Behind the Scenes: Pre-Packout Begins for 2010-11 National Treasures Basketball

Even now, still more than a week away from packout, 2010-11 National Treasures Basketball is receiving the white-glove treatment, literally, at the Panini America printing facility.

Indeed, the multi-faceted process of getting the high-end juggernaut ready for prime time began in earnest this morning with a seven-person contingent engaging in the arduous task of hand-inspecting every single card for the product that releases in early August.

While a focused Panini America crew carefully scrutinized every card slated for inclusion in National Treasures (checking for even the slightest defects or flaws that would prevent cards from ever seeing the light of day), I was on cake duty taking pictures of both the process and some seriously sweet cards — many of which are still awaiting autographs.

The gallery below provides a savory sneak peek at just some of what anxious collectors have been giddy about for months. Stay tuned to The Knight’s Lance for continued exclusive coverage of the process, including next week’s must-see steps of collating and packout.