20-24: A Nesmith Odyssey

[Nomad]

The expendables.

Interesting that the plate on the aesthetics poll that got the most votes was a Mathurin with a card-like border effect as well.

While I like this type of design and see its value (it would look dope as a centerpiece of a nine-card Select RC arrangement), I prefer some pure images with almost nothing else even more.

Thing is though, most of the latter are garbage, while a printing plate with the full card design will always have merit.

Interesting thought. The blue Siakam printing plate on the lower right must not be "true" because his name is not backwards. They must have a printing process on the plate after print run production. Does this enhance or detract from value?

[volblorx8634]

To me that detracts from the value. When I think of a printing plate, I think mirror image. No idea if that's real, but I personally would want it less haha

[Nomad]

12. '20-21 Obsidian and '22-23 Obsidian

Just was scrolling back through the collection posts and realized I had skipped 12. So let me present Obsidian. I think I have picked up another yellow electric etch /10 since I took the photo but nothing else has changed.

Maybe Nesmith's value (yeah, it's on a slight downward trajectory again).





I love the floods. Panini finally got smart and made those mainstream, instead of T-Mall, though that kind of ruins the value of the Asia product. I was surprised at how low the pop of the green flood "packman haircut" RPA was. Print run likely 5-10.



Can you identify which Volcanic is /99 and which /1?



The one.

[Nomad]

What I like about Nesmith and why I hold strong to my position for actual investment reasons is that he is already enshrined in basketball (if not hobby) lore.

Witness this exchange by The Ringer’s Bill Simmons and Ryen Russillo in an episode where they first conclusively prove that the Lakers' defense is not good enough to win in the playoffs and then proceed to examine what-ifs from the 2020s.

One major contention (around 113:00) is that Giannis was only ever as good as his supporting cast and Tatum should be 3rd in the MVP voting behind Shai and Jokic, considering ring and way he has stepped up defense.

Bill: "Giannis' one shot at a ring was when he won, otherwise he would be in Harden/Barkley territory."

Ryen: "With Jokic we're talking about chasing top 10 in history, I don't think we're talking that about Giannis any more. He's like Garnett."

Bill: "Giannis, we're talking the Hakeem, Shaq, Moses, area. And Jokic is on like the Bird and Magic suite. He's knocking on the door now. I am the natural legacy of you guys."

Ryen: "You think Steph's fourth ring is more important than Giannis' or Jokic's first?"

Bill: "Yes, because those guys still have a chance to win another one and Steph didn't. There always would have been a little asterisk, and all it did was put him with Kobe and West, and he's probably leading the way in that group. The first ring, all of Lebron's teammates got hurt and the second one Durant. Now all the 'yeah buts' are gone."

Bill: "I would put Tatum three and Giannis four this year. What he's done has been incredible. Being point forward, guarding five positions, best rebounder on the team and having team success.

Giannis is having the same 3-12-6 he has every year. You kind of have to tailor the team to what he can and can't do. He's really a center and if you think of him as a perimeter center it makes more sense."

Ryen: "I think it must still be one of the 3 most horrifying things in basketball. When Giannis decides he's going to the net."

Bill: I was talking with a Knicks fan yesterday. Who do you not want to see in the three spot, if it's between Detroit, Milwaukee, Indiana? The case for Milwaukee is just, I don't want to see Giannis for two weeks."

Ryen: "How is this even a conversation?"

Bill: "Obviously Detroit you want to see the most, cause it's Cade and a bunch of guys who haven't been there. But Indiana plays really well against them, they have those guards who just pressure full time, they're deep. Milwaukee's just kind of a messed up team. They're not that good."

Ryen: "I'd still rather play... there's an argument to be made cause the Pacers are a mirror version of the Knicks. Who knows what happens in that free-for-all."

Bill: "I wouldn't want to play the Pacers. Pacers are number one for me. I'd rather take my chances with this Bucks team and Kuzma and some of the bench dudes. Let's give Giannis his 30 and 12 every night, we're still beating these guys."

Ryen: "I just feel crazy picking the Pacers. I'd rather play Giannis than the Pacers. But then, knowing the Kicks..."

Bill: "And then they're gonna really pressure Brunson, who's coming off an injury. They're gonna make him dribble for 90 feet every ti—"

Ryen: "Nesmith."

Bill: "Okay, let's take a break."

