What's Buzzing: Shohei Ohtani puts on a show (again), Cooper Flagg, Wemby, NFL Week 8, showing off Ohtani cards and more.

--

1 -- Shohei Ohtani puts on a show in World Series

2 -- NFL Week 8 reactions

3 -- Showing off Ohtani cards

4 -- Cooper Flagg ... Victor Wembanyama

5 -- "Priced out"

6 -- Topps NBA continues to spark discussion

--

Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

It's a new era -- or at least the return of one -- as Topps' first NBA release under its new deal with the league license dropped this week with the arrival of 2025-26 Topps.

It's the first Topps release since its abbreviated 2009-10 campaign when Panini America took over the league license on an exclusive basis, ending a non-exclusive Topps run that had began in 1992-93. Before that, Topps NBA cardboard happened for a 1957-58 set and then continuously from the 1969-70 edition to the 1981-82 release before it bowed out. While there have been plenty of stops and starts for basketball and a number of players on the cardboard court, this run appears to be a long-term deal as Fanatics is amassing licenses with the major leagues when it comes to collecting -- MLB and the NBA now as well as the NFL beginning next year. So far, big rollouts have included NBA Debut patches worn by rookies in their first games as well as gold Logoman patches for award-winners to go from their unis and later into cardboard -- but both of those are too new to be an in-pack reality for this release.

The company's slogan for its turn with the ball is "it's our game now" -- as subtle as a Shaquille O'Neal rebounding elbow -- but the people are, so far, showing that it's their game and their cardboard world -- and Topps is living in it (while making their cardboard). The auction action is heavy after just one day with big asking prices, big pulls, some big sales and some big demand for some names from this release with a big print run that's helping make sure everybody gets a little piece of the action if they want some.

There have been release parties with VIP guest appearances, corporate SWAG and other prizes -- all one would and should expect for a new-license rollout -- and there's also been a little bit of cardboard controversy so far, too, that's really just more of a head's up scenario for collectors to know about more than anything truly salacious as people tear into packs looking for the first Lakers autographs of LeBron James (he had been an Upper Deck exclusive with no NBA-licensed ink since it bowed out with the Panini deal), the first Spurs autographs of Victor Wembanyama and, of course, the new No. 1 pick on the box, Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg.

Keep reading for that and a look at some of the big finds so far.

Continue reading →

With these Ticket Stud or Ticket Dud stories I'm turning just a tiny bit of that energy just a few degrees away from cards (we'll still have plenty of them here) for a different kind of cardboard. What am I doing? Simple ... this is an occasional dip into some random ticket lots -- a show and tell showing something small with a story.

This time? An NBA battle from not that long ago.

Keep reading to see the details this time ... and tell me if you think it's a Ticket Stud or a Ticket Dud.

Continue reading →

What's Buzzing: The World Series, awaiting Topps NBA, Shohei Ohtani, Vladdy Jr., Labubu and more in today's edition.

--

1 -- The World Series is set: Blue Jays vs. Dodgers

2 -- NFL Week 8

3 -- All the Labubu Chrome chatter is here

4 -- Talking Vladdy Jr.

5 -- Still talking Shohei Ohtani

6 -- Topps NBA formally arrives tomorrow

--

Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

What: 2025 TRISTAR Hidden Treasures Autographed Basketballs Season Edition
Arrives: Dec. 17
Box basics: One autographed basketball per box (four boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: TRISTAR's Hidden Treasures brand hits the hardwood for a new season with some top newcomer ink to be found and a number of past greats in there, too.

Continue reading →

What: 2025-26 Topps NBA basketball cards
Arrives: Oct. 23
Box basics: One autograph or Relic per 20-pack hobby box (12 boxes per case); One auto and one Relic per 10-pack jumbo box (eight per case) with other formats noted below.
Odds: Click here
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Topps returns to the NBA hardwood for the first time since 2009-10 as it tips off a lengthy new deal with the league that it first made cards for back in the 1950s. "It's our game now," read a company tease and reveal of the inclusions this time around.

