Pulling an NBA patch card from a pack has always been a highlight for card collectors. While autographed memorabilia will always be more valuable,  having a piece of your favorite player’s jersey inside a card is something most fans look forward to from any box break or personal pull.

That excitement can soon turn to disdain after a troubling disclaimer has been spotted on the latest set of this new season's cards. Cardporn recently shared a patch card of the Milwaukee Bucks’ rookie Jordan Nwora from Panini’s 2020-21 NBA Hoops set. At the back, the company stated that the patch contained inside the card “is not associated with any specific player, game, or event.”

https://twitter.com/cardprn/status/1359133691327311873

Before the aforementioned product was released, the usual message seen at the back of Panini’s patch cards indicate that the material encased within is either player-worn or game-worn. The former means it was worn at some point by the player while the latter is material that was used in an actual game. Either way, it guarantees that the player definitely put on the jersey used to make the patch. 

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If there are more cards like this within the current or future sets, NBA card enthusiasts could definitely get turned off. But of course, this could very well be a product of the ongoing worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. Getting players to put on jerseys, or even taking their game-worn ones both seem like medical and logistical nightmares at this point.

As an NBA card collector, you definitely don't want to see it. But perhaps this is a sign of the cards industry adapting to the new normal, too.