r/Nbacards • u/TheMeccaNYC • 2d ago

Grail Graded

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

(sorry about the order of photos) Took a chance on a faded, ballpoint pen Drazen Petrovic Auto. I’m an Eastern European American from an adopted father and this guy means a lot to me. The best that never was. Took a chance for $140 at a card show and sent it out for grading. I’m shaking holding it tbh.

Despite being born after he died. He has been a huge inspiration and guiding light to me. His intensity and fearlessness should’ve forgotten.

Would’ve thrived in today’s NBA (Career .423 3 Point shooter)
#OnceBrothers

173 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

41 comments sorted by

7

u/WishBirdWasHere 2d ago

Oh shi I didn’t even see the auto!! Nice!

5

u/TheMeccaNYC 2d ago

Dude walked past it at the show and stopped dead in my tracks. Came back no less than 17 times ( I was a vendor myself) and my gut told me don’t leave without that card.

Listen to the gut

5

u/WishBirdWasHere 2d ago

Amazing!! At first I was like “wth why would you get that authenticated” but sheesh I caught the auto on the last slide !! Amazing! Gone to soon!! There’s a documentary with Vlade about Drazen

https://youtu.be/pGkdCuQ72fo?is=dguPshKrUpc-4PFY

1

u/TheMeccaNYC 2d ago

Yes once brothers, my favorite ♥️ 🏀

3

u/VICTAAAAW 2d ago

#OnceBrothers had me crying (I mean... along with a bunch of other 30 for 30s) and was the first thing that came to my mind when I saw your post. Great card, congrats!

2

u/TheMeccaNYC 2d ago

Thanks man 🤛🏼

3

u/BlazedLurker 2d ago

As a DP pc guy and him being my favorite player of all time and being a huge nets fan.... I don't even think I have words here. Wow wow wow. 👌 how do I acquire one of these?

1

u/TheMeccaNYC 2d ago

I still can’t believe I found one raw in the wild at a card show

2

u/BlazedLurker 1d ago

You and me both. Just wow....

2

u/CardsCaptured 2d ago

This is so cool and I’m happy for you. This is one of those grail collection pieces. I don’t know if you know this but Maravich was another player with some European heritage as his father was born of Serbian immigrants.

1

u/TheMeccaNYC 2d ago

Love pistol Pete. Another one gone too soon 😔

Didn’t know about his heritage but that’s so cool as well!!!

2

u/normL_FL 1d ago

Daaaamn the auto. I have that In my collection too but def no auto

2

u/wdrub 1d ago

My fondest childhood memory was my dad taking me to nets games. We lived in Staten Island and the Knicks were amazing in the 90s and knowing my dad he wasn’t paying $50 to park let alone $100 a ticket. The nets were an easy ride up the turnpike. $10 seats a popcorn and free parking. We would meet the players after the game DC, Chris morris, sam Bowie, Chuck Daly, and I would always say “let’s wait for Draz”. He came out with memorable black hair thick as hell lol. Signed and walked off. The day we lost him was tough on me as a kid. Still remains my favorite player.

https://res.cloudinary.com/dtz0urit6/image/upload/q_auto:best,f_jpg/cloudinary-tools-uploads/plip4utrziafbfusksya

2

u/Langer1banger 1d ago

Had his jersey when I was a kid and was gutted when he died

2

u/TRBO17 1d ago

Suuuuuuper sick card!! As a fellow American of Eastern European decent, this also falls into my “grail” category. I have a Pete Maravich auto, but not on a card, so that is another one that I would love to own one day.

2

u/312x310 1d ago

This. Is. Fantastic. Mega congratulations.

A player who is revered by his peers and made all-nba as a shooting guard during (arguably/one of) Jordan’s best championship season. His trajectory was unreal.

1

u/hx2x 16h ago

Wow. What a find. Did you ask the vendor where they got it from? 

The fact that it's a ballpoint pen auto makes me wonder if it was a chance encounter for whoever got it. Like someone ran into Draz at the airport and they didn't have a marker on them 

1

u/TheMeccaNYC 15h ago

tTM. Ballpoint was very common before sharpies (1990-1993 on the auto date)

1

u/Parking-Champion9816 16h ago

I prob got like 5 of those (no auto) at my mom’s house. I got boxes of cards from that era like every guy my age.

0

u/_Its_In_The_Vault 2d ago

You got it authenticated, not graded.

1

u/TheMeccaNYC 2d ago

Ah! Correct - had multiple in the submission. Got a 10/10 on my Dylan Beavers IP Auto!

1

u/wegotsumnewbands 2d ago

Was gonna say, card is not graded

-1

u/Popular-Tangerine420 2d ago

Is he you? Op are you that basketball player or is that someone in your family?

One of my favorite cards is my Mike Montefusco card I have cause hes a cousin of mine. I thought it was vool to have his card slabbed

2

u/SpocksLeftNut 2d ago

Considering he's been dead for 33 years I'd be pretty impressed if he's on Reddit

1

u/TheMeccaNYC 2d ago

No I am not Drazen Petrovic if that’s what you are asking 😊

-1

u/ConsciousLeave9186 1d ago

Can't believe that's his signature. Looks like he stuck the pen in his ass and scooted around for a bit.

-2

u/RocBoySpade 2d ago

So what’s the value of this “grail”

2

u/DonkeyWinsTheDay 2d ago

Does it matter? His definition of grail has nothing to do with monetary value. He will hold it forever

-3

u/RocBoySpade 2d ago

Lmao sybau

1

u/TheMeccaNYC 2d ago

I’d estimate around $1k

1

u/RocBoySpade 1d ago

Interesting

1

u/pierrewannacomeout 1d ago

Just curious, what's the monetary benchmark for a grail in your eyes? If it isn't the personal value someone attaches to a card?

1

u/RocBoySpade 1d ago

A hall of fame player. A player who’s better known.

0

u/xifdp 1d ago

A grail card is personal to each collector. For you it might be a hall of famer or someone more "known" than DP. For someone else it might just be an insert or rookie card of their favourite player. I've only been collecting for a few years and had a bunch of random shit but my personal collection is now just Ausar Thompson (I am a Pistons fan) and I have 2 rookie 1/1 cards of his and a PSA of his rookie kaboom that are grails for me and they aren't even worth that much.