It Takes Five: Panini Signs Top Draft Picks To Endorsement Deals

By Terry Lefton, Editor-At-Large

When the NBA signed Panini to a four-year deal as its exclusive trading-card licensee early this year, the question around the industry was how the Italian company was going to support its investment with player signings, since most renowned NBA players are already affiliated with card/memorabilia companies like former NBA licensees Upper Deck and Topps. Panini will answer that question today by introducing five rookie endorsers; all of whom will be selected in tomorrow's NBA Draft: Blake Griffin (Oklahoma), Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina), Jordan Hill (Arizona), Brandon Jennings (Lottomatica Virtus Roma, Italy) and Hasheem Thabeet (UConn). All will be featured in '09-10 Panini NBA card products, and in packaging and advertisements. The signings will be unveiled this afternoon at the NBA Store in N.Y. Autograph cards from these five players will be featured in Panini's first line of NBA products.