Keep reading for more info and a gallery of what's to come. Continue reading →

What: 2025-26 Topps Holiday basketball cards
Arrives: Oct. 30
Box basics: 10 packs per mega box (20 boxes per case) or 24 packs per advent calendar (eight per case)
Checklist: Click here
Odds: Click here
Order: Click here

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

Continue reading →

What: 2025 TRISTAR Hidden Treasures Autographed Basketball Jerseys Season Edition
Arrives: Nov. 14
Box basics: One autographed basketball jersey per box (five boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: TRISTAR's Hidden Treasures line hits the court for the new season with some of the biggest stars in the history of the game involved and a notable trio of Texas No. 1 picks as its Grand Treasure prize.

Continue reading →

What's Buzzing: MLB and NBA chatter, Cooper Flagg, new MLB pulls, inside NFL packs and more.

-

1 -- NBA Postseason reactions

2 -- All your MLB chatter is here

3 -- Cooper Flagg thoughts in advance of the NBA Draft 

4 -- New MLB pulls are here

5 -- Opening NFL packs -- new and old

6 -- Still talking modern-day MLB overproduction ... talking NBA

--

Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

What: 2024-25 Bowman University Best basketball cards
Arrives: May 29
Box basics: Four autos per four-pack hobby box (12 boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Odds: Click here
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: The third year of Bowman U Best will arrive with top college stars from the women's and men's ranks with an array of inclusions that once again are colorful and varied in their scarcity.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

Continue reading →

What's Buzzing: Talking Ichiro Suzuki cards, Topps Chrome, 1990s NFL inserts, nervously holding Mike Trout cards and more.

-

1 -- Talking Ichiro Suzuki cardboard

2 -- They have their thoughts on Topps Chrome football 

3 -- Showing off 1990s and 2000s NFL inserts 

4 -- Giddy!

5  -- Chatter about the state of the hobby?

6 -- Nervously holding Mike Trout cards?

--

Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

What: 2024-25 Bowman University Chrome basketball cards
Arrives: April 3, 2025
Box basics: Two autographs per 24-pack box (12 boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Odds: Click here
Order: Click here (when live)

What's buzz-worthy: Topps' newest round of college basketball cards for active college players once again will showcase college stars from men's and women's basketball all in one spot with a rainbow of potential among everything found in colorful, shiny Chrome.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

Continue reading →

What: 2024 Topps Chrome McDonald's All-American basketball cards
Arrives: Feb. 13, 2025
Box basics: At least three autographs per four-pack box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Topps' presence on McDonald's All-American cardboard is back for another Chrome run with a number of new inclusions and colorful surprises as it showcases future stars of the hardwood on both the men's and women's side of the sport.

Keep reading for more info and a gallery of images.

Continue reading →

Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ... 

--

ICONIC ARRIVAL
The Cards: Caitlin Clark 2024 Panini Instant WNBA (All-Rookie Team) -- Rookie Card (/26,980)
The Price: Whatever a 10-pack cost was from Panini
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: There's no doubt that Clark owned the WNBA in her rookie year and for most of this year her only pro cardboard came via Instant ... but I passed. Why? I figured I'd wait and see what popped up that I liked in packs -- and then when I opened one of her college career boxes I found interesting stuff but not cards all that slab-worthy with the details for cutting and printing. (Too messy for the risk to me.) As an easy slabbing decision, I grabbed a 10-pack of this card within hours of its arrival online. Why? It's clean and simple -- iconic -- and I knew that I'd want one or two of these in a slab with a high mark. How does that happen? Well, you have to have a few to pick from -- to eliminate obvious flaws like centering or corners -- and in this case three of my 10 might get sent in. The rest were too off-centered for my taste. There were plenty of these made so there's no rush, but it'll happen at some point in 2025.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this ... but WNBA cards are here.

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

Continue reading →