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 are proof that you don’t necessarily need a serial number or an autograph to make a card collectible. They typically 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).

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9. 2021-22 Panini Crown Royale KABOOM! Scottie Barnes RC #25 (eBay)

Scottie Barnes took home Rookie of the Year honors after showing off his skills for a resurgent Raptors team in 2021-22. He did so while fending off a particularly strong rookie class, and is one of three players to receive the maximum of 100 first-place votes for the All-Rookie first team along with Detroit’s Cade Cunningham and Cleveland’s Evan Mobley.

This time, the insert is found in the more recent 2021-22 Panini Crown Royale Basketball collection. 

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8. 2018-19 Panini KABOOM! Kevin Durant #2 (eBay)

Kevin Durant joined the Oklahoma City Thunder for his Rookie of the Year campaign, going on to be named as the MVP in 2014. He went on to lead the Golden State Warriors to back-to-back NBA championships, before 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)

With the first pick in the 2019 NBA draft, the New Orleans Pelicans made the obvious choice in the form of Zion Williamson. However, it was Ja Morant who went on to claim Rookie of the Year honors when all was said and done. He made his first playoff appearance 12 months after, and 2021-22 saw his first All-Star selection.

This NBA Kaboom! rookie card is found in the 2021-22 Panini Crown Royale collection.  

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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)

Cade Cunningham had a spectacular debut season for the Pistons in 2021-22, even if he missed out on the Rookie of the Year award to Scottie Barnes when all was said and done. The first overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft has impressed massively, whether it be as a primary ball handler, scorer, or facilitator. 

His 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.

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4. 2018-19 Panini KABOOM! Giannis Antetokounmpo #GA (eBay)

Giannis Antetokounmpo won back-to-back NBA MVP Awards in 2019 and 2020, joining an esteemed list with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James as the only players in NBA history to win the accolade twice before turning 26.

The ‘Greek Freak’ went on to become an NBA champion in 2021 after leading the Bucks to their first NBA championship since 1971, picking up 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. 

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3. 2020-21 Panini Crown Royale KABOOM! Anthony Edwards RC #21 (eBay) 

Anthony Edwards is one of the biggest talents in the NBA right now, selected with the first overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2020 Draft. He made the NBA All-Rookie First Team (2021), and became the youngest player in NBA history with 10 three-pointers in 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. 

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2. 2018-19 Panini Crown Royale KABOOM! Luka Doncic RC #23 (eBay) 

After declaring himself eligible for the draft in 2018, Luka Doncic was selected unanimously to the NBA All-Rookie First Team and won Rookie of the Year for the 2018–19 season. 

Already the Mavericks’ franchise leader in career triple-doubles, Doncic has made the All-NBA First Team three years in a row. He hasn’t won a championship yet, but led his team to the Western Conference Finals in 2022. 

Found in 2018-19 Panini Crown Royale, this RC can easily reach the five-figure mark when graded. 

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1. 2013-14 Panini Innovation KABOOM! LeBron James #18 (eBay) 

LeBron James is a name that anyone with a passing interest in basketball is likely to recognize. A heavyweight within the modern card collecting hobby, even the biggest “King James” hater has to acknowledge that he’s a GOAT contender. 

LeBron is consistently compared with Michael Jordan since winning four NBA championships, four NBA MVP awards, four NBA Finals MVP awards, three All-Star MVP awards, and two Olympic gold medals.

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.