2022-23 Panini Contenders Basketball

Coming off a quiet year in 2021-22, Contenders returned in 2022-23 as one of Panini's final basketball releases before the brand lost its NBA license. The set captures Paolo Banchero, Jabari Smith Jr., and Jalen Green as rookies, which alone gives it long-term appeal regardless of what comes next for the basketball card market. The base design is clean and straightforward, with a focus on on-court action and team colors. What makes Contenders worth your time is the insert structure, which leans heavily into autographs and memorabilia cards rather than chase parallels. The Rookie Ticket Auto line is the bread and butter here, offering on-card signatures of first-year players in varying rarity tiers. You'll also find Playoff Ticket Autos of established stars like Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum, though supply on those tends to be lighter than the rookie content. The real targets are the Rookie Ticket Autographs, particularly low-numbered parallels and Panini's Gold variants. Retail boxes lean toward single packs with less structured pull rates, while hobby boxes give you better odds at hitting autos and are where serious collectors should focus their budget. Contenders doesn't have the chase-parallel madness of products like Chronicles or Donruss, which keeps prices more grounded. Look for rookie autos of the top three draft picks as your primary value drivers. Serial numbered parallels below 10 copies will hold their appeal, but these are harder to predict at purchase time. This is a product you buy singles from rather than rip. The auto rate isn't high enough to justify box breaks unless you're specifically chasing a particular player. It's solid for Banchero or Green PC builders, and having this as the last major Panini release gives it historical relevance. Prices have stabilized, making it less of a lottery ticket and more of a straightforward pick for what you actually want. If you love the 2022 rookies or established stars, grab the specific autos you need on the secondary market instead.