I think its pretty easy to say that we can all appreciate certain things about the hobby, regardless of which sport it comes from. Nice cards are just nice cards. When it comes to Panini’s use of their NBA license, I feel as though they have been just as incompetent as they are in football. They completely misjudge the make up of the market, and have made poor decision after poor decision. Amidst the dumbassery, there has been one bright spot in my opinion – Immaculate Basketball.

Its easily their best looking product in any sport, regardless of one of the worst set titles in history:

2014 Immaculate Kyrie Irving Jumbo Patch Auto

2014 Immaculate Allen Iverson Jumbo Patch Auto

2014 Immaculate Shaquille O’neal Acetate Auto Patch

The thing I have never understood about Immaculate is the way the chase element persists over a set like Flawless, which costs more than double the price. When you hit it big in flawless, its nothing that really isnt available in other sets. When you hit it big in Immaculate, you HIT IT BIIGGGGG. The quality of the chase cards are impressive, to say the least. On the flip side, when you lose in Immaculate, its a blood bath, where flawless you dont really lose that often.

I think that the best product of the year, should have the best chase component, rather than just improved content. Basketball collectors function so much on the 1/1 big pull that it almost renders every product that doesnt have that element as irrelevant. Flawless only has contrived scarcity, which doesnt accomplish the same thing.

Now, its going to be different in football because the standards for each product are significantly different, as are the price tags. I think that Flawless could end up being a pretty tough sell if its done the way it has been in Basketball, only because the chase isnt as important in football.

In fact there are other sport autograph cards in this product, which is a bit confusing:

2014 Immaculate Peyton Manning Auto Patch

2014 Immaculate Greg Maddux Auto Patch

Immaculate Basketball is basically a carbon copy of Exquisite, a product that set the standard for high end, and still dominates the market today. Even though no licensed Exquisite product has been out in a long time, the cards still make Panini’s feeble attempts look silly. Immaculate is trying to force its way back into the consciousness of these collectors hung up on UD, and I think its an unreachable goal. Its not a bad start though.