A few weeks ago my Mum dropped by to see my daughter. She had with her some of my old Lego. Something I had forgotten I had even owned. On opening it, memories came flooding back. Long forgotten games against my little brother, hard fought and emotional at the time. Lego NBA was back in my life!
Lego NBA Basketball Court? The NBA Challenge Basketball arena, set number 3432 and NBA Ultimate Arena, set number 3433 were both released in 2003. They came with 10 mini figures, sprung loaded in order to allow them to pass and shoot the Spalding branded basketball that came with it. Featuring a basket system at each end with a mechanical platform to allow a player to “jump” up and block shots. The courts themselves could be accessorised with licenced NBA players from your favourite teams.
Sound awesome? I can’t wait to play mine with my daughter! Can you still buy them and how much do they cost?
Where Can I Get One?
Sadly, Lego stopped producing them around 2005. So, unless you have a relative likely to pop in unexpectedly carrying one, you are going to have to look at the pre-loved market.
How Much Do They Cost?
The NBA Challenge (3432) set can be found on Amazon/Ebay etc for anywhere between £150 – £250 depending on what condition they are in.
The Ultimate NBA Arena (3433) seems to be much harder to come by. Listings with similar prices to the NBA Challenge set I own, are mostly showing as sold out.
What Condition Would It Be In?
My brother and I would have had ours when we were in our mid teenage years. We have every piece and it is in excellent condition. Despite not being used for well over a decade. Even so a couple of the mini figures have springs that are wearing through. You could rotate these to be the shot stoppers, or simply look to replace them with other Mini-figures. The blocks and mechanics of the court itself have survived perfectly. The stickers that could be applied to brand up the court, may well be worn off if they were applied. It looks like my brother and I didn’t do this. So out set hasn’t suffered from this part of aging.
Can I Buy Yours?
Absolutely not. Sorry! Some things are for life!