2024-25 Panini Haunted Hoops (20 Packs)

24-25 Haunted Hoops:  The NBA season starts today so let's do some new basketball cards.  Who will Luka and the Los Angeles Lakers be this season?  They should be better but will they find the defense and big man presence they sorely lacked last season.  They did pick up Deandre Ayton who is a legit center who can get them some rebounds, but we'll see how it works overall.

I really like that Giannis photo.  We also have a Slime Parallel Kevin Durant.  Not my favorite Hoops design overall but it does feel like Hoops and is a mirror image of 24-25 Hoops.  The webs added to the non-parallels are nice, but I'd like to see a bit more.

Youngsters get their time in the 325 card set.  Jared McCain had a really good rookie year, but an injury sustained last month means he'll miss the start of this season.  Still, he's looking good on the slime parallel.

Each Haunted Hoops bundle has 40 packs with 3 cards each.  There is one parallel per pack.  I wish there were more parallels or more parallels in each pack.  I do like both of the parallels.  These packs are intended as options to give trick or treaters on Halloween night.  The possible parallel pulls include:  Orange, Slime, Holo webs, Holo Bats #/399, Holo Trick-or-Treat #/99, Holo Sky #/31.

What are the odds of pulling three of the same card, with parallels?  Here we have a Holo Web Parallel, base Hoops Tribute and Orange (Pumpkin) Paralle of this Jaylen Wells Hoops Tribute card.  The parallels really help this design in my opinion.

The backs have a little flare but nothing too crazy (and there should be more).  I haven't looked at a release schedule, but this should be one of the last Panini NBA products with Topps taking over the license this month.

That Alperen Sengun is a Holo Web Parallel.  Enjoy the start of the NBA season.  I'm excited for a new year and "hope" for my Hawks and Trail Blazers.

BREAKDOWN:
60 – Total Cards
15 – RC
12 – Orange (Pumpkin)
8 – Slime
3 – Hoops Tribute
2 – Holo Web Parallel

Random Wax: 2024-2025 Hoops Winter Blaster

24-25 Hoops:  Feels like LaMelo Ball and the Hornets are stuck in mediocracy.  They were very busy after the season ended but I'm not sure how much they'll move the needle.  It'll be interesting to see how they do next season.

Shai and the Thunder are reveling in their championship while the Hawks made some big strides including picking up Kristaps Porzingis this offseason.  LeBron and the Lakers seem stuck in neutral with cap issues leaving them little flexibility.  With this winter offering from Hoops, we get plenty of snow.  That sounds great now that we are in the dog days of summer.

Stephon Castle was the Rookie of the Year after averaging 14/3/4 per game.  Alexandre Sarr and Zach Edey each had good rookie seasons.

These feel a little different, and better, with the snow but they could have done more to make them feel like a greeting card.

The always popular Hoops Tribute cards.  The Dr. J is one of my favorite cards from this set.

Good looking Arriving Now cards.  Kyle Filipowski had a solid rookie year and shows up on this hoops Hopeful Relic.

I love that Jerami Grant photo.  Brook Lopez is on the move taking his talents to the Clippers.

I pulled six Premium Parallels with two of them being Purple Winter Parallels.  Damian Lillard was released by the Bucks shocking the NBA world.  He's injured and not expected to play next season but can sign with any team while still collecting the remaining ~$125M left on his contract.  Crazy.

Edey averaged 9 and 8 in his rookie season for Memphis.

Pascal Siakam and the Pacers were so close to their first NBA championship.  Jackson and Harden both signed big deals with their teams this offseason.

Wemby pulls are always fun.  Even on the perplexing Pure Players inserts.  We also get SkyView and Frequent Flyers inserts.

Great pull in this box.  Plenty of stars, good rookies and personal favorites like Dame and Kawhi.

BREAKDOWN:
90 – Total Cards
18 – RC
6 – Premium Parallels
5 – Hoops Tribute
3 – Skyview
2 – Arriving Now
2 – Rookie Greetings
2 – Purple Winter Parallels
1 – Pure Players
1 – Frequent Flyers
1 – Hoops Hopeful Relic