Buzz Break: 2017 Panini Contenders Draft Picks basketball (blaster box)

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and break down the results here. Like this and want to see more — or maybe there’s a box you’d want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2017 Panini Contenders Draft Picks (blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Packs per box: 7
Cards per pack: 6
Cards in this box: 42
Base set completion: 
27 of 100* (27 percent)
Duplicates: 2

Notable base cards – Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis (2), Carmelo Anthony, Magic Johnson, Scottie Pippen, Buddy Hield, Kris Dunn, LeBron James, Karl-Anthony Towns, James Harden, Damian Lillard, Dwyane Wade, Kawhi Leonard, Kristaps Porzingis, Russell Westbrook, Larry Bird

Buzz Break: 2017 Panini Contenders Draft Picks basketball (blaster box)

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and break down the results here. Like this and want to see more — or maybe there’s a box you’d want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2017 Panini Contenders Draft Picks basketball (blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 7
Cards per pack: 6
Cards in this box: 42
Base set completion: 
26 of 100* (26 percent)
Duplicates: 2

Notable base cards – Magic Johnson, Malcolm Brogdon, Kobe Bryant, Kawhi Leonard, John Wall, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Dirk Nowitzki, Damian Lillard, Buddy Hield (two versions), Anthony Davis, Andrew Wiggins, Paul George, Larry Bird, Kristaps Porzingis, Klay Thompson

Blowout introduces Fire & Ice boxes — and so far there’s plenty of fire

If you want to try a little something from everywhere in the sports world with serious high-end potential but not break the bank, then a new product line from Blowout Cards might be for you.

It’s 2017 Blowout Cards Fire & Ice — and it’s delivered very well for some collectors digging in on Thursday via BlowoutTV. The four cards above? They were all found in the first eight boxes of his high-end buyback box.

Buzz Break: 2013 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions (blaster box)

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there’s a box you’d want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2013 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 12
Cards per pack: 4
Cards in this box: 36
Base set completion: 
36 of 150 (24 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notable players on base cards – Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Danica Patrick, Dan Marino, Nolan Ryan, John Elway, Larry Bird, Rory McIlroy, Natalie Gulbis

Gallery: 2016 Leaf Sports Heroes trading cards + checklist

Leaf Trading Cards‘ latest sports card release arrived in hobby shops on Friday and it includes one of the widest arrays of possible finds — everything from competitive eaters to Super Bowl kings and even stars from sports movies.

Each box of 2016 Leaf Sports Heroes includes three certified autographs with some of the possible surprises inside also being a 27-autograph card of the 1972 Miami Dolphins and a parallel rainbow that includes five types and printing plates for all cards.

Steph Curry makes history — but hobby expectations remain high

Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, LeBron James and Steph Curry.

Those are the players who have taken home the NBA’s Most Valuable Player Award in back-to-back seasons — and none of them have done it in unanimous fashion except for Curry, who made history on Tuesday.

It’s an elite club for sure.

USA Basketball Dream Team doctor opts to sell priceless collection

A priceless stash of autographed items and game-used shoes from the 1992 USA Basketball Dream Team is hitting the auction block via Heritage Auctions, giving deep-pocketed collectors a shot at owning items from the one team that arguably revolutionized basketball on a global scale.

More than 20 lots are up for grabs — all from the collection of Dr. David A. Fischer, who was the physician for the gold-winning squad, which is packed with legends.

“It’s arguably the most significant offering of Dream Team game-used gear ever to surface in the collectible marketplace,” said Chris Ivy, director of Sports Auctions at Heritage. “Due to the brief existence of the team, and the enormous fame and wealth of its members, very little Dream Team material has become available.

“This is a rare opportunity to acquire such significant material from the Dream Team,” he said. “Like the team itself, there will never be another auction like this again.”

First Buzz: 2016 Leaf Sports Heroes trading cards

What: 2016 Leaf Sports Heroes trading cards
Arrives: May
Box basics: Three autographs per box (12 boxes per case)

What’s buzz-worthy: Leaf puts some of the biggest names from the sports world all in the same box — a brand that even includes a 27-signature book for the 1972 Miami Dolphins and a triple-auto for The Hanson Brothers from Slap Shot for a few surprises.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

First Buzz: 2016 Upper Deck All-time Greats Master Collection cards

What: 2016 Upper Deck All-time Greats Master Collection trading cards
Arrives: This week
Box basics: 58 cards and one mystery redemption per box

What’s buzz-worthy: Take the biggest names in the sports world (and the Upper Deck stable of signers) and take it all high-end. How high-end? The cost per box to dealers — not the price to the public — is north of $10,000. What does it include? Among the inclusions in each box are an autographed acrylic box-topper, a 25-card autographed base set, a 30-card acetate Master Collection Puzzle set, one Michael Jordan Diamond card, one autographed Masterful Paintings card, one dual auto or dual cut auto card and one mystery redemption.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

Magic Johnson & Larry Bird Rookie Card commands big cash on eBay

It’s the Rookie Card of two NBA icons sandwiching a legend. It’s a relic from the past days of simpler cardboard from toward the end of the early Topps era. It’s a piece of cardboard perfection with all the flaws you’d expect from its time — and that’s got nothing to do with condition.

And this card in this condition? Well, it’s a $27,000 card after selling on eBay earlier today.

Iconic Sports Illustrated covers can be quite collectable & sometimes quite valuable, too (gallery)

If you’ve watched any NFL games this season, you’ve likely heard the word “concussion” many times as the league has implemented new tests on players to help prevent future problems by assessing the here and now immediately following a hard hit.

On Christmas Day, a film about the issue of concussions in football called Concussion opens in theaters. You’ve probably seen the commercials for the film during NFL games.

Will Smith stars as Dr. Bennet Omalu, who discovered the degenerative brain disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. It’s a real-life issue that has affected more than 80 former players — many you’ve seen on football cards and might have collected. The movie is an important one and Sports Illustrated has Smith on its cover this week to discuss the movie.

Is it the first time a celebrity has appeared on the cover of the highly collectable sports magazine?