Last week we focused on what market conditions that will play a role in impacting the Basketball collecting hobby this year. This week we will focus on who will impact this Basketball Hobby this year. So we will evaluate the most recent draft class. Admittedly, I am not as familiar with Basketball as the other major sports so I will be using some help here. To do so, because rookie collecting is always a gamble, I will start with the Vegas numbers on the likelihood of a Rookie getting the Rookie of the Year honors. According to lasvegassportsbetting.com here are the top ten candidates.

Luka Doncic +400
Deandre Ayton +450
Kevin Knox +700
Marvin Bagley +700
Collin Sexton +800
Jaren Jackson Jr +800
Trae Young +1000
Michael Porter Jr +1400
Mo Bamba +1400
Wendell Carter Jr +1400

The Bleacher Report has a slightly different view saying that most likely Rookie of the year will go to Ayton. They also pointed out the majority of the time you can look at the top three picks for the best candidate. The Ringer thinks the Number three Draft Pick Luka Donic [Atlanta, Hawks] has a legitimate chance of the award. but then jumps to the number five pick Trae Young [Dallas, Mavericks] for the next legitimate contender. I will let the basketball experts make the predictions and avoid taking a stab at my own separate list.

This week is loaded with releases, both late in the week[Friday] , because of the Holiday, and season with high end Vanguard NBA.

2018 Topps luminaries

Configuration: 1 pack per box. 1 card per pack.

Topps’ high-end offering of Luminaries is back by popular demand in 2018. Featuring the best the diamond has ever seen...past, present, and future, in this beautifully designed autographed product.

Every card is encased, Autographed and #’d to 15 or less!

Each pack guarantees an Autograph or an Autographed Relic!

2018 Panini Absolute Football

Configuration: 10 boxes per case. 3 packs per box. 5 cards per pack.

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS
- Absolute returns for the 2018 NFL season! Find a 190-card base set that combines a mixture of veterans and the newest rookies who look to make their stamp on the NFL!
- Look for Tools of the Trade, one of Absolute’s most popular sets! Included are multi-swatch cards, featuring double-,quad-,-five-,piece swatches of various NFL materials!
- Find Head to Toe memorabilia inserts that use helmet and shoe swatches. Look for a variety of NFL players to chase, including stars from Ezekiel Elliott to Alvin Kamara!
- Every box delivers 3 autos, 2 mem on average. One autograph will be a Rookie Premiere Material Autograph. Find special variations of these cards that feature 4 & 5 player-used NFL material pieces.
- Find one of Absolute’s most collectible sets Canton Absolutes! Included are some of the NFL’s greatest to ever play like Joe Namath & Jerry Rice. Chase down these memorabilia cards and get your own piece of NFL history!

BOX BREAK:
- 1 Rookie Premiere Material Auto
- 2 Mem
- 2 Additional Autos
- 1 Insert
- 2 Parallels
- 1 Rookie
- 6 Base

2017/18 Vanguard NBA

Configuration: 1 pack per box. 5 cards per pack.

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS
- Find the new Vanguard of the hobby with this stellar release! Look for four autographs per box and one stunning base or parallel per box, on average!
- Vanguard delivers a plethora of on-card autographs, including the rookie-driven Hot off the Press Autographs, Rookie Signatures and Prime Prospects!
- Relive some of the top postseason performances in Postseason Heroes Autographed Materials!
- Reach for the stars with Cosmic Force Signatures which features a stunning celestial design!
- Find more phenomenal autograph inserts in Beyond the Arc Scripts, High Voltage Signatures and In Focus Autographs!

BOX BREAK
- 4 Autographs

Next week we will take detailed look at Panini's Player Of The Day shop promotion and its impact on the hobby.