2007-2008 Upper Deck Basketball Rookie Edition Fat Pack

Back in the late '80s I was a way bigger basketball fan than a baseball fan. I played more basketball, watched more basketball, went to more Hawks games than Braves games and collected tons of basketball cards. Then the Braves went nuts and 'Nique got traded and basketball sort of went to hell in Atlanta. This year the tables have turned, for the first time in forever the Hawks are the lone saving grace in a town full of imploding franchises. This is how crazy things have gotten: Billy Knight had a good draft. Scary! As a result I'm building a basketball set for the first time in a decade and I'm more susceptible to buying stuff like this pack on impulse. I wasn't planning on buying any Upper Deck basketball this year, but I really had no choice in the matter as you soon will see.


Top pack:
52 Shareef Abdur-Rahim
85 Tony Allen
68 LaMarcus Aldridge
63 Randy Foye
46 Luke Walton
11 Tracy McGrady
120 Shannon Brown
152 Gerald Wallace
109 Jose Calderon
157 Antoine Walker
105 Kyle Korver
148 Raymond Felton
121 Drew Gooden
118 Tyrus Thomas
203 Julian Wright Star Rookie
SH-DC Daequan Cook Star Rookie Santa Hat

The cards look pretty good. They are similar to the baseball set except the silver border is only on one side. The name is stamped in foil, but there is at least a colored band behind it to make it a little more readable. The photos are all good, every one except for the rookies is an action shot so you get a lot of goofy looking faces in these cards. The best card out of the first pack is T-Mac driving on Joe Johnson. There's also a sweet looking rookie card of Julian Wright in the classic Kansas uni. This pack is labeled as the Rookie Edition, so why only one rookie you say? Well the bonus insert is a variation card of the Star Rookies set:

Rookies wearing Santa Hats! Daequan Cook looks thrilled to be wearing that stylish faux fur chapeau. This is rookie hazing at its finest. I still haven't gotten to the only reason I bought this pack though.

Pack 2:
73 Martell Webster
39 Cuttino Mobley
38 Corey Maggette
64 Troy Hudson
616 Mike Miller
2 Devean George
99 Channing Frye
33 Stephen Jackson
119 Ben Wallace
160 Travis Diener
180 Mike Bibby
174 Chris Paul
136 Jamaal Tinsley
195 Michael Redd
168 Brendan Haywood
SH-AH Al Horford Star Rookie Santa Hat

Al Horford Santa Hat card! This is one of my favorite cards out of any set this year. A Hawk draft pick that was actually a smart move wearing the brand new uniform and a little touch of Christmas cheer. It makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over.