Buzz Break: 2022 Topps Chrome McDonald's All-American

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: 2022 Topps Chrome McDonald's All-American Games basketball cards (blaster)
First Buzz preview: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

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

Packs per box: 7
Cards per pack: 4 (two had an extra)
Cards per box: 30
Base set completion: 21 of 100 (21 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards — See all cards in gallery.

Inserts/short-prints: 9
2006 Topps McDonald's (2) – Cason Wallace, Jarace Walker
Future Stars (1) – Kel'el Ware
Hoopers (1) – Chris Livingston
Refractors (2) – Adem Bona, Chance Gray
RayWave Refractors (2) – Aaliyah Gayles, Flau'jae Johnson
Lava Refractors (1) – M.J. Rice (/399)

Autographs/Memorabilia: None

What's Buzz-worthy: I waited a bit to taste-test one of these and found this box essentially half price out in the retail wild (yep, already) and that made the unfortunately messy results inside a little less bitter to take. This prep All-American showcase event and set is one that brings back some nods to Topps' past in a new set for the event that has showcased some of the game's biggest names and brings it all -- men's and women's stars -- to Chrome. The bummer here? There is a lot of rough centering (especially vertical), funky edges, surface gunk and other issues here (also printing/cutting issues on the backs) -- but, thankfully, it's perhaps not quite as rough as the Bowman U football release. It's still a bummer when this kind of a release is one that's clearly about the future and one that could have cards for stars on a few fronts. Why? That would mean grading should be a key here for those who rip, stockpile and prospect with. This box delivered the norm here save for the Lava, which is one in 53 packs ... that number seems pretty long for a card with that kind of volume. Meanwhile, autographs are one in 180 packs ... so that also says rip hobby boxes to me. You'll get two autographed cards in every hobby box and the box prices have dipped to make those interesting as long as the color flows. Here, it's one in 71 packs and up for color though you can still land Supers and plates in these boxes. This one, for blasters, is a one-and-done for me ... though once big names pop up later there will inevitably be interest here in all formats. If hobby dips more, I'll definitely dabble but for now I'm watching a lot of recent releases and trying a few in small volumes.

Product Grade: B (has A-level potential but the execution of stock/cutting/printing is a bit iffy)
Box Grade: B (do the cheap hobby boxes for guaranteed inclusions on ink front)
Fun Grade: B (not a lot of variety here)

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