Review of 2009 Panini Basketball (flagship)

All in all, I gotta say that this was a success for Panini.  The action shots were good for a baseline brand and the inserts were eye-catching and accessable.  The box had 36 packs of 12 cards, and really, one of the best things about this product is that there is no wasted space.  The product has no jersey cards or other memorabilia, so there is no need to put in dummy cards.  Instead, they put in really well done stickers.  I haven't been this impressed by stickers since I was five.

What they got right:

• A ton of cards for the money - really 36 packs at 12 cards a pack...for around forty bucks?  Nice.
• Great looking inserts.  While I build this set, I'm really looking forward to completing "The Franchise" series.
• Simple parrallel.  Only one variation numbered to /199.  Not too scarce at all.

What they got wrong:

• Speaking of the parallel, it really ought to be slightly set apart from the base set.  "Artist Proof" isn't enough.
• Only 36 RC's per box?  That's okay if you're not featuring 100 rookies.  I shouldn't have to buy 3 boxes to complete the set.
• Auto uses a clear, see-though, sticker that's hard to read against a dark card.  A foil sticker would've worked better here.

The breakdown:

• 84% completion of set including rookies.  The second box I'll open should render the full base set of veterans, but will still leave me short of RC's.  The price that people charge to ship singles on ebay could make this set a little spendier to put together than it ought to be.

• Auto:  1 auto per box and I got Tyreke Evans.  This really made the box for me.  To get an auto of a high class rookie was a surprise.

• Inserts:  All inserts are runs of ten or twenty cards.  The inserts were well done.  I'm actually more inclined to build the inserts sets ahead of the rookie set.

The Grade:
I have to give this product an A for what it is.  The pricepoint, the seeding, the quantity and quality all lead to an enjoyable breaking experience with no real ding to the wallet.  I know I lucked out with the auto, but this isn't a product that you buy for the hits.  If I'd gotten a scrub rookie auto, it still would've been a fun break with the inserts it provided.  I had a great time with my wife and one of my daughters opening a box for 40 dollars than I've had opening a box that cost 150$ that the kids couldn't touch.

If you're thinking about a basketball box, this is a great, no-guilt purchase.