Hoops Collectors: Basketball & Sports Cards Podcast

As the 2026–27 NBA season tips off, Max @PutnamCards breaks down three big questions for Topps entering the second year of its NBA trading card license.

He explores Topps unique patch program, opportunities for innovation in card design, and how changes to product structure could deliver greater value to collectors of Topps basketball cards.

Plus, Max reflects on his own collection and discusses how his collecting philosophy is evolving.

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Chapters
00:00 Introduction
07:04 Question 1
14:55 Question 2
19:30 George Condo Topps Collab
24:00 New Platinum Po...

Max @PutnamCards sits down with Darius @DarsCards35KD to talk about his incredible 1/1 basketball card collection, how he identifies grail sports cards, and what it takes to land the best cards of his favorite players.

From surefire Hall of Famers to former NBA scrubs, Darius collects the ultimate grails across a wide range of players. They break down his collecting philosophy, his love for Kevin Durant, and their thoughts on Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa.

Darius shows off some of his favorite 1/1 basketball cards and shares an insane new mail day towards the end of...

Max @PutnamCards recaps the Miami Courtside Cardshow with show Co-Founder Anthony @Summertime1of1 as they share their current thoughts on the sports card market.

They break down the biggest takeaways and best moments from the show, DJ Khaled’s surprise guest appearance, and what’s next for the Miami Courtside Cardshow.

They then discuss why 1/1 cards are becoming more popular than ever and make their price predictions for Victor Wembanyama’s 2025 Topps Chrome Superfractor.

Finally, Max and Anthony share their overrated and underrated NBA teams and players heading into the 2026-27 NBA season.
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Max breaks down 5 underrated 2025-26 Topps basketball cards from products including Topps Midnight, NBA Hoops, and Topps Pristine.

He also dives into the Topps marketing machine and looks at why finding hidden gems in the basketball card market right now is nearly impossible.

Plus, Max analyzes some insane recent Topps basketball sales, including three million-dollar Topps Chrome Update Debut Patch Auto 1/1s: Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and Kon Knueppel.

Leave a rating if you enjoyed the episode and thank you for tuning in!

Chapters:
00:00 Episode Introduction
01:49 Courtside Cardshow
02:32...

Max @PutnamCards explores why early Panini basketball cards from 2009–2011 might still be undervalued compared to the rest of the sports card market.

He compares recent sales of pre-2012 Prizm Panini cards of LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Stephen Curry with newer basketball cards from both the Panini and Topps eras, highlighting the potential opportunity at hand.

Max also reveals his biggest basketball card pickup of 2026 and breaks down the thought process behind the purchase.

Leave a rating if you enjoyed the episode and thanks for tuning in!

Chapters:
00:00 Episode Introduction

Max @PutnamCards is joined by Chris McGill @Chris_HOJ, CardLadder Co-Founder and host of the HOJ Cast and The Crossover, to explore the intersection of art and sports cards: how looking at card design through a critical lens can reveal deeper meaning and enhance our appreciation of the cards themselves.

Chris discusses how art movements of the past can influence our understanding of sports cards, why design can shape the way we value and interpret a card, and how collectors can approach their collections with a more thoughtful eye.

They also dive into...

Max @PutnamCards ranks every year of Prizm Basketball cards from 2012 to 2024, covering all 13 years of Panini’s most iconic sports card brand.

From the 2012 Prizm Basketball debut to 2024's final release, he breaks down every set, ranking each year based on design, rookie class, top sales, key cards, and overall importance to the basketball card hobby.

Players covered include LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, Luka Dončić, Victor Wembanyama, Jalen Brunson, and other NBA stars who've shaped the Prizm market through the years.

Whether you're actively collecting Panini Prizm basketball cards or look...

Max @PutnamCards explains why he's been buying fewer basketball cards lately and why he believes today's basketball card market feels eerily similar to the 2021–22 COVID-era bubble’s peak.

He also shares what he's been collecting instead, including pop culture, entertainment, and vintage historical cards, and why those areas offer a compelling opportunity.

Finally, Max discusses the role of Topps in expanding the pop culture card market by bringing more major entertainment IP to the hobby.

Leave a rating if you enjoyed the episode and thanks for tuning in!

