While many people’s idea of Halloween revolves around eerie costumes and an overindulgence in sugary treats, Panini swipes the spotlight this year with a brand-new selection of collectibles that provide both excitement and a delightful spook factor—without the cavities. The 2024-25 Panini Haunted Hoops Basketball collection is back for an encore performance, turning childhood candy swaps into an unexpectedly thrilling experience in card collecting. If you’re bored with the ordinary candy haul, prepare to be haunted by a whole new brand of festive fun.
This isn’t Panini’s first foray into the crypt, having already left a ghostly impression with the initial launch of Haunted Hoops last season. Little did they know they’d hit a nostalgic nerve with both collectors and trick-or-treaters as they infuse NBA basketball cards with that spooky sensation of Halloween. The runaway success of last year prompted Panini to dig deeper into their bag of tricks, crafting an experience even more spellbinding than the debut collection.
So what’s the draw? Picture a bewitched combination of sports fandom and Halloween chills brought to life on 300 trading cards. It’s an impressive lineup, capturing the essence of the NBA from seasoned veterans to fiery rookies, together with 20 tributes to basketball legends. To sweeten the deal, Panini has extended the series to include 25 promising prospects who are on the cusp of finding NBA stardom. For the trading card-loving crowd, this could be the magical brew to satisfy your October cravings.
Each box brimming with haunted goodness guarantees a delightful raid of 40 packs, each holding three cards from the festive NBA Hoops collection. Yet, it wouldn’t truly be haunted without exclusive, spooky parallels to send a shiver down your spine. Six ghastly variations decorate this year’s packages, including:
1. Orange
2. Slime
3. Holo Webs
4. Holo Bats (numbered to 399)
5. Holo Trick-or-Treat (numbered to 99)
6. Holo Sky (numbered to just 31)
These spine-chilling numbers transform each card into a potential treasure to add to your collection’s intrigue and value.
Now, why exactly do Haunted Hoops promise to be the most talked-about handout this Halloween? Well, imagine the smiles (and not sugar-fueled hyperactivity) when a child receives a glitzy Ja Morant card enveloped in ghoulish Holo Web designs, or perhaps a limited edition Steph Curry Holo Trick-or-Treat card, dwindled to just 99 copies. It’s no stretch to call this a healthier alternative that does more than just preserve dental health—introducing a new wave of potential young collectors to the enchanting world of trading cards.
Of course, it’s not just kids who’ll be enchanted. Astute collectors savor the opportunity to immerse themselves in the depths of this expanded checklist. Paying homage to legends like LeBron James and Luka Doncic through the tribute collection adds yet another layer of allure. Furthermore, the new and numbered parallels set the stage for avid collectors and hobbyists, offering new quests to keep them on their toes throughout the Halloween season.
With its Halloween-ready launch scheduled for September 5, 2025, Panini’s Haunted Hoops is geared up to enchant neighborhoods everywhere. Whether you’re strategically handing out packs to bright-eyed goblins running around your front porch or diving into the expansive set yourself, Haunted Hoops cunningly blends the thrill of collecting with holiday cheer.
Perhaps the most brilliant trick offered by Haunted Hoops isn’t a trick at all: it’s teaching youngsters about the luxury of collecting, kindling their interest in following NBA players, and steering them towards more than just their sugar habits. While the grin on a child’s face is fleeting with candy, the joy of opening a pack with awe-inspiring players ensures Halloween is transformed into a gateway to a lifelong, rewarding hobby.
The 2024-25 Haunted Hoops doesn’t just leave you with ephemeral giggles over short-lived sweets—it promises the kind of everlasting charm that remains vibrant even after the carved pumpkins have withered away. So when next Halloween creeps in, the only question will be: Are you ready to step into the haunted crawlspace of collecting with Panini’s spooky, collectible phenom?
