Collectors React to Hilarious Los Angeles Lakers' Bronny James Panini Patch Card
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Panini’s time with its license to manufacture NBA cards is coming to an end soon. But before that happens, a hilarious patch card of Los Angeles Lakers star Bronny James has hit the market, prompting collectors to have a field day with it.
A photo of the younger James’ 2024-25 Panini Select Rookie Jumbo Patch Black Finite One of One card was recently shared by LeMeme James on Instagram. On the left portion of the card is Bronny holding a ball and wearing LA's yellow jersey. The card itself is a wonder to look at as well, thanks to a black Prizm-centric design that instantly captures the attention of anyone holding it.
However, there’s one element of this Bronny James Card that’s turning heads everywhere - its patch. As opposed to the usual blank patches or those with different colors in them, Panini went into a questionable direction by choosing to highlight the word ‘LEAVE’. The end result is a patch card that leans into the hate and criticism some fans have thrown against LeBron James’ son for the past few months.
As it stands, the patch itself came from a Lakers jersey Bronny wore that commemorated the late Kobe Bryant with the phrase “leave a legacy.” But instead of using any other part of that piece of clothing, Panini went ahead and included the word that will most likely affect the young star’s image.
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For the past year, Bronny James has been the direct target of critics and fans alike for benefiting from his father’s influence in the league. Unlike most rookies selected far in the second round, the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft has enjoyed more opportunities to succeed in the league. In turn, the sentiment towards the Lakers star hasn’t been that positive since then.
How Collectors Reacted to Panini’s Bronny James Patch Card
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Overall, Bronny’s patch card from the latest Panini Select Basketball set is trending well for collectors due to its huge potential to be a chase in the future. Of course, that depends on the younger James’ longevity and production as his NBA career progresses.
The State of Bronny James’ Panini Select Patch Card
Surprisingly, James’ Rookie Patch One of One card has made its way to the market. It recently sold for $1,802 on eBay last July 8. This makes it potentially a profitable card since a hobby box of Panini’s 2024-25 Select is currently valued at $390.
If the owner decides to have it graded and comes out with at least a 9, expect this Bronny James card to jump up in value. Until then, collectors will still have to wait and see whether the young Lakers star’s career can trend in the right direction to make the card more valuable.
Julio Munar is a sports and culture writer. His expertise revolves around the NBA, but his passion is sports cards and collectibles. He has written for ClutchPoints and The Manila Times, among other outlets.