Here’s a card that I was sad to let go… The classic 2008 Topps chrome Kobe Bryan Bryant with LeBron James defending him. This is an xfractor that was great in gem mint BGS 9.5 grade.… But look at those sub grades! With two 10s, I often considered cracking and sending it to PSA or sending it to BGS for a possible .5 bump to a BGS 10 label. In the end, I ended up trading it as part of a package to get a much bigger card in part to consolidate some of my collection. I still miss this one though, it’s such an iconic card!

Like many, I’m not 100% sold on unlicensed cards. But when Luka first hit the market, his regular rookies, autographs, and RPA’s were too expensive for my blood. I was able to get this as a significant discount. I kind of like the upper deck employee exclusive cards… I think they tell a story in and of themselves. I’m happy I picked Luka this up during this rookie year. You don’t see a ton of them out there.

I wasn’t really in the market for a Chase auto… But my kid loves the Bengals, and the orange paint pen on the rookie silver prism really jumped out. I like this more than the black or blue sharpie on most of his rookie cards and I think he’s going to have another big season with Joe Burrow under center.

Yeah, yeah, I know this isn’t a Jambalaya. However, it’s pretty close. This is the skybox E-Xceptional insert of the legendary “Mr. Fundamental”, Tim Duncan. These 90s inserts are super cool with a lenticular-like gem background which moves and sparkles in hand. There were parallels to this, including red, green, and blue, which is the most rare. You can still find the reds at reasonable price, and they have some pretty big stars, including Kobe, Duncan, Garnett, and others. Further proof that cool cards don’t need to break the bank!

Say what you will, but ‘Dipo was a rising young all-star when he blew out his knee/leg. He’s said he’s making a comeback, but a lot of athletes try. Here’s to hoping he can bring back some of the magic and explosiveness he used to have! This is one of my favorites of his. Along with a couple Logoman autos I have of his! Always looking for more super rare Oladipo cards!