Buzz Break: 2019 Donruss WNBA basketball cards (hobby)

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: 2019 Donruss WNBA basketball cards (hobby box)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one ...

Packs per box: 4
Cards per pack: 30
Cards in this box: 120
Base set completion: 88 of 100 (88 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Elena Delle Donne, Brittney Griner, Breanna Stewart, Sue Bird, Kelsey Plum, A'Ja Wilson, Liz Cambage, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Candace Parker, Diamond DeShields, Tina Charles, Kayla McBride, Tiffany Hayes, DeWanna Bonner, Sylvia Fowles, Angel McCoughtry

Rated Rookies (12) – Kristine Anigwe, Jackie Young, Kiara Leslie, Teaira McCowan, Arike Ogunbowale, Han Xu, Napheesa Collier, Asia Durr, Kalani Brown, Katie Lou Samuelson, Alana Smith, Brianna Turner

Inserts/short-prints: 30 (all cards from box in gallery below)
Optic (4) – Sugar Rodgers, Elizabeth Williams, Stefanie Dolson, Jonquel Jones
Optic Holo (2) – Courtney Williams, Karina Christmas-Kelly
Press Proof (2) – Courtney Vandersloot, Rebekkah Brunson (/199)
Rated Rookies Purple Press Proof (1) – Katie Lou Samuelson (/99)
The Rookies (1) – Kalani Brown
The Rookies Purple Press Proof (1) – Alana Smith
All-Stars (4) – Candace Parker, Rebekkah Brunson, Sylvia Fowles, Kristi Toliver
All-Stars Gold Press Proof (1) – Skylar Diggins-Smith (/199)
Express Lane (4) – Cappie Poindexter, Kristi Toliver, Natasha Cloud, Katie Smith
Franchise Features (2) – Elena Delle Donne, Allie Quigley
League Leaders (2) – Brittney Griner, Sylvia Fowles
Retro Series (2) – Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, Becky Hammon
Swishful Thinking (3) – Elena Delle Donne, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Kelsey Mitchell
Wishful Thinking Gold Press Proof (1) – Kristi Toliver (/199)

Autographs/Memorabilia: 2
Signature Series (1) – Asia Durr
Signature Series Purple Press Proof (1) – Kristi Toliver (/99)

What's Buzz-worthy: At first glance for the box, this first WNBA release from Panini might look closer to standard stuff but once you pop the lid it feels different -- it's just four jumbo packs inside a box and you have a 50-50 shot at landing an autograph with every pack here also including a small selection of Optic parallels for the base set. The Optic cards kind of steal the show from the basic Donruss cards (and Rated Rookies) here -- they are far rarer so are naturally going to win a one-on-one battle value-wise -- but rarer versions can really surprise value-wise and there are a ton of  inserts in every pack here to make for a solid amount of variety and fun potential depending on who you are looking for. These boxes aren't expensive but they can deliver cards that will pay for the whole thing. My box had several numbered cards but not anything on the super-rare side while also including several key names and even a parallel auto -- I just don't think it had one key card to put it over the top to make it an A box this time. Based on my collation here, I'd expect that you can get close to a set every time -- something that doesn't help base card values -- but does ensure that you land some key names. The insert lineup is pushing the 1980s vibe that was heavy in NBA Donruss last year -- I wasn't a big fan of that there -- but the volume of what you get here is good. Speaking of good? Where has the Rated Rookie design here shown up before? I need those cards. And, if not, why hasn't it shown up elsewhere? It's solid. All in all, these breaks can do pretty well for a box of this price. I had serious luck with some notable autos out of a handful of WNBA boxes years ago so they'll always get a look from me when the price is right ... and this year WNBA fans will get Prizm cards to make things even more colorful and intense.

Product Grade: A-
Box Grade: B+ (a lot of good names ... but needed one bigger card to go over the top)
Fun Grade: A-

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