[Nomad]

Nice plate-setting for Lakers-Pacers on Windy's podcast:

ESPN’s Tim Bontemps (around 37:30): "Despite their defensive woes, Lakers have benefitted from other teams losses. Wolves have dropped two or three games they easily could've or should have won. Even though they've gone 7-3 in their last 10 games, they should have gone 9-1" (This is huge disrespect to Indy).

So even now Lakers are three games ahead of the Clippers with 11 games to go. They probably should be fine. They have a difficult schedule but we'll see how it goes. It starts with this game tonight. It's a pretty big game. But if you're giving up 3s you absolutely don't want to face an Indiana team that is on fire with Haliburton back."

Windhorst: "Indiana has won seven of eight. I just want to highlight the play of Aaron Nesmith, who was proven to be a really valuable player during their run in the playoffs last year. And yes, Siakam and Haliburton get the headlines. Nesmith during this stretch, he's averaging 16 points a game, 56 percent from the field, 57 percent from three, and guess what... in this eight game stretch, guess where the Pacers rank on defense. Third. That's how you put wins together."

Nice time to break out, I say.

[Ismael80]

Listened to the Hoop Collective pod yesterday and instantly thought of you after they praised NeSmith and his impact offensively and defensively. Good to see NeSmith getting some national love. Awesome pick-ups too. Them shoes are pretty cool and love the Pacers color match black gold Prizm.

[Nomad]

So today I made my first bet since that fateful Super Bowl where Brady mounted a 40 point second half comeback and lost me 300 buckeroos. At the same casino somewhere south of the border.

It was a one point spread, I thought against me, and I was like could have bought that PSA 10 white Mosaic RC instead of degen gambling. Turned out it was Pacers +1, the odds makers were spot on, and everyone bumped, just losing the vig. Whoopee!

I think the Lakers needed this one more than Indy and I know Luka and Bron clctrs everywhere celebrating. So kind of happy for the team.

Regardless a close one, with national exposure. Would be a great Finals matchup.

"Pacers color match black gold." I'm trying to parse this. Does it even make sense?


Went out and bought a $15 true color match Mathurin printing plate to celebrate.

[Nomad]

The Bronny bad parenting thread got me thinking...

By contrast, look at how Nesmith has mentored Jarace Walker, telling him to "stay ready" even if, as in his early years in Boston, he gets stink time assignments his first couple seasons.

A game after screwing the pooch and failing to box out against LeBron, who notches his 8th career game winner on ESPN, Walk is back in the trenches, guarding yard and securing victory against a desperate Kings and highly motivated Sabonis. That is player dev.

You want to ride low key. You want to win. Study these two screen shots carefully. On multiple levels, you would not even know they describe the same game (unless you know).



Gee, looks like Obi had another good game. Haliburton Too.




Welp, Lance is back. Aaron hanging off the rails again. Testosterone up. Landslide vote.

The result? As Warren Buffet proved, you can find undervalued stock and price discrepancies in the post-truth feed. Can still feast on Walk unobtanium at Nico Mannion prices.


Rode the mainstream feed to a $23 all-in pickup of a card I have waited 4 years to see appear on the Bay. Who said 6th year prospecting is dead?

Also just realized Reddit is a thing. Get as many views in a day as this respectable-by-Blowout-standards thread does in a year. No wonder basement boys think they taking over the world.

[Nomad]

From the thee The Zion 'Fatboi' Williamson BBW Appreciation Megathread. You know, I just realized that this thread was born in a spirit of irreverence. I always thought BBW meant Big Bad Williams, now I realize it means Beyond BeGreat Waiters.

You guys have the patience of oxen, the eyes toward eternity. Here I am all in a state about a playoff clinch with 7 games left and my guy with a preeminent second role on the team with the best record in the league since Christmas. I thought I misheard that but it's Tony East, he never lies.

Bought this beauty for $69.63 to celebrate. Don't have the money after TJ dental work and a second alternator in the past 1.5 years, but I could not help.


True gold, do they still call it?

Rewatched Pacers' 15 point second half comeback against the Kings. What stood out was DeRozan and Double A conversing for like a minute before De got the inbound and schooled Nesquick through the bump on the middie all net to bring it to within two with 3 minutes left. Didn't make the highlights, but happened.

These plays also happened:


Euro oop.


That's right.


Keep the torso straight as you run up under, prepare for the rim ride.


Put it in. Stackin' nets.


That's just disrespectful.

Someone on the Pacers forum just straight faced compared Aaron to Reggie Miller. I thought that was always rizz H's role. But from the 'ice in veins' game-ending free throw context, makes sense.

