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Friday, October 12, 2018

That was lucky!

A few nights ago, we made a rare trip to Wal-Mart. Our local Wal-Mart is kind of lousy so we don't go there very often. but I'm glad we did this time!

They had exactly one pack of basketball cards in the entire store, a somewhat beat-up looking hanger pack of 2017-18 Prestige, which could no longer hang as the hole was ripped.

Naturally, I bought it. It's what I do.

Fifth card into the pack, what do I see but my most wanted missing player, Justin Holiday!
The middle of three Holiday brothers to currently be in the NBA, (older brother Jrue is a star on the Pelicans, younger brother Aaron is a rookie with the Pacers) Justin has been eluding me for several years. He entered the NBA in 2012-13, played 13-14 in Europe, and has been in the NBA ever since. He was a member of the Warriors' 2014-15 Championship team- one of those magical teams that holds a special place in my memories, and played a full season for the Knicks two years ago.

Yet I couldn't get a card of him. I tried, I really did. Panini issued some cards for him in 2013-14, and two jersey issues in the super expensive Noir set, his only cards with the Warriors, then nothing in 15-16.  He started to get some real cards in 2016-17. The early issue cards were all autographs, I've never seen even a single copy for sale. Most of the 2016-17 releases were also autographs, but he WAS included in the Complete set- which I did multiple blasters of- I just couldn't seem to pull his card, and in Prizm, which I only did one hanger pack of. Come 2017-18, he was included in Prestige and Essentials. I didn't do much of the latter set, but I did do quite a bit of Prestige.  Panini has never bothered to include him in Hoops, the one set I try to complete every year. Despite being in the NBA for 275 games over 5 seasons, he only has 31 different cards to his name.(6 of them being this card and it's parallels)

It looked again like I would be unable to get his card.

Until this past Saturday. When a random trip to Wal-Mart left me with one pack to choose from, a pack that that's been sitting and being abused on the shelves since March. Luckily, his card did not take any damage- both end cards did, and a couple in the pack as well.
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11 comments:

  1. Hotrod MamaOctober 12, 2018 at 7:47 PM

    In the right place at the right time....

    ReplyDelete
  2. CrazieJoeOctober 12, 2018 at 7:58 PM

    The pack must have just been hiding, waiting for you.

    ReplyDelete
  3. CorkyOctober 13, 2018 at 1:01 AM

    It bothers me that a s atoned player gets very little cardboard love from companies. I know every one wants the rookies and superstars but basketball sets should include the entire bench across multiple products so all the players on each team get at least one card a season.

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    Replies
    1. Billy KingsleyOctober 14, 2018 at 6:52 AM

      That's my biggest and only real complaint with Panini. Their largest NBA set ignores 225 players, and it's only a 525 man league. There are players who have appeared in over 100 games with no cards to show for it, I believe.

      Delete
  4. FujiOctober 13, 2018 at 10:39 AM

    Congratulations on the find. I don't go to my local Walmart very often. But if they had cards, I'd probably make more of an effort.

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    Replies
    1. Billy KingsleyOctober 14, 2018 at 6:53 AM

      My local Walmart usually only has football and wrestling and usually not much of either. The one across the Hudson River is much more well stocked.

      Delete
  5. Billy KingsleyOctober 14, 2018 at 6:54 AM

    Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  6. MattOctober 14, 2018 at 9:47 AM

    Congrats! No better feeling than getting a long sought after Player Of card completed

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Billy KingsleyOctober 14, 2018 at 3:34 PM

      Thank you! It is such a rush to have that happen.

      Delete