Lebron James #1
2020 Panini Prizm
“Kobe Tribute Dunk”
Deemed the “Kobe Tribute Dunk,” the 2020 Panini #1 basketball card is iconic in its’ own right. Some still argue, years later, if it’s a given nickname or not even in question. Collectability (and prices) continue to trend upward once you understand the meaning of this card, how big of a moment this was, and how amazing the actual photograph is. The video on YouTube interviewing Lebron James (post-game the day of the game) showed that he didn't consciously choose that dunk to honor Kobe, it was more coincidence than anything. Was it truly meant to be a Kobe tribute? LeBron has been doing this dunk his whole career and still brings it out every now and then. I always thought it was a coincidence that he did it so soon after Kobe passed, but hey maybe it wasn’t a conscious choice. This is a beautiful card and there are far more Lebron collector's/investors who want this then there will be of any numbered versions in circulation.
So, what do you notice, design-wise? For starters, it’s a landscape card – in a set that previously didn’t do horizontal cards. It’s also numero uno in the set, and if a set has a sense of purpose – card #1 is typically the place to look. Finally, a photograph of Lebron paying homage to Kobe? That’s hard to beat. It really seemed that Panini was realizing how much power there was in solid photography, due to the explosion of the ’08-09 Topps set. This may be Panini’s first horizontal card in the base set, it’s a great picture, simple design and reminds many of the 2007-08 Topps Chrome Kobe. The Same dunk, 19 years apart, on the same floor, at the same rim.
The best 2020 LeBron cards still focus heavily around the iconic Kobe Tribute Dunk card, being highly-sought after for both aesthetics and emotional significance – representing a monumental moment in basketball history. Other top contenders include rare Spectra and Color Blast inserts (from Lebron’s second year as a Laker), and other high-end pulls from sets like Flawless; but the Prizm #1 remains a core collectible from that era agreed by both Sports Illustrated and The New York Times.
While parallels still demand high prices, the base card was pretty easy for collectors to pull, allowing them to bet on long-term demand for a card that is directly referencing two of some of the greatest basketball players to ever play the game. This card is a perfect example of how emotional and cultural relevance can fuel grading demand, as it’s beloved by collectors for what it represents, and not its' rarity or monetary value. The fact that it was the #1 card, and headliner of the set, demonstrates James’s dominance and market influence of the time.
As the most important modern NBA set, any Prizm LeBron card will attract all sorts of grading volume. For this card in particular, it has hauled in 15,000 plus total grades, placing it in the Top 5 most-graded LeBron James cards ever!
2020-21 Panini Prizm Basketball was rainbow bright once again. The colors, the long list of Prizms parallels, the inserts, the autographs — they were all back for one of the season’s cornerstone releases. At the hobby level, boxes came with a dozen packs, each with 12 cards. Inside were a pair of autographs, ten inserts and more than 20 parallels. Hyper prizms were more short-printed than silver and other variations, and the reason they were rarer was because they were only found in hobby and fotl boxes, as where silver could be found in blasters, mega ect. Other high-tier parallels included Blue Wave, Choice Blue/Yellow/Green, Tiger Stripe, Fast Break, Gold Wave, Green Ice and more.
In 2020, LeBron James won his fourth NBA championship and Finals MVP, averaging 26.7 points, 7.8 assists, and 7.7 rebounds during the regular season and 27.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 8.8 assists in 21 playoff games. His 2020 performance included winning the NBA assists leader award for the first time and a dominant Finals MVP performance with averages of 29.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 8.5 assists in 6 games against the Miami Heat.
