5 Underrated Panini Basketball Inserts
In this story:
As Panini gets closer to losing its NBA license, collectors are still going after their favorite insert sets; Kabooms, Downtowns, Color Blasts and more. But with all the focus on those big names, it's entirely possible that some lesser-known inserts are flying under the radar. Here are five underrated Panini basketball inserts that shouldn't go unnoticed.
5. 2024 Prizm - Groovy
With Prizm continuing to pump out gimmicky looking cards, it’s no surprise that the Groovy insert is flying under the radar. But at some point, you have to wonder if it's just plain undervalued. It's labeled as an SSP (Super Short Print), will only appear in one year of Prizm, and that year happens to be Prizm's last. A LeBron James PSA 10, which you'd expect to be one of the top chases in the set, recently sold for just $450.
RELATED: Five Key Panini Basketball Cards of 2016
4. 2016 Donruss - Optic Preview
Back in 2015, Donruss gave collectors a sneak peek at what was coming by including a short printed insert set to preview the launch of Optic. That set would go on to become one of Panini’s flagship chromium sets. That said, interest seems to be fading. The above LeBron James card that sold for $15,323 in 2020 went for only $2,250 a few weeks ago. With a PSA 10 population of just four, it’s hard to imagine it dropping much lower.
3. 2023 Prizm - Prizmania
A case can be made that 2023 Prizmania is the most underrated set on this list. It was the first SSP insert card in Prizm basketball history and has since appeared across several other sports. The name itself captures the excitement and mania that Prizm cards inspire, and on top of that, is incredibly rare. The Stephen Curry card shown above recently sold at auction for $2,615 and has a PSA 10 population of just three.
2. 2024 Prizm - Manga
While Manga has appeared before in other Prizm sets, this is its first time in a flagship NBA Prizm release, which, like the Groovy insert, is Prizm's last. Unlike many rare inserts, this Manga card is found only in retail boxes and features custom artwork by @bbkei made specifically for this set. It's extremely rare, with the above Anthony Edwards being the only PSA 10 copy, and recently selling for over $5,400.
Prizm basketball’s new Manga SSP design is ___. pic.twitter.com/RrlsocEzul
— The Collectibles Guru (@ericwhiteback) March 13, 2025
1. 2014 Totally Certified - Mirror Platinum Die Cut
The 2014 Panini Totally Certified Mirror Platinum Die Cuts continue to gain traction with collectors, thanks in part to a holofoil that refracts very much like the 1997 PMG reds and greens. The basketball set includes standard-sized cards with the same images as regular "Platinums", but the "Mirror Platinums" stand out for their bold refractor shine and die-cut design. While Panini gave most stars in the set two different cards with different poses, Curry wasn’t considered a superstar back in 2014. As a result, he has only one pose and half the print run of the other stars. Because of this rarity, as well as the scarcity of, and overall demand for, the set's lower numbered parallels, Steph’s Mirror Platinum cards continue to attract collector interest.
Jason is a dedicated basketball card collector who recently transitioned into writing and educating others about the sports card industry. Find him on Instagram @jeancardz