For those who feast on excitement in bite-sized morsels, Panini’s latest offering is likely to be your jam. The 2024-25 Panini One and One Basketball collection is a whirlwind of high-adrenaline collecting, practically inviting you to channel your inner adrenaline junky. This latest launch is for those who enjoy their hobbies wrapped tight in suspense—a two-card, high-stakes candy that promises sweet satisfaction or heartfelt devastation in mere moments.
Where many collections offer the mountainous challenge of rifling through endless piles of packs for that rare gem, Panini’s minimalist approach cuts right to the chase. Each beautifully presented box boasts just two cards but promises thrills aplenty. Within, you’ll discover one guaranteed autograph—and therein lies the magic for collectors. Autographs are, as always, the prized crown jewels of sports cards, and Panini takes this most seriously. But what really keeps collectors on the hook is that second card. It could be a base card, parallel insert, or if Lady Luck seems particularly enchanted by you, a memorabilia card that might make even the most indifferent ball-fanatic a tad envious.
Safety, in this troubling age where a sneeze can send chills down spines and ruin prized collectibles, is of course paramount. In the case of the 2024-25 Panini series, safety comes in the form of a one-touch case, secure enough for your peace of mind and stylish enough to boast about. There’s something rather civilized about it all, like sipping champagne at a derby instead of munching pink cotton candy at a rowdy carnival—a tip of the hat to the card itself.
The set’s base lineup, predictably, promises grand things. It’s vivid and vibrant, showcasing top NBA luminaries, revered legends, and the latest rookies yet to find their sea legs on the court but hot on collectors’ wish lists. With cards numbered to just 99, exclusivity is the name of this dramatic game. This year’s introduction of Orange parallels (/49) feels like a subtle addition to Panini’s existing kaleidoscope. Fiery red and deep blue might get the full first-year-NBA-butterflies treatment, but it’s the fantasies of striking Gold (/10), Green (/5), or the singular Black one-of-one that gets the pulse racing.
The Downtown inserts we’ve grown fond of are back, glistening with renewed vigor. Their charm remains undiminished, now adorned with the All-Star variations that allow a glimpse into a parallel basketball cosmos. We’re knee-deep in eye-candy country here, with new arrivals on the scene. Meet Prizmania, Manga, and the Fourth Dimension—printed on metal, no less. It’s a visual treat, yes, but there’s strategy involved too. Any real collector worth their salt knows a truly great card isn’t just fat stacks in cardboard form, it’s art.
But if it’s scribbles and shirts you want, autographs and memorabilia will make your inner magpie swoon. Panini has gone all out—Timeless Moments Autographs returns, bringing encore-worthy commotion. Legendary images and even more legendary signatures add a certain ‘Je ne sais quoi’ to the unfolding symphony of cardboard.
As if great signatures weren’t enough by themselves, the opportunity for a dual-signed card sweetens the pot—two relics of sports history in one fell swoop. Panini certainly dabbles in themes, with signature ideas like One Man Show, One of a Kind, and delightfully, The One and Only Autographs lighting up the imagination like a triple-point shot.
In terms of memorabilia, these paths lead to breathtaking patches, with offerings like Rookie Jumbo Memorabilia and the elite Logoman card. It’s collector candy, the kind you’ll want to feast on rather than just nibble. These are the cards that make you tingle with curiosity about what might come in the next box on the shelf.
Quickly, then, if you need the bare bones from amidst all this cardboard pageantry: one box, two cards, ten boxes per case. You’ll need to limber up those fingers, though, if you want to add this illustrious set to your collection before the shelves are bare. For now, we await the full checklist unveiling with bated breath. A final heads-up for the impatient: release dates remain a mystery, so keep those eyes wide open and don’t blink, because when these drop, they’re likely to fly right off into the sweaty palms of collectors and enthusiasts before you can say, “score.”
