We’re looking at the best NBA Kaboom! cards ever, featuring some of the biggest names within basketball. There’s no better insert than Kaboom! if you’re looking for high-end options from a range of different sports.
Kaboom! inserts show that you don’t necessarily need a serial number or an autograph to make a card valuable. They often come in at a rate of one per case, making the inserts some of the rarer options on the market.
Here’s a rundown with the top 10 NBA Kaboom! cards to collect, including RCs and options that will sell for five figures.
The Best NBA KABOOM! Cards
Beginning in 2013-14, you’ll be able to find Kaboom! cards in the following NBA sets:
- 2013-14: Innovation
- 2014-15: Excalibur
- 2015-16: Excalibur
- 2016-17: Excalibur
- 2017-18: Panini Rewards Exclusive
- 2018-19: Crown Royale
- 2019-20: Crown Royale
- 2020-21: Crown Royale
- 2021-22: Crown Royale
10. 2018-19 Panini KABOOM! Jayson Tatum RC #JT (eBay)
Three-time NBA All-Star Jayson Tatum was awarded the 2022 Larry Bird Eastern Conference finals MVP award after averaging 25 points, 8.3 rebounds and 5.6 assists against the Miami Heat. He also averaged 26.9 points, 8 rebounds and 4.4 assists during the regular-season, but lost out in the 2022 NBA Finals to the Golden State Warriors.
The addition of a rookie card logo adds to the value for this 2018-19 release, which was the first time they were included in 2018 Panini Kaboom Rewards products. The multi-sport release includes debut parallels in Gold (#/10) and Green (1/1).
Check prices of 2018 Panini KABOOM! Jayson Tatum RC on eBay
9. 2021-22 Panini Crown Royale KABOOM! Scottie Barnes RC #25 (eBay)
2021-22 Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes showed off his skills for a resurgent Raptors team in 2021-22. He held off a particularly strong rookie class, and is one of three players to get 100 first-place votes for the All-Rookie first team along with Detroit’s Cade Cunningham and Cleveland’s Evan Mobley.
The insert is found in the more recent 2021-22 Panini Crown Royale Basketball collection.
Check prices of 2021-22 Panini Crown Royale KABOOM! Scottie Barnes RC on eBay
8. 2018-19 Panini KABOOM! Kevin Durant #2 (eBay)
Kevin Durant joined the Oklahoma City Thunder and was named Rookie of the Year, going on to be the MVP in 2014. He led the Golden State Warriors to back-to-back NBA championships, signing with the Brooklyn Nets in the summer of 2019.
Another 2018 Panini Kaboom Rewards release, you’ll find parallels in Gold (#/10) and Green (1/1), with an example of the former seen above.
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7. 2019-20 Panini Crown Royale KABOOM! Ja Morant RC #10 (eBay)
Zion Williamson was the first pick in the 2019 NBA draft. However, it was Ja Morant who went on to be named Rookie of the Year. He made his first playoff appearance 12 months after, and 2021-22 saw his first All-Star pick.
This NBA Kaboom! rookie card is found in the 2021-22 Panini Crown Royale collection.
Check prices of 2021-22 Panini Crown Royale KABOOM! Ja Morant RC on eBay
6. 2021-22 Panini Crown Royale KABOOM! Darius Garland RC #22 (eBay)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland is another young star to make the list, who finished third, behind Ja Morant and Dejounte Murray, in voting for the Most Improved Player award in 2022. Garland was named to his first NBA All-Star Game in the same year.
One of the more recent options, you’ll find Garland’s NBA Kaboom! rookie card in the 2021-22 Panini Crown Royale collection.
Check prices of 2021-22 Panini Crown Royale KABOOM! Darius Garland RC on eBay
5. 2021-22 Panini Crown Royale KABOOM! Cade Cunningham RC #21 (eBay)
We noted that Cade Cunningham missed out on the Rookie of the Year award to Scottie Barnes. The first overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft has still been impressive, whether it be as a primary ball handler, scorer, or facilitator.
This Kaboom RC is found in the 2021-22 Panini Crown Royale collection. As with the majority of cards on this list, it’ll take at least four figures to obtain a copy.
Check prices of 2021-22 Panini Crown Royale KABOOM! Cade Cunningham RC on eBay
4. 2018-19 Panini KABOOM! Giannis Antetokounmpo #GA (eBay)
Giannis Antetokounmpo joined an esteemed list with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James as the only players in NBA history to win back-to-back NBA MVP Awards before turning 26.
Antetokounmpo became an NBA champion in 2021 after leading the Bucks to their first NBA championship since 1971. He snagged the Finals MVP award in the same season.
The 2018 Panini Kaboom Rewards checklist features 50 stars taken from a handful of key sports, with Giannis being one of the NBA contingent. Once again, there are Gold (#/10) and Green (1/1) parallels to look out for.
Check prices of 2018 Panini KABOOM! Giannis Antetokounmpo card on eBay
3. 2020-21 Panini Crown Royale KABOOM! Anthony Edwards RC #21 (eBay)
Anthony Edwards was selected with the first overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2020 Draft. He became the youngest player in NBA history with 10 three-pointers after a game in December 2021.
An Edwards Kaboom RC is found in the 2021-22 Panini Crown Royale collection, with an image of the player leaping up towards the rim.
Check prices of 2021-22 Panini Crown Royale KABOOM! Anthony Edwards RC on eBay
2. 2018-19 Panini Crown Royale KABOOM! Luka Doncic RC #23 (eBay)
Luka Doncic was selected unanimously to the NBA All-Rookie First Team and won Rookie of the Year for the 2018–19 season. He’s already a five-time All-Star, and is seen as one of the best players right now.
Found in 2018-19 Panini Crown Royale, this RC can easily reach the five-figure mark when graded.
Check prices of 2018-19 Panini Crown Royale KABOOM! Luka Doncic RC on eBay
1. 2013-14 Panini Innovation KABOOM! LeBron James #18 (eBay)
LeBron James is a heavyweight within the modern card collecting hobby.
LeBron is consistently compared with Michael Jordan, and is undeniably one of the greatest players of all time.
The set that started it all, 2013-14 Panini Innovation Basketball contains the first ever Kaboom cards produced by Panini. A PSA 10 version of the LeBron card recently sold for a flat $15,500.
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NBA KABOOM! Cards: Buyers Guide
Interested in picking up one of the best NBA Kaboom! cards? Here are our thoughts on the current market for the valuable inserts.
The Best Cheap NBA KABOOM! Cards
You’re going to struggle to find a cheap copy of a NBA Kaboom! card if you stick with the players listed above. The inserts are mainly RCs, while many sell for four figures, and some can even break past $10,000 if graded by a service like PSA.
The Best NBA KABOOM! Card Investment
It’s hard to look past LeBron, or one of the /10 Gold parallels. Then again, there’s lots of strong RCs that also made the list. There’s no wrong answer in this respect. It’s down to personal preferences, and your budget.
Check prices of 2013-14 Panini Innovation KABOOM! LeBron James card on eBay
NBA KABOOM! Cards: Final Thoughts
The best NBA Kaboom! cards are wrapped in a graded slab, and sell for an eye-watering amount. They’re also likely to feature some of the most important players within the sport, and this list was no exception. Expect to pay big bucks for the shiny new insert.
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