2024-25 Panini Flawless Basketball Release Overview
One of the highest end Basketball products will finally be releasing this week, 2024-25 Flawless Basketball. Given that it may be the final Flawless release due to licensing, Panini looks to be going all in on the product, offering collectors a variety of cards to chase. The base cards will contain gems once again, and many players have signed for the product. With 11 cards per box, it can be somewhat of a high risk/high reward product, but it certainly has big hit potential. Flawless will release on Friday, September 26th, and here is a look at some of it's key offerings.
Base Set/Diamonds
The base set for Flawless takes on a similar shape to prior years, with a gem being a part of the card. All of the cards are printed to 20 or less, so the cards themselves will be rare to find. It will be even more difficult to find a particular player. The base set is chunked into three parts. The first part contains what would be considered "regular" base cards. The final part of the base set contains Flawless Firsts and Finales, which chronicle the first time a player won an award or similar achievement/the last game a player played in. While a complete checklist is not known at the time of writing, the base set should be filled with quite the names from NBA history and today.
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Autographs/Memorabilia
Autographs and Memorabilia will fall (on average) 10 per box. Patch autographs can be found in addition to just autographs, and one of the preview images released by Panini showcases a good example. The card in question has Paolo Banchero in the center of the card alongside a three color patch that contains what looks to be part of his nameplate. The autograph is on the bottom of the card, creating a stunning card for any Magic or Banchero collector.
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Laundry Tags will also be included in this year's release, and some of the combo cards are striking. One features two Dallas Mavericks legends: Dirk Nowitzki and Luka Doncic. Some collectors do gravitate toward laundry tag patches due to their limited nature, and high end quality of the cards that they come on. They also tend to be limited in quantity, which also adds to the appeal.
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Booklets
Booklets will be a chase component for collectors, and these have been featured in Flawless Basketball before. The booklets will typically feature a jumbo patch alongside an autograph of a player. The exact checklist is not known at the time of writing, but a preview image of an Anthony Edwards booklet has been released. Given the possible patches that could be included on these cards, booklets could fetch a good amount on the open market.
Special Inserts
Special insert cards can also be discovered, similar to other sports who have had recent or upcoming Flawless releases. The only card that we know about at this time is one that contains a picture of the Emirates Cup - the trophy given to the winner of the in-season tournament. On the trophy are multiple diamonds, 12 in total. The card is also a one of one, making it one of the most rare cards in the entire product by default. While this type of card may not appeal to all collectors, it will certainly have a market once it gets pulled.
Online Breaks
eBay Live will have some online breaks that take place on release day. Blezsportscards will be opening some of the product at 8 PM that night. It is not known at the time of writing how much of the product will be opened, but the break will be run as $1 starting bids. This provides yet another chance through online platforms for collectors to participate in high-end products, without having to purchase the entire box by themselves. For any collectors interested in the break, it can be found here once it goes live.
2024-25 Flawless Basketball looks to be one of the biggest releases of the year, and Panini may be going all in on it. Major autographs can be found, and some of the preview images show crazy relics. With it being a high end product, the price will have to be weighed with what is received, but major Basketball collectors will find a way to get some of the product, either through a hobby box or online breaks. Flawless Basketball releases nationwide on Friday, September 26th.
Dylan is a collector based in Central Pennsylvania, and sports fan rooting for the Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Pirates, and LA Lakers. He is currently attempting to collect a complete run of Topps flagship sets across football, baseball, and basketball. He is passionate about the history of the hobby including its continual growth and evolution.