Hasbro: Staring Lineup NBA Series 1

January 13, 2023

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Starting Lineup has returned thanks to Hasbro, and the first series features superstars from today’s NBA. We had a chance to look at the full, well, LINEUP – so come and check them out!

I have very fond memories of Starting Lineup from my youth. I was most a KC Royals collector, but I had some other odds and ends from various teams, too. I am more of a casual sports fan, but those pre-posed figures of yore were awfully fun in a collection dominated by things like Ninja Turtles, Ghostbusters, and others.

So, when it was announced the Hasbro would be bringing back the Starting Lineup impression, I was very interested to see the direction they would take. These new super-posable figures, complete with convincing likenesses, and full and accurate branding are certainly a sight to behold, and these are certainly on a whole other level from what we have ever known as Starting Lineup before.

While I would be VERY intrigued by some more “classic” superstars, this first NBA series carries today’s dominant and most popular players, so it gives a great variety right out of the gate. This first wave consists of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Dončić, Joel Embiid, Ja Morant, Trae Young, and Jayson Tatum. As I said, this covers some of the biggest NBA superstars, and give a good smattering of team representation as well.

As I mentioned, these figures are super-posable with right at about 30 points of articulation. This gives you the ability to achieve many iconic poses and moves from ankle-breaking dribbles to posterizing dunks. The jerseys do limit a bit of the upper body posing, but it is not too bad. The fully branded jerseys, shoes, socks, etc., also help to bring a feel of authenticity with these figures, and branding has become a pretty big thing in modern sports. It is good to see these players represented accurately.

Each figure comes packaged in a plastic-free box and includes the base figure, swappable hands (one with a Wilson logo basketball), a three part figure stand, and a trading card. That means the pieces are the same across each of the figures, and the stand helps to achieve jumping poses that are especially important for NBA figures.

I think the Hasbro team did a great job with likenesses here, too. Since Joel Embiid and I share and alma mater, I was pretty familiar with him, and he looks great. So do the rest of the players, and again, I think that is really important to a line like this. I will say that, while I know they are some of the most expensive pieces, I do wish that each figure included an alternate portrait. All of the likenesses are good, but they all lack intensity that comes out when a player is dunking or just giving it their all. These are good “player photo” heads, but I hope that down the line we can see some in-game appropriate looks as well.

Additionally, I want a basketball hoop, too. I mean, you kind of HAVE to have one to help give these figures another level of dynamic posing, so hopefully something like that is in the cards as well for the future. Maybe a loose basketball, too. Past that, I think the extra hands are appropriate and help heighten the expressiveness of the figures.

These are currently available via Hasbro Pulse. Several of the figures are currently sold out, but I believe more are on the way, and that they will be offered via other outlets in the future. I am interested to see what is coming in the future, not only for the NBA, but for other sports as well. I would certainly be interested in some MLB, NFL, and NHL guys, and if they went classic, I would be in REAL trouble! Could imagine some Dream Team era players like Jordan, Magic, and Bird? They could all pick on Isiah Thomas! Or 70s/80s Kareem, Dr. J, and Wilt? Amazing.