BEFORE EJ Dee Sabandal gave away his only copy of his PBA x Upper Deck Jayjay Helterbrand card, he actually owned another Jayjay Helterbrand card. But it was one that he designed and printed himself — a one-off custom for the player to sign.
“Sabi ko [kay Jayjay], di ko alam kung natatandaan mo, pero nagpa-sign ako during your practice dun sa Ginebra,” the ‘good samaritan’ collector related to SPIN Life.
Sabandal, if you recall, was the collector who gave away the only copy of his rare rookie card to the retired PBA star.
It wasn’t just Helterbrand who got a custom card. Sabandal is a long-time Gin Kings fan, who once lined up for a Ginebra exhibition game in Dagupan City as a kid and got a pic with the team’s then-import Wesley Matthews (who is the father of the current Lakers player). Now a graphic designer based in Manila, he created custom cards for the entire team roster, and, during the pre-pandemic era, would go to their practices to have them signed.
In the 2019 Legends game between Ginebra and Purefoods, Sabandal even cooked up custom cards for the franchise legends.
“Talagang nag-prepare ako,” he said. “Gumawa ako ng mga cards nila, tapos isa-isa ko pina-sign. Lahat ng mga Ginebra players dati na gustong-gusto ko, napa-sign ko, even si Mamaril tsaka si Advani, [na] andun sa audience.”
The collector mindset
As a collector, the main bulk of Sabandal’s collection isn’t PBA memorabilia, but rather, NBA sports cards. Take a minute to scroll through his public Instagram page to check his eye-popping finds.
He’s most known for his very extensive collection of LeBron merch. Mikey Bustos, Korina Sanchez, and fellow collector Julius Babao have all oohed and aahed about it during their interviews with him. But Sabandal recalls a time when the reception wasn’t so positive.
He started up his LeBron collection back in the player’s rookie year. “Yung time na pinagtatawanan si LeBron, na-sweep ng San Antonio Spurs yung Cleveland nung championship nung 2007, andaming nagbitaw ng collection,” Sabandal remembered. “Ako naman, bili nang bili. Mura e.”
Fellow collectors threw jibes at his LeBron dedication. “Pinagtatawanan pa nila ako. ‘Di magiging greatest player yan!’ [sabi nila]. Sabi ko, walang pakialam, kung ano'ng mangyari dito, basta ako bili lang nang bili.”
Now, Sabandal has the last laugh. Some of the LeBron stuff he bought in the early years has increased in value to over one thousand percent, he estimates. And while he’s sitting on a veritable gold mine, he knows that what he holds are just pieces of cardboard and plastic. “Cardboard rich,” as one of the memes posted on his Instagram feed puts it.
The real value, Sabandal explained, is in the sentimental value the act of collecting holds for him.
“Hindi ako yung nagfi-flip ng collection,” he said. “Kung magbebenta ako, bihira e. Para sa akin, laging sentimental value.”
He added: “Ang card collecting ngayon, kung titingnan mo siya as investment... Hobby lang iyan dati e! Parang ngayon, naging masyadong business.”
Sabandal was actually glad that the Jayjay Helterbrand incident happened. The act of sending over a card and helping out reminded Sabandal of the “good side” of his hobby, as he called it. Collecting could be about the money and the investment and the jaw-dropping price tags these pieces can command, but it could be also about a fierce, tangible love for the game.
Is there anything else he’s got his eye on to complete his extensive collection?
Sabandal’s answer is surprising.
“Ngayon, parang sa akin, siguro kung meron akong gustong mangyari sa collection ko, is yung makapag-selfie lang ako kay LeBron,” he said.
Not a card, not a bobblehead, not a jersey. Just a selfie with his idol. “Yun na lang yung kulang.”
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