[Nomad]

Nesmith finally getting some flowers:

Only player in the league with 50/40/90 efficiency this season!

With Hali, among the top five duos in league post All Star game.

Never thought I'd say it, but he's outselling Collin Sexton.

[Nomad]

Originally Posted by blackvodka

Sexton had moments in this game.

Wasn't really paying attention, but it's not surprising to see him as the one game-setting with the young Jazz squad, who have a couple class acts, whose principle mode of attack is currently cutting a path in the paint.

So glad Nesmith didn't play that many minutes. This game was not worth it and Mathurin wanted to get his schoolyard out. Kind of shaky at first, but a gritty gamer finish.

What I did notice was Sexton was the first guy Double A went and said congrats to after the game.

On the Nesmith tip, the thing that the announcer reminded viewers of today was that dude is still young, drafting upper limits on his skillset and role on the team. With that in mind, I now draft the proposal of considering him a prospect.

Before I get laughed out of forum, let me remind you guys that in my hobby lifetime he has been considered a lesser version of Devin Vassell and now I think most would consider him at least on the same level. He sells better than Colin Sexton, who is nominally a more recognized name.

Also there is this (and it should give Obi collectors hope):

Cautious-Ad-9554:

“The Pacers could get more out of both NeSmith and Toppin. They are both very good despite being involved in almost no on ball actions or having screens set for them off ball.”


[Nomad]

Bucks proved against a surprisingly tough Pels that they really want fifth and to avoid playing Boston in the second. I think that Detroit kind of wants the spotlight in NY as well. They are definitely a team with more faces that the masses have not seen.

I would be dusting off Sassers, Schroeders, and that other guy if I was a Detroit collector.


tree feller and prep school hero and now top of cers' reddit

Nesmith now taken on as a beloved "ice in veins" Pacers legend in the forums. Picked up a third copy of my favorite current year Prizm parallel blue shimmer /35 to celebrate.


I swear Obi looks like some 70s action hero in the background.

Also lost out on a snakeskin, turns out that those are worth more than $30 to at least one collector and true, I haven't seen another one come out yet on the bay. Interesting thing is I lost out on a shimmer gold as well. It was listed for like $50 and I lowball offered $35. And the seller came back at $40. And I let it lapse. Then, he put it back up for $50 and I lowball offered $38. And he took if off eBay. Since then nada and there has still not been one true gold. Guess I'll have to HODL my traffic cones black & gold.

Anyway, I feel good for the seller, in the same way I feel good the forum member still has his Origins 1/1.


I feel this doesn't even look like Nesmith.

I think demand, probably still locally centered in Indiana, may ultimately be higher for '24-25 than for the '22-23 first-Pacers Prizm issue. Reason being that that the first photo was not good. Basically the current edition is the first Prizm card with a contemporary, 'cool winner' flair.

[Nomad]

So I had been thinking of doing a series of art to turn into give-away basketball cards or something.



Started off with this picture of Nesmith and Bruh facing off in their duel-era playoff days, Game 3 in Gainbridge. Couldn't get the proportions right on a couple attempts, so I turned them into these WIP.



Themed set, for the chunky armed retirement set. "Memories" and "Reality."

[msink28]

I just can't get on board with the aesthetics of Obsidian. How could anyone tell, for example, in what year a card was produced?

Love the True Gold Optic RR.

[Nomad]

I love Obsidian. Specifically the flood RPAs. But yeah the yellow etch /10 bites.

[Nomad]

4th seed locked up. Bucks. We so ready.

[Nomad]

Is the hobby really dead?



I just took a look at my three 24-25 Nesmith blue shimmers. First Prizm issue that matters. And how incredibly rare they are and how nice just one would look to a Pacers' fan as part of a team color Prizm grouping framing a trophy photo.


Unofficial McDermott issue.

That's why I think you can 20x your investment with the right cards. Always has been the case. You not only need to be in a position to win, you need to win. All else follows.


Toppin pulling an AD.

The reason why this hobby moment is interesting is, I think a lot of us have questions about whether the discussion is really between Tatum and Shai. Jokic. Luka. Or have these players just been placeholders? A lot of us feel we lack an old style star, like MJ, Kobe, Lebron on the Cavs I guess.

A lot of things will be clear in a month. Until then, don't put your gold Immaculate of a name in the discussion on eBay for $14. Because I will buy and turn around and sell it for a hundred. More, if that trophy shifts cases. Wrong jersey and what.


Island roots.

