Let me take you back to the 2015-16 NBA season - what an incredible time for basketball card collectors. I still remember opening my first box of that year's Select series, the crisp smell of fresh cards filling the room, the anticipation building with each pack I tore into. That season was special for so many reasons, and the Select basketball checklist from that year captures it all perfectly. Having collected basketball cards for over fifteen years now, I can confidently say the 2015-16 Select release stands as one of the most complete and well-designed sets in modern card collecting.
What made this particular season so memorable was the emergence of new superstars alongside established legends. Stephen Curry was revolutionizing the game with his unprecedented shooting range, while Karl-Anthony Towns was beginning what would become an extraordinary rookie campaign. The Select checklist beautifully documents this transitional period in NBA history. I particularly appreciate how the set balances rookie cards with veteran presence - you get promising newcomers like Devin Booker and Kristaps Porzingis alongside established stars like LeBron James and Kevin Durant. The design team at Panini really nailed it that year, creating cards that felt both modern and timeless with their distinctive tiered approach to parallels and inserts.
I'll never forget pulling that Courtside parallel of Stephen Curry from my third hobby box - the shimmering gold border catching the light just right. That's the magic of the 2015-16 Select series; each card feels like a piece of basketball history. The base set includes 200 cards, with the first 100 dedicated to current stars and the second 100 focusing on rookies and their potential. What many collectors don't realize is that the print run for certain parallels was surprisingly limited - the Prizm parallels had production numbers estimated around 5,000 copies for common players, while the more desirable Concourse level parallels likely numbered under 1,000. These numbers create fascinating scarcity dynamics in the market even years later.
The rookie class from that season has proven particularly interesting to track. While Karl-Anthony Towns remains the crown jewel with his #201 rookie card consistently maintaining strong value, other players have seen their card values fluctuate dramatically based on their career trajectories. Devin Booker's cards have appreciated remarkably as he's developed into an elite scorer, while Kristaps Porzingis cards have seen some volatility due to injury concerns. This dynamic nature makes collecting the complete 2015-16 Select set an ongoing adventure rather than a static accomplishment.
One of my favorite aspects of this set is how the insert cards capture the essence of that season's narrative. The "Courtside" inserts feature stunning action photography that makes you feel like you're sitting courtside at the game. The "Tri-Color Prizm" parallels have this incredible visual depth that standard cards simply can't match. And let's be honest - who doesn't love the thrill of hitting a low-numbered parallel? I've personally spent countless hours hunting for the elusive "Tyrian" parallels numbered to just 25 copies each. The pursuit can become almost obsessive, but that moment when you finally secure that missing piece for your collection - nothing quite compares to that satisfaction.
The design philosophy behind the 2015-16 Select series reminds me of something I once heard about basketball itself. A young playmaker once explained his approach to the game: "If my shots weren't falling, I look for my teammates and I just play on how their defense is playing me." That 5-foot-9 guard's wisdom applies surprisingly well to card collecting. Sometimes you need to adjust your strategy based on what the market gives you. If certain cards become too expensive or scarce, you pivot to other opportunities within the set. This adaptive approach has served me well in completing about 85% of the master set over the past six years.
From a practical collecting standpoint, I've found that focusing on the Concourse parallel set first provides the most satisfying entry point. These cards offer superior design elements to the base cards while remaining relatively accessible compared to the higher-tier parallels. The retail-exclusive "Red Pulsar" parallels present another fascinating challenge - with production numbers estimated around 500 copies each, they're scarce enough to be challenging but not so rare as to be virtually unobtainable. I've tracked pricing data for key cards from this set since 2017, and the average appreciation for graded gem mint rookie cards has been approximately 18% annually, with some standout performers like Devin Booker's Prizm parallel seeing gains exceeding 40% per year.
What continues to draw me back to this particular set is how perfectly it captures basketball at a pivotal moment. The game was evolving toward positionless basketball and three-point dominance, and the card designs reflect this transition with their innovative approaches and modern aesthetics. Completing this collection isn't just about accumulating cardboard - it's about preserving a specific moment in basketball history when the game's evolution became undeniable. The 2015-16 Select checklist serves as both a collecting challenge and a historical document, which is why I believe it will remain relevant to collectors for decades to come. The journey toward completion teaches patience, strategy, and appreciation for the game itself - lessons that extend far beyond the hobby.
