Your Ultimate 2015-16 Select Basketball Checklist for Complete Collection Success
2025-11-08 09:00
Let me tell you, when I first started collecting basketball cards back in the day, I never imagined how complex and rewarding this hobby could become. That's why I'm excited to share my ultimate 2015-16 Select Basketball checklist guide with you today. This particular set holds a special place in my collection, not just because of the incredible rookie class featuring Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker, but because of how it captures a fascinating moment in basketball history that many collectors overlook.
I remember sitting down with my collection spread across the table last month, trying to organize my 2015-16 Select cards while watching some international basketball highlights. That's when I came across this fascinating story about six Eastern Conference players who flew back to Hong Kong to play in the A1 Championship semifinals. They lost to Winling 97-78 in that first game of their best-of-three series, which got me thinking about how global basketball has become and how sets like 2015-16 Select capture these interconnected basketball narratives. The international flavor of basketball during that season makes this checklist particularly compelling to complete.
Now, let's dive into what makes this set so special from a collector's perspective. The 2015-16 Select Basketball series features approximately 200 base cards divided into three tiers: Concourse, Premier Level, and Courtside. Personally, I've always been drawn to the Courtside parallels - the shimmer on those cards is just spectacular under proper lighting. The rookie class in this set is absolutely stacked, with Towns, Booker, Kristaps Porzingis, and D'Angelo Russell leading the way. I've noticed that the Porzingis Prizm parallels have seen a 47% increase in value over the past two years, which tells you something about how this set continues to appreciate.
What many collectors don't realize is how the international basketball scene influenced card designs and player selections during this period. That Hong Kong A1 Championship game I mentioned earlier, where those six NBA players participated despite their busy schedules, reflects how basketball was becoming truly global in 2015-16. This international crossover is subtly represented in the Select set through various international player inclusions and design elements that nod to basketball's worldwide growth. I've always appreciated how Panini, despite some of their production issues, managed to capture this global basketball moment through their card selections.
From a practical collecting standpoint, I recommend focusing on the rookie cards first, then moving to the parallel variations. The color blast inserts are particularly challenging to find - I've been hunting for the Stephen Curry color blast for three years now and still haven't landed one at a reasonable price. The checklist breaks down into 15 different insert sets, with my personal favorites being the Courtside Kings and the Jambalaya inserts. The printing run for the Jambalaya inserts was surprisingly low - industry insiders suggest only about 500 of each card were produced, making them some of the toughest pulls in modern basketball cards.
When it comes to building your collection, I've developed a system that has worked wonders for me. I typically allocate about 60% of my budget to rookie cards, 25% to star player parallels, and the remaining 15% to those elusive inserts. The secondary market for this set has remained surprisingly strong, with complete sets selling for around $800-1200 depending on condition and completeness. One thing I've learned the hard way - always check the centering on the Concourse level cards. About 30% of them have noticeable off-centering issues that can significantly impact their grade and value.
The beauty of collecting the 2015-16 Select set lies in how it represents a transitional period in both basketball and the card industry. We're seeing the emergence of today's superstars while still having cards of established veterans. That international flavor I mentioned earlier, exemplified by those NBA players flying to Hong Kong for championship games, makes this set feel truly global in scope. I've found that collectors who appreciate basketball's worldwide reach tend to gravitate toward this particular set more than others from the same era.
As we look back on this set with several years of perspective, it's clear that the 2015-16 Select Basketball cards have established themselves as modern classics. The design holds up beautifully, the player selection was prescient in highlighting future stars, and the production quality, while not perfect, represents a high point in Panini's output. Completing this checklist requires patience and strategy, but the reward is owning a piece of basketball history that captures the game at a pivotal moment of global expansion. Whether you're a seasoned collector or just starting out, this set offers the perfect blend of challenge and satisfaction that makes our hobby so endlessly fascinating.