The beginnings of Kobe Bryant‘s relationship with Panini started when he was just a kid. Growing up in Italy, he wanted to be featured on their trading cards one day. He remembers going into card shops, finding rookie cards of Michael Jordan, and just being blown away. Bryant says he never truly expected to have his own trading card collection, but now thanks to a partnership with Panini, his dream is coming true. Read More »

NBA Revolution 30. Sounds cool enough, but what does it mean? Well, all 30 NBA teams will wear new on-court uniforms beginning this season, and adidas and the NBA are inviting you to see the unveiling tomorrow morning. Dwight Howard, Brook Lopez, Wilson Chander, Jordan Farmar and Toney Douglas will be the ones delivering the new jerseys from an armored truck outside the NBA Store on Fifth Avenue at 10:30am, and showing them off to the public for the first time. Let me put it this way: You’re definitely going to want to take the day off from school/work. Read More »

While I was at the NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on Tuesday, all 40 of the NBA’s top rookies were being photographed by Panini America for their very first NBA trading cards. Panini, in its second season as the exclusive trading card partner of the NBA, has been doing big things ever since they linked up with the League. Need an example? The leading global publisher of sports and entertainment collectibles has entered into an exclusive relationship with No. 1 pick John Wall. Check out his first rookie card below. Read More »

Most of us in the Dime office were huge on collecting basketball and baseball cards as kids. Growing up in the ’90s, I would buy packs of cards by the masses trying to get one of those rare, one in a 1,000 pack cards. The chase was a lot like finding the golden ticket in the movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. One person who is trying to bring that excitement back to collecting cards is Kobe Bryant. Read More »