought it in March of last year.  I'm really happy with it and this design definitely says Hoops to me.

BREAKDOWN:

30 – Total Cards

4 – RC

2 – Hoops Tribute

1 – Pure Players

1 – Purple Parallel

1 – Teal Explosion Parallel

Random Wax: 2022-2023 Hoops

22-23 Hoops:  With so many players out or gone from Boston, I'm curious to see what Jaylen Brown brings to the court this year.  He's really the Celtics star for the 2025-2026 season.  Tatum is out with injury and Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday were traded while Boston picked up Anfernee Simons.

What a pull in this pack.  That Donovan Mitchell is one of my favotie cards in the set.  The Giannis is also a really good photo.

Nice Paolo Banchero rookie.  He's become a star in Orlando.  He average 25, 7 and 4 last season.

Kind of boring Rookie Greetings inserts this season.

Mark Williams is a solid big in the league now and was traded to Phoenix this offseason.  Zion on a Hoops Tribute card.  We still don't know who he really is as a player.  That Harris card is a Teal Explosion Parallel.  This pack was one of a few I picked up at a reduced price in March of last year.

There is still a lot of drama around what happens with Jonathan Kuminga.  Myles Turner took his talents to Milwaukee while Harden is now a Clipper.  That's a nice Donovan Mitchell Frequent Flyers insert.  Really fun pack and great star power.

BREAKDOWN:

30 – Total Cards

5 – RC

2 – Hoops Tribute

1 – Purple Parallel

1 – Frequent Flyers

1 – Rookie Greetings

1 – Teal Explosion Parallel

  

Random Wax: 2022-2023 Hoops

22-23 Hoops:  I like this KD photo, and the big offseason topic is where does he end up?  Phoenix is in a bad spot as he has preferred destinations where he'll resign with his new team.  That makes it tough on the Suns.  You have to think if they could have pulled a trade off at the trading deadline they would have been in a much better spot.  I'm big on KD and he is still playing great.  His age and contract status really make trading him difficult though.

Great pull in this pack!  It looks like Giannis isn't going anywhere.  How Milwaukee builds around him will be tricky.  Who will Booker have around him next year?  I think they are better as, in theory, they'll have more depth after KD is dealt.  The Nuggets are another team needing more depth and might have to get creative to get better.

Andrew Nembhard, on a Teal Explosion Parallel, really stepped up in the NBA Finals for the Indiana Pacers.  

KD again on a Skyview insert.  That design feels off.  Chris Paul on a Hoops Tribute insert while we get Steph on the ever-perplexing Pure Players insert.

I purchased a few of these packs that were discounted at Wal-Mart back in March of last year.  Just getting around to sharing one.

We got a fun NBA Finals this year with Pascal Siaka starring for Indiana.  These packs are always fun and I'm looking forward to what next season brings.

BREAKDOWN:
30 – Total Cards
5 – RC
1 – Skyview
1 – Pure Players
1 – Arriving Now
1 – Hoops Tribute
1 – Teal Explosion Parallel

Random Wax: 2022-2023 Hoops Blaster

22-23 Hoops: Jayson Tatum pumped for his gold medal with Team USA.  I know there's lots of churn about Tatum's lack of playing time but I think too much is made of it.  Someone always ends up on the short end of the stick on these teams.  Not saying he should be excited but he didn't play that well when he was on the court and it was Steve Kerr's decision.

Solid pull in this blaster and I like this Hoops design.  Picked up this box last June.

Jabari Smtih Jr. and Chet Holmgren have had really good starts to their careers.

Everyone likes the Hoops Tibute cards which have a nice retro feel to them.  And more great players on these.

Arriving Now is probably my favorite of these inserts and I can't figure out if I like Skyview or not.  I'm out on Pure Players.

I'm good with Frequent Flyers.  Great players always help too.

AJ Griffin had a solid rookie season but injury derailed his 2023-2024 performance.  That blank background is such lost opportunity on these Rookie Greeting inserts.

Plenty of Team USA players in this box.  Tatum, Edwards, Davis, Durant.  Not to mention many who played for other contries.

Love all four of these photos as we finish off the post.  Good job Panini.  I really enjoyed Olympic basketball and boxes like this keep my basketball high going.  KD is feeling it too.

BREAKDOWN:

90 – Total Cards

13 – RC

5 – Hoops Tribute

3 – Blue Parallel

3 – Purple Parallel

2 – Frequent Flyers

1 – Skyview

1 – Pure Players

1 – Arriving Now

1 – Retired Great

1 – Rookie Greetings

 

Random Wax: 2022-2023 Hoops Blaster

22-23 Hoops:  Great photo of Donovan Mitchell on this card.  Mitchell is one of the greats of the game, but maybe because he plays in Cleveland and because there are so many stars today, he seems to get left out of the conversation sometimes.

Showing off some of my favorites in the league today.  I really like this design.

Chet Holmgren is having a really good rookie season after missing last season due to injury.  OKC is having a breakout year with the young talent they've accumulated over the last few years.

The Spurs Arriving Now in force in this box!  Sochan and Branham are having solid years in San Antonio.

Like the Kawhi photo on that Skyview insert.  Pure Players can go away but no complaints about pulling a Doncic.

I've liked Aaron Gordon, on a Blue Parallel here, since he came in the league with the Magic.  That Trae Young is a Hoops Tribue Purple Parallel.  Spurs rookie appearance again on this relic.

Jaden Ivey is pretty good averaging 15 PPG and shooting 36% from deep.

If only LaMelo could stay healthy.

Everyone enjoys the Hoops Tribute cards as well as retired greats.  Really like that Anthony Edwards photo.

Kawhi is my favorite player in the sport today and this is a good photo of him.  More great players from the league.  This was a really fun box with the good design and good pull.

 BREAKDOWN:
90 – Total Cards
13 – RC
7 – Hoops Tribute
3 – Blue Parallel
3 – Arriving Now
2 – Purple Parallel
1 – Skyview
1 – Pure Players
1 – Frequent Flyers
1 – RiseNShine Relic
1 – Rookie Greetings