Panini Drops First Look at Epic WNBA Cards of Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Cameron Brink
The WNBA is one of the bright spots in the hobby these days, especially with the league’s surge in popularity. As such Panini has released a glimpse of epic basketball cards of Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Cameron Brink for their Rookie Royalty set.
In a post shared by Panini on Instagram, collectors can see the top chase cards they can hit when purchasing a box of Rookie Royalty. Among those that can be pulled is Clark’s One of One National Treasures Rookie Patch Auto.
As seen in a video shared by Panini, Clark herself signed the card with an inscription about her being the number one pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. Also included in the set are her Immaculate and Crown Royale signed cards, which are projected to go big once they hit the market.
RELATED: Caitlin Clark 1/1 Rookie Card Sells for Nearly $275,000
In another post, collectors can see notable cards of Reese, Brink and Nika Muhl. The Chicago Sky forward boasts an eye-catching Downtown, Noir Spotlight auto, and an Immaculate RPA numbered to 10 copies, among others. Brink has an insane Kaboom Gold card while Muhl’s Downtown rookie card can also be found in the set.
Each box of Panini WNBA Rookie Royalty comes with two cards encased within sealed magnetic cases. Collectors have a chance of hitting One of One cards from different sets, including National Treasures, Immaculate, Flawless, Donruss, Contenders, Elite Pen Pals, Regal Achievement Signatures, and Sneaker Spotlight.
Aside from Clark, Reese, Brink, and Muhl WNBA card collectors can also get other rookies from the 2024 Draft Class. These include Kamila Cardoso, Rickea Jackson, Jacy Sheldon, Kate Martin, Leonie Fiebich, and Aaliyah Edwards.
The Problem That Comes With Panini’s WNBA Rookie Royalty Set
Just recently, the dutch auction for WNBA’s Rookie Royalty started at $30,000 and ended at its floor of $3,000 per box. As pointed out by The Great Curator in a video he posted on his official Instagram account, a huge problem lies in this product.
RELATED: Angel Reese Cards Hold Their Ground as Chicago Sky Star Achieves Historic WNBA Feat
He pointed out that instead of fixing their release schedule for certain products, Panini chose to cram the best cards from different high-end sets into one offering. In effect, this will funnel all their best cards for one year into a single set.
In the end, The Great Curator explained that WNBA’s Rookie Royalty is meant for breakers, and not for collectors. He added that a thriving card box break business can afford to purchase this product and make a profit off of it by selling spots in their breaks for gamblers in the hobby. Those fortunate enough to hit a big card, such as the Caitlin Clark One of One RPA, may only end up making more money.
The video concludes with the thought of Panini being short-sighted because the WNBA’s popularity is just starting to rise. The company’s failure to capitalize on their license with the women’s league from a long-term perspective, and instead, focus on doing a cash grab is a disappointment, The Great Curator said.
The Verdict on Panini’s Latest WNBA Card Set Featuring Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Cameron Brink
RELATED: Caitlin Clark Drives Demand For New Panini WNBA Cards
The opportunity to hit great cards from this set is real. At the same time, it also demands a huge price to do so. Collectors with a lot of money have a chance to make it big, but there’s also the risk of losing because if the wrong player is pulled.
In any case, this is a high-risk high-reward product from Panini and those fortunate to pull the best cards featuring Clark, Reese or Brink will end up as winners. Keep an eye out in the coming days to see how much they’ll be worth once these cards hit the market.
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.