If You Build It, They Will Come

With the highly anticipated 2024 WNBA ready to start today, let's look at the Iowa Connections in the WNBA this season, including this Fever rookie named Caitlin.  Washington Mystics    Julie Vanloo - Signed letter of intent to play with Iowa State in 2011 but the Belgium was not granted international eligibility from the NCAA. This is her first season with the WNBA.   Dallas Wings   Stephanie Soares - The #4 pick in the 2023 draft out of Iowa State, Soares will be playing her first season in the WNBA after missing laster year with an ACL injury.   Las Vegas Aces   Kiah Stokes - From Cedar Rapids, Kiah will be in her 10th season in WNBA. She won 3 NCAA titles with UConn and the last 2 titles with Las Vegas.   Megan Gustafson - Megan was AP Player of the Year with Iowa in 2019 and has played previous season with Dallas, Washington and Phoenix. This offseason she was Finals MVP for the London Lions in the WBBL final....

 I sat down today ready to dive into 2022-23 Bowman University.  I wanted to review last years set, look into the numbers and see if I could guess who might be on the checklist this year.  But the more I dug, the more I realized it just isn't feasible.   This is what I'm thinking.  Since the checklists are comprised of college students not being represented by a single entity, each player has to make their own deal with Topps.  I think that some NIL groups make it easier to get a team as a whole, but don't quote me on that.  Regardless, it does shape how Topps can build their checklist. Last years set was interesting to review as it had future NBA players such as Chet Holmgren, Keegan Murray and Walker Kessler, but missed out on 4 of the top 6 draft picks (Paulo Banchero, Jabari Smith, Jaden Ivey and Bennedict Mathurin).   I don't know the reasons, so I can only speculate.  Topps was not owned by Fanatics at the time, thus was not t...

 I hadn't taken full account of the number of cards in my collection until today.  As I write this, I have 12,341 unique Iowa Connection cards in my collection.  That is insane!  Of course, this number is more insane.  The number of Iowa Connection cards I need are.... Well, take a moment and think what your guess would be.  I'll put it at the end of the post.  I'll take a guess here myself.  Now, my best collection is Kurt Warner, where I have about 8% of his cards.  Towards the middle is Harvey Kuenn at 3.5%.  Some 90's players I have a significant chunk of including Kevin Tapani at 35.9%.  Many pre 1970's players and minor leaguers I have 0% of.  Hockey, Wrestling and other collections are wastelands right now.  So, I'll be a bit conservative and say that I own 2% of all the Iowa Connection cards.   That would make my guess 605,000 wants.  We'll see if I'm closer or if your guess is closer at the end...

 I wonder if you know which Hawkeye has the most basketball cards?  While you ponder this, there are two Hall of Famers in the top 7, one Naismith Player of the Year, a 3x NBA champ and a hot NBA rookie.  Of course #1 is none of those.   Let's start with the Hall of Famers.  Connie Hawkins (5) and Don Nelson (7) top the HOF list, with Lute Olson lower, and C. Vivian Stringer WAY down the list with only four cards (sad).   #6 may surprise you.  Its Adam Haluska with 253 cards.  253 more cards than NBA games he played in.  Still, super glad to see it because he was a fun player. #4 is Keegan Murray, who by the end of the year may be #1, so long as nothing dramatic happens.  #3 is B.J. Armstrong, winner of three NBA titles carrying those bums Jordan, Pippen, Grant and Phil Jackson along.  At #2 is Luka Garza.  All his cards are from last season, but has had some playing time with Minnesota this year so he may continue to...