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction

Max @PutnamCards breaks down what makes sports card brands popular (or not) — from iconic products like Topps Chrome, Panini Prizm, Exquisite, and Flawless to the factors that drive collector demand over time.

He explores the psychology behind card brand popularity, discusses why certain product lines become hobby staples, and explains why sports card brands have more in common with Hollywood movies than you might think.

From blockbuster films like The Odyssey to cult classics, the same framework behind box office success can also shape the sports card market.

Plus, a new pickup is re...

Max @PutnamCards is joined by Paul from @CardChannel to explore the math and science behind estimating sports card print runs.

Paul explains the methodology he uses to estimate the supply of modern sports cards, why understanding print runs can completely change the way collectors think about rarity, and how this data can help collectors make more informed buying decisions.

The conversation also dives into Paul's journey building Card Channel, the most surprising print run discoveries he's uncovered in the basketball card market, and why his research has influenced the cards he collects today. Paul...

In this episode, Max @PutnamCards is joined by Brent Weyer @DeepValueInvestor to break down the most overvalued and undervalued areas of the basketball card market today. They explore the market forces and collector psychology that drive prices, creating both opportunities and risks for collectors.

The conversation dives into the concept of front-loaded risk and why so many of the hobby's most hyped players face incredibly high expectations that are difficult to live up to. They also discuss how narratives, recency bias, fear of missing out, and investor behavior can lead to mispriced cards—and ho...

Max @PutnamCards takes a full deep dive into every 2008-09 basketball card release from Topps and Upper Deck, breaking down the underrated sets, hidden gems, and insane grails. 

The 2008-09 season is especially significant in hobby history. It’s the rookie year of Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook, and it also serves as the final year before Panini took over the exclusive NBA trading card license, making it a true end of an era for Topps and Upper Deck basketball releases.

Across the episode, Max highlights the best cards, most important parallels, and und...

Max @PutnamCards shares three basketball card market hot takes post-NBA Finals, including what the New York Knicks’ championship means for Jalen Brunson cards, whether the Knicks winning is actually good for the hobby, and how the NBA’s era of parity is impacting basketball card collecting and long-term market growth.

He also discusses upcoming 2025-26 Topps basketball releases, specifically the new Minions SSP cards coming to Topps Chrome Update this summer.

Chapters:

00:00 Episode Introduction

03:44 Hot Take 1

08:53 Hot Take 2

15:52 Hot Take 3

22:11 Weekly Alley-Oop: NBA Fina...

Max @PutnamCards explores how the next generation of basketball card collectors—those growing up during the later years of Panini and the beginning of the Fanatics era—could shape the future of the hobby.

Will players like LeBron James and Stephen Curry become even more desirable as today’s young collectors enter their peak earning years? Will Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant remain hobby icons?

He also discusses the different eras of basketball cards, what card categories could become future grails, and why modern concepts like Kabooms, case-hit inserts, cartoon-inspired cards, and game-dated memorabilia cards may ha...

Max @PutnamCards breaks down three big reasons why he's becoming increasingly cautious in the basketball card market right now—and how he's approaching collecting in today's rapidly rising sports card market.

He discusses the market's explosive growth, the PSA Value Service pause and its potential ripple effects, as well as some notable trends and behaviors he's observed at recent card shows.

He also discusses the NBA Playoffs, Victor Wembanyama cards, Topps case hits, and introduces his new $1,000 LeBron James PC Challenge.

Chapters

00:00 Episode Introduction
01:00 NBA Fi...

Max @PutnamCards is joined by Brett McGrath @StackingSlabs to answer one of the biggest questions in the hobby: what actually drives value in sports card collecting? What do we value most? Is it rarity? Player greatness? Brand power? Nostalgia? Status? Investment Potential?
We break down the record-setting $5.11M sale of Victor Wembanyama’s 2023-24 Panini Prizm Black 1/1 PSA 10 and discuss what this historic sale says about the modern sports card market and the Panini Prizm era.
We also discuss the current state of 1/1s, finding opportunities as collectors, and Brett’s Indiana Pacers collection and collecting philosophy.

