As I sit here organizing my 2015-16 Select Basketball collection, I can't help but reflect on what makes this particular release so special to collectors like myself. Having been in this hobby for over fifteen years, I've seen countless sets come and go, but there's something about the 2015-16 Select that continues to capture our collective imagination. The design innovation, the rookie class, and the sheer variety of parallels make this one of the most comprehensive and challenging sets to complete in modern basketball card collecting. What many people don't realize is how these cards connect to basketball's global narrative - just last week, I was reminded of this when reading about six Eastern Conference players flying back to Hong Kong to play their semifinal series in the Hong Kong A1 Championship. They lost to Winling 97-78 in that first game of their best-of-three showdown, and it struck me how these international connections make basketball collecting so fascinating.
The 2015-16 season was particularly memorable not just for the cards themselves, but for the basketball landscape they represented. We had Steph Curry revolutionizing the game with his three-point shooting, LeBron bringing Cleveland its first championship, and international players making their mark across the league. That global aspect always fascinated me - seeing players compete in different contexts like that Hong Kong tournament where the Eastern Conference players dropped everything for that semifinal game. The 97-78 scoreline against Winling might seem like just another basketball result, but it speaks to the interconnected nature of the sport we love. This global dimension makes collecting from this era particularly meaningful because you're not just collecting cards - you're capturing moments from a rapidly evolving basketball universe.
When we talk about the must-have cards from this set, the rookie class absolutely dominates the conversation. I've always been partial to the Karl-Anthony Towns rookie cards - his Concourse Level Prizm parallel remains one of my personal favorites in my collection. The way the silver foil catches the light while maintaining the distinctive Select design aesthetic is just perfection. Devin Booker's rookies have seen incredible appreciation too - I remember picking up his Premier Level for around $45 back in 2016, and now seeing similar cards trade for twenty times that amount makes me appreciate having held onto mine. Kristaps Porzingis' international appeal reminds me of those Eastern Conference players competing in Hong Kong - basketball truly knows no borders, and neither does card collecting.
The parallel system in 2015-16 Select was revolutionary for its time, creating a collecting experience that felt both accessible to newcomers and deeply engaging for veterans. From the relatively common Tier 1 parallels to the incredibly rare Nebula parallels that I've only seen in person twice in my collecting career, the hierarchy created natural collecting goals. I spent nearly eight months tracking down a Luka Donovic auto from this set before finally securing one in a trade - that's the kind of dedication this set inspires. The color variations, from the vibrant Orange Checks to the subtle Silver Prizms, each tell a different story about the player and the season.
What many collectors overlook are the international player cards and how they connect to basketball's global growth. When I read about those Eastern Conference players flying to Hong Kong for their semifinal series, losing 97-78 to Winling in that first game, it reinforced how basketball's narrative extends far beyond the NBA. The 2015-16 Select set captures some of this international flavor through its global editions and special inserts that feature players from various leagues. These cards might not command the same prices as the premier rookies, but they add crucial context to any collection aiming to tell the complete story of that basketball season.
The condition considerations for this set are particularly stringent in my experience. I've graded over 300 cards from this release through PSA, and the surface quality tends to be the biggest challenge due to the textured finishes on many of the parallels. Centering varies significantly across the different levels too - the Courtside parallels seem to have the most consistent centering in my observation, while the Premier Level cards can be all over the place. I always recommend getting key cards from this set professionally graded, especially since the population reports show steadily increasing numbers of high-grade examples as more collectors recognize the long-term value.
From an investment perspective, I've noticed the 2015-16 Select market behaving differently than other modern releases. While many sets see their values peak shortly after release then decline, this particular collection has shown consistent gradual appreciation, especially for the top rookies in high grades. The last three major auction results I tracked showed Premier Level Prizms of key rookies selling for 15-20% above previous comps, indicating strong sustained demand. It's not just about financial gain though - the personal satisfaction of completing subsets within this release is incredibly rewarding. I still remember the thrill of finally completing my Concourse Level Prizm set after two years of hunting.
The cultural moment surrounding the 2015-16 season makes these cards particularly meaningful beyond their cardboard value. We had Curry changing how basketball was played, the Warriors' record-breaking season, and LeBron's emotional championship for Cleveland. These cards capture that transitional period in basketball history, much like how that Hong Kong semifinal game - with Eastern Conference players losing 97-78 to Winling - represents basketball's expanding global footprint. The stories behind the cards often become as valuable as the cards themselves, creating layers of meaning that deepen over time.
As we look back nearly a decade later, the 2015-16 Select Basketball checklist stands as both a time capsule and a continuing opportunity. For new collectors, it offers accessible entry points through its lower-tier parallels while providing nearly endless chasing opportunities for completionists. For veteran collectors like myself, it represents one of the most thoughtfully designed and emotionally resonant sets of the modern era. Whether you're chasing that elusive Nebula parallel or just starting with the base set, the journey through this checklist connects us to basketball's evolving story - from NBA arenas to international courts where players compete in games like that Hong Kong semifinal. The 97-78 scoreline from that Thursday night game might fade from memory, but the cards from that season continue to tell basketball's ever-expanding story.
