Flawless First-Timers: Panini America Adds Key Autos to Final 2013-14 NBA Products

Almost since the day 2012-13 Flawless Basketball released and became an immediate sell-out last season, inquiring minds both inside and outside of Panini America HQ have been pondering the same thought: How can the bar possibly be raised for next year. Well, next year has arrived, and Panini America officials today began providing a few answers, including one featuring “The Answer” himself.

In a move that will no doubt make waves throughout the global basketball card community, Panini America officials have secured new autograph deals with several marquee names who’ve been glaringly absent from certified-autograph checklists for years, including Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Manu Ginobili, Oscar Robertson and Chris Webber. These on-card autographs will benefit more than just 2013-14 Flawless Basketball, however; many will also be featured in 2013-14 National Treasures Basketball and 2013-14 Immaculate Basketball, too.

To be sure, the magnitude of this news deserves a closer look . . .

• Webber’s on-card autographs will be featured only in 2013-14 Flawless Basketball and represent the popular star’s first confirmed certified autographs since the 1999-2000 season.
• Iverson will appear in Immaculate and Flawless on his first-ever autographs for Panini America.
• Wade will appear in National Treasures, Immaculate and Flawless on his first-ever on-card autographs for Panini America.
• Anthony’s appearances in all three products represent his first on-card autographs since the 2010-11 season.
• Ginobili, making his Panini America autograph debut, will appear in all three products on his first autograph cards since the 2007-08 season.
• Robertson’s on-card autographs will appear only in Flawless and Immaculate and represent the legends first certified autographs since 2012-13 Absolute Basketball.

We’ll have plenty more to preview on this huge development in the coming days and weeks right here on The Knight’s Lance. But until then, feast your hungry eyes on a few of the spectacular returns from Anthony and Robertson — and stick around for a special sneak peek of some of the other cards.