[Nomad]

Just picked up an insert grail of sorts.



Well not really. It had been sitting around on the Bay for $60 for years. I think I offered $40 a while ago and it was rejected. Then, lo and behold, just before 50-40-90* man's breakthrough playoffs, it gets relisted at $29. So I put in a $25 bid.


Recon has such nice inserts. Completes the presentation.

* Another season. Games stacked and in the books. I like to see this kind of improvement in any 5th-year invested player. Especially on a contender. It's what we traders call a red-line, bottom call inverse-feed yielder.



Another five games and he would have qualified for the ultimate list.

"In NBA, WNBA, and NBA G League history, only 11 players have recorded a 50–40–90 season."

Larry Bird
Mark Price
Reggie Miller
Steve Nash
Dirk Nowitzki
Kevin Durant (twice)
Stephen Curry
Malcolm Brogdon
Kyrie Irving

Interesting Reddit post:

"List of players with 50-40-90 in the playoffs during a championship run

1986 Larry Bird - .517 in 18.4 FGA, .411 on 3.1 3PA and .927 in 6.1 FTA

1993 BJ Armstrong - .524 on 8.8 FGA, .512 in 2.2 3PA and .909 in 1.2 FTA.

2024 Jrue Holiday - .503 in 10.2 FGA, .402 in 4.6 3PA and .955 in 1.2 FTA.

That's the whole list. The Warriors MVP trio (Curry, Durant and Poole) came close but didn't do it.

Others players that did it without volume was Kevin Willis (1/1 for 3 and 3/3 on FTs) in 2003 and Quinn Cook (1/1 FT) in 2020.

EDIT: Added BJ Armstrong which I missed even though I am Bulls fans old enough to remember those playoffs. I guess I checked regular season and not playoff when I hit 1993. Thanks for the heads up.

It’s going to be very hard for a high-usage player to ever hit 50-40-90 across 4 series due to the intense coverage, so Bird’s is super impressive."

[Nomad]

This moment is pretty exciting from a longtime Nesmith collector's perspective. Of all the comparables, perhaps Jrue Holiday, OG Anunoby, and possibly Kawhi Leonard collectors can relate the most. That feeling of potential of a breakout series and run, when the reputation as not only an NBA stalwart, but as an admired leader comes to fruition.

Just as I might take the Pacers for champs at 28 to 1, I would lay 50/50 odds on whether Nesmith's card prices find a firm and decipherable anchor. The wildcard is Giannis. Will an awakened giant quash the 'Cers hopes in the first round, in which case Double A would hold himself personally accountable?

I have been thinking (slow gamble) that it would be nice to have a small collection of curated Pacers' rarities at an apres-playoffs Indy card show. Could make some connections, trades, and sales. Plus there is not much Newsmith I haven't seen out there.

This Walk to three was like fifty. I like the number three as being still very rare and think this would be a nice investment piece over the years if Walker was to emerge. Also, the color match sticker. Fire.


First homemade sticker I didn't immediately remove.

Furphy is excelling at the Pacers' defense-first rookie year training and threatening use as an occasional piece during the series. Background in Aussie football, so probably meshes well with Nesmith's American football perspective. Has a decent 3 and a distinctive dunk.


Photoshop hair all day.

I think a Mathurin Flawless plate is self explanatory. I am trying to get a few that I wouldn't might parting with together. At $20 this was a no-brainer.



Furphy again. Something about gold. Also, as with Haliburton, I really don't like his true Prizm rookie.

[SilveronRed]

Hey new here and glad to see another serious Nesmith collector! I’ll add some of my rainbow sets I have shortly. Gotta watch the Celtics whoops the Magic first

[Nomad]

yes! wow rainbow sets. you 'cer have my attention.

Only complete rainbow I have is the Origins rc booklet issue, cause the 1-1 and the /10 is the entire thing. Getting close on the flux, but still the elusive /5 to go.

Boston dominance is a given. What Indy really needs is for Miami to make it a series. If they can clean up the Bucks and have the other battle go 6 or 7, good chance to make it through to the parquet for an ECF rematch.

[SilveronRed]

It was a bit dicey in the first half but they pulled through. i actually want nothing to do with the Pacers in the postseason. Nesmith genuinely gives the Jays problems every time

[SilveronRed]

Still learning the site so forgive any lack of quality in my posts/pictures

[SilveronRed]

This is my most expansive rainbow. Obviously not complete but 47 cards strong

[SilveronRed]

More than halfway lol