UD3 basketball was one of my favorite sets as a kid collecting in the late 90s. This set holds a very nostalgic value for me. I can recall being at my local mall opening a pack at Electronics Boutique which then turned into EB Games and now GameStop. While opening the pack I remember my friend playing Turok on N64. While that was happening two random kids walked in yelling “Look at the new Jordans”. He opened a Spike Magazine which was made my Finish Line where we first saw the Jordan 13 (hologram Jordan’s). We were in disbelief because everyone initially agreed they were ugly.

I opened many packs after that and even bought a sealed hobby box last year that I opened. If you do not know about UD3 the set is comprised of 3 subsets. All the cards looked different in the pack and honestly haven’t seen something similar since.

I recently learned the Spotlight insert is a print run of 250 which I didn’t know. These cards look horrible photographed but are really neat in person. Holding it up to light the “spotlight” showcases the player in the card. A really neat insert for a super unique set. These are fairly inexpensive pickups considering the rarity and the demand of late 90s cards.

Pick one up. You won’t be disappointed.

Number 1 Pick Quarterback Tim Couch – Bright Lights Orange

The Bright Lights Orange insert is an extremely short print with no official production numbers released. Most collectors estimate fewer than 100 were made of each player in the set. A known printing error further limited the run of these orange “Brite Lites” inserts (as labeled on the packs).

Originally inserted 1 in 24 packs from the 1999 Skybox E-X Century set, these cards are tough to come by. Slowly piecing together this unique set has been both fun and a test of patience but I’m thrilled to have this one graded a perfect 10.

*Easter Egg: I’m using a Syracuse Donovan McNabb jersey in the background. McNabb was drafted second behind Tim Couch in 1999.

Back when I started collecting cards—around 1995-1996—I encountered my first “hyped” prospect. For those unfamiliar, prospecting in the card hobby refers to the practice of buying early into a player’s career, often during their rookie season, with the hope they’ll become a star and their cards will increase in value. It’s essentially speculation—similar to investing in a promising stock.

Since I began collecting, most prospectors have ended up in the red. Almost always. It’s a cycle that repeats every year with each new draft class across all sports. Sure, some collectors manage to win the “hot potato” game that is prospecting, but they’re the exception, not the rule. And that brings me to my first experience with a hyped prospect who didn’t quite pan out.

Enter Antonio McDyess—nicknamed “Dice Man.” Drafted in 1995, he was viewed as one of the NBA’s next big stars. Michael Jordan had just returned from his baseball stint, and the league was in an identity crisis, searching for its next icon. Many collectors bet big on McDyess. His rookie cards were front and center at local shops and card shows, often carrying hefty price tags.

But it only took a year for that hype to crash. By 1996, prospectors had shifted focus to a new, stacked draft class featuring names like Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant, paired with innovative new card sets like Topps Chrome and E-X 2000. Suddenly, no one cared about McDyess. His card values plummeted.

Now, to be fair, McDyess had a solid NBA career—15 seasons, an All-Star selection—but his cards are still worth just a few bucks. So, what happened? Simply put: he wasn’t the guy collectors were hoping for.

If you’re in the hobby to make money, take this as a cautionary tale. Don’t end up with a stack of McDyess rookies, hoping for a comeback that isn’t coming.

Pictured here is an Antonio McDyess UD Glass autographed card—a reminder to tread carefully when investing in the next big thing.

This past weekend I visited my local card store in Altamonte Springs, FL. I was there to purchase a few magnetic cases for the UD Glass cards I’ve slowly been accumulating.

As I was leaving I said to myself, “Oh I need to take a picture with my new case and UD Glass card (pictured here)”. I stood center in the store and brought the card out of my backpack. This peeked interest with other patrons. A guy yelled “What do you have?”. I replied “nothing special”. He was absolutely blown away that I had a Caron Butler UD Glass auto in my hand. He asked if I collected Butler and shared how he recently picked up a Caron Butler Upper Deck Sweet Shot Signature shots for a few bucks. This sparked a huge conversation as I was looking to purchase a Sebastian Telfair from the same set earlier in the day. Over 25 minutes of us rattling off older sets and player names some have definitely never heard of. Essentially playing trivia with each other on early 2000’s NBA. We both had to go our separate ways stating a similar reason of “my wife will be mad I spent too much time at the card store”.

This is what collecting sports cards and what the hobby is all about.

I’ve been slowly acquiring UD Glass cards and I believe they’re one of the more undervalued cards/sets. These cards absolutely unique and completely different from anything before it’s time. The cards are real glass (trust me I’ve had a few come shattered in the mail). Absolutely beautiful in person. I absolutely adore this set and would not eve surprised if they become the new “hot” set to obtain ie Metal and EX 2001.

The goal is to acquire a MJ and LeBron auto in the future. In the meantime, I’m perfectly content with my Agent Zero auto.