Max @PutnamCards breaks down 5 areas of the hobby that present interesting opportunities for collectors right now — spanning multiple eras of basketball cards, from ‘90s inserts to the newest 2025-26 Topps releases.
We’re talking legendary players, overlooked cards, shifting market trends, and a few things that could surprise a lot of collectors. Featuring cards of Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Stephen Curry — some of the greatest NBA players and biggest hobby icons of all time.
If you enjoy basketball card market analysis, hobby deep dives, underrated cards, and sports card conversations focused on the long-term landscap...

In Part 2 of this deep dive series, Max @PutnamCards breaks down the most intriguing sets, parallels, rookie cards, and sales from the second half of 2018-19 Panini Basketball products.
This is the rookie year of NBA superstars Luka Dončić, SGA, and Jalen Brunson.

2018-19 was also LeBron James’ first season with the Lakers, Kawhi Leonard’s only season with the Raptors, and the start of back-to-back Giannis Antetokounmpo MVP seasons.

This episode covers National Treasures, Court Kings, Flawless, Immaculate, and many other products.
Chapters

00:00 Episode Introduction

02:00 Beckett New Label<...

In Part 1 of this deep dive series, Max @PutnamCards breaks down the best and most underrated cards from 2018-19 Panini Basketball products — the legendary rookie year of Luka Dončić, SGA, and Jalen Brunson.

This was also LeBron James’ first season with the Lakers, Kawhi Leonard’s only season with the Raptors, and the start of back-to-back Giannis Antetokounmpo NBA MVP seasons.

This Part 1 episode covers Prizm, Donruss Optic, Select, Contenders, and more — highlighting key cards such as Kabooms, Downtowns, Galactics, and Cracked Ice Rookie Tickets.

Chapters
00:00 Episode Introduction
01:02 Toronto Sports Card Expo<...

Max @PutnamCards is joined by Kaushik Mohan (@TheIronSheek) to break down how they’re evolving their collecting strategies in today’s red hot basketball card market.

They discuss their growing focus on storytelling, why it matters in sports card collecting, and how it lies at the heart of the hobby.

They also dive into LeBron Panini Logomans, uncover overlooked opportunities in the basketball card market, and the continued influx of new collectors into the hobby.

Chapters

00:00 Episode Introduction

02:14 The Detroit Pistons Stink

02:32 Shifting Collecting Strategies

08...

Max @PutnamCards breaks down the #1 rule to win in the sports card market - and why it’s the key to enjoying collecting and making better financial decisions.

He also compares the trading card performance over the past two years of today’s young stars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Dončić, and Victor Wembanyama to legends like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant.

Plus, a brief discussion of the recent $324K 2000 Flair Showcase Kobe Bryant Masterpiece 1/1 PSA 8 sale and thoughts on the new NBA Garbage Pail Kids inserts in Bowman...

Max @PutnamCards breaks down his top 5 predictions for the basketball card market for the rest of 2026.

From upcoming Topps releases and their potential impact on the hobby, to how the NBA Playoffs could shift player values and legacies in real time, this episode covers the biggest forces shaping the market throughout the remainder of the year.


He also explores the current state of the trading card market and why more collectors are moving away from ultra high-end cards in favor of “value” plays.

Chapters
00:00 Episode Introduction
01:41 Prediction 1
08:16 Predic...

Which year of Topps Chrome basketball has the BEST design ever?

In this episode, Max @PutnamCards ranks all 15 NBA-licensed Topps Chrome basketball releases from 1996–2009 and the brand new 2025 release — going from #15 all the way to #1.

This iconic run includes legendary draft classes and rookie cards of:

From the original chrome shine of the late 90s…to the bold ultra modern comeback in 2025…Max breaks down which designs truly stand the test of time.

Chapters

00:00 Episode Introduction

00:46 Criteria for Rank...

What if there was an official basketball card museum…and you could only choose 10 cards total?

In this episode, Max @PutnamCards is joined by Adam Gray @thereal27guy as they draft the ultimate top 10 basketball cards to put in a museum — featuring everything from Michael Jordan ‘90s grails, to 2003 LeBron James rookies and legendary Kobe Bryant cards.

From 1/1 ghost cards to the hobby’s most recognizable vintage icons, this is our take on what belongs in a true basketball card shr...