Buzz Break: 2006-07 Press Pass Legends basketball cards (hobby hanger pack box)

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2006-07 Press Pass Legends basketball cards (hobby hanger box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (when available)

Packs per box: 12
Cards per pack: 4
Cards per box: 48
Base set completion: 28 of 70 (40 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notable players on base cards – Sue Bird, Sleepy Floyd, Dominique Wilkins, Hakeem Olajuwon, Isiah Thomas, Connie Hawkins, Danny Manning, JoJo White, Dan Issel, Wes Unseld, Spud Webb, Walt Frazier, Bernard King, Bill Walton, Dean Smith, Digger Phelps

Inserts/short-prints: 17 (all cards from box in gallery below)
Gold parallels (2) – Jay Bilas, Maurice Ager (/99)
Silver parallels (4) – Elvin Hayes, Bob McAdoo, Nate Thurmond, Isiah Thomas (/499)
Bronze parallels (6) – John Wooden, Ralph Sampson, Sam Perkins, Dan Issel, Brandon Roy, Rick Barry (/899)
Legendary Legacy (2) – Bill Walton, Isiah Thomas
Naismith Award Winners (2) – David Robinson, Larry Bird
Alumni Association (1) – Sidney Moncrief & Ronnie Brewer

Autographs/Memorabilia: 3
Authentic Autographs (2) – Henry Bibby, Nate Thurmond
Naismith Award Winners Autographs (1) – David Thompson (/285 -- only four signed with "Skywalker" inscription)

What's Buzz-worthy: This was the first edition of Press Pass Legends basketball cards and I jumped at the shot at this sealed box/case for less than the price of a hobby mini-box. This one was $55 for 12 hobby packs, while the only eBay listing for a mini-box of six packs was $60, so this collector opted for the volume buy. It paid off better than the mini, which would have included a combination of two hits -- autos or mem -- and it delivered big with a rare inscription card that's the biggest highlight, though it may not be obvious from the numbering. All of Thompson's cards had the numbering that way, but 10 of his cards had inscription variations -- he signed four with blue ink inscriptions, two with "State No. 1," one with "DT," two with "74 Champs," one with "Go Wolfpack" and four with "Skywalker." The wrappers here guarantee five autos and one memorabilia card per 18 packs as the three-mini master boxes would include for hobby. This particular box also managed to avoid the draft pick autos of the time -- ones that are far from legendary today -- while delivering two Hall of Famers and Bibby, who was a star for three championship teams at UCLA and also played in the NBA. Among the notable signers in this one? Rick Barry, Larry Bird, Clyde Drexler, Walt Frazier, John Havlicek, Connie Hawkins, Elvin Hayes, Dan Issel, Pat Riley, David Robinson, Rajon Rondo, Dean Smith, Jerry Tarkanian, Diana Taurasi, Isiah Thomas, Bill Walton, Jerry West, Dominique Wilkins and John Wooden -- and that's just the standard auto set, which is also loaded with inscriptions and ink-color variations. Then there's the Pete Maravich cut auto -- limited to just five copies. Finding this wax simply isn't simple a decade or so later and I'd bust more if I could find it. 

Product Grade: A (thanks to the autographs)
Box Grade: A
Fun Grade: B+ (packs are small and base cards' vintage photos can be rough)

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