A not so mellow ME7O Collection
Tomasz Zając comes from a family with deep-rooted traditions in sports. His late grandfather had a strong passion for tennis, and as a youngster his father spent several years competing in hurdles and high school football. Growing up in Poland his love for sports blossomed at a very young age. “Basketball quickly fascinated me, and later I even pursued it for around 10 years at the professional level, although I never quite managed to reach the highest one (in my country).” Zając told P&T, “Today marks 33 years since I became a dedicated NBA fan, but most importantly I can proudly say that I bleed orange and blue every single day which I will explain further in this text.”
Zając always possessed a strong passion for collecting, and not just for items that were specific to sports. “I’ve always been passionate about collecting items related to my interests, especially those connected to American culture.” Zając remembers, “When I was approximately 8 or 9 years old, I received my first music album from my beloved mother – Boyz II Men, and later All-4-One, Coolio, Nas, and several other top titles from that time, which were difficult to find in our country or were just starting to enter the market.”
Tomasz Zając
As basketball became the biggest part of Tomasz’s life, he began to collect various gadgets and items related to the NBA including Champion jerseys, NBA cards, posters, magazines, and caps. “Whenever I received some money, I would rush to the kiosk to buy packs of Upper Deck cards, which later fueled my imagination as I pretended to be the players featured on them.” Like many die-hard basketball fans at a young age, Tomasz would spend most of his free time on his home court trying to emulate his favorite players. “I would play basketball until exhaustion on the hoop I had hung on the thick doors in my old apartment building. Those are some of the best childhood memories I have.”
Zając, who has been a Knicks fan since the 90’s delved into how the Knicks earned his respect as an adolescent. “From an early age, I enjoyed competing with my father, but more importantly, I developed a strong inclination to support those who were less fortunate.” Zając explained, “This trait fueled my love for the New York Knicks, an NBA team that, especially in the ‘90s, always seemed to fall just short of overcoming formidable opponents like Chicago, Miami, Orlando, or later San Antonio. Like many Knicks fans, Patrick Ewing was my idol, but I cheered for every player on the roster, celebrating them no matter how big or small their impact was.”
Tomasz Zając
Like many child collectors, as Tomasz grew up he found new interests and collecting cards had become nothing but a distant memory. Years later, that would all change with an unexpected surprise. “About 10 years ago, I moved to a new apartment and, along with the move, I came across a bunch of old, damaged NBA cards that I had collected as a child and memorized the players’ statistics, their jersey numbers, the teams they played for, etc.” Tomasz quipped, “My parents always joked that if I studied as well as I memorized numbers related to the NBA, I would be a genius.”
Upon the discovery of his old collection, Tomasz was intrigued to research if NBA cards were still being produced, and to his surprise, he was shocked to learn that the trading card business had grown into what it has become today, along with the astronomical prices that cards garner. “I started educating myself on the subject intensively and tried my hand at collecting, buying everything I could afford and what was available on the market, and later on eBay or online card groups. At the beginning, I bought all the cards of my favorite players: Ewing, Sprewell, Melo, Camby, Mason, Oakley, Starks, Houston, Ward, Marbury, Johnson, and many others.”
As Tomasz’s collection was rapidly growing in size he came to a realization. Tomasz told P&T, “To be a serious collector, it is not just about quantity, but primarily about the quality of the cards. Over time, I found myself narrowing my collection down to three favorite players: Carmelo Anthony, Patrick Ewing, and Latrell Sprewell. Although Carmelo didn’t achieve significant team success, he was once a beacon of hope and the first star in years to revitalize the magic at Madison Square Garden.” Tomasz continued, “It was during that period that he became my favorite player of this NBA generation and the central figure in my collecting journey and that’s when the growth of my hobby began.”
Tomasz Zając
Tomasz Zając
Of all the Knicks memorabilia that Tomasz has accumulated over the years, it’s hard for him to pinpoint the one item that is the most valuable, but there is one part of his collection he considers to be the most meaningful. “I think I’m most proud of my Knicks Hall of Fame jersey wall hanging in my office room, where I often do my work. While they may not be the most valuable in terms of price, they definitely have immense personal value, especially since it took me several years to collect them. I still lack a few names, such as Charlie Ward, Charles Smith, or Hubert Davis.”
Tomasz Zając
Tomasz’s incredible collection includes several 1/1 cards, which are marked as the only ones produced in the world, but his favorite card in his collection is his Carmelo Anthony / Patrick Ewing Panini Flawless dual patch card #’d 9/10. “This card holds sentimental value for me as it connects two eras of the NBA and represents different chapters in my life: childhood and adulthood.”
Tomasz’s love and passion for the Knicks stretches beyond his collection. “I have the greatest sentiment for my loved ones, family, and friends… as a fan of the Knicks, everything around me has always revolved around them.” Zając’s sentiment doesn’t stop there. “I have a tattoo related to New York on my arm, featuring the likeness of Carmelo and Nas, whom I consider a guru of rap music. So it was only natural that I named my labrador – Melo, and he truly was a gem to me, made my life better and holds an invaluable place in my heart. Therefore, the most valuable thing I’ve encountered in life is not any Knicks memorabilia, but the unconditional love I received from my dog, Melo. Funny enough, three years ago, my partner Dana, and my friend Wojtek, got me a labrador puppy, and I named him Obi after a player who had briefly become my new favorite in New York, but unfortunately got traded. ”
Tomasz Zając
As Tomasz continues his quest to obtain as much of Carmelo’s master collection that he can get his hands on, he acknowledges that owning them all is a near impossibility, but he will let that not deter him. “I practically own 70% of the Carmelo’s Knicks cards that have hit the market over the years since he started playing in New York… for sure, the Eminence card with the autograph and patch is one of my white whales, but also any Flawless card, 1/1 or gold refractor, that I do not possess.”
Tomasz Zając
Tomasz Zając
Cards aside, Tomasz has an even bigger dream that so many Knicks fans who live in New York take for granted. “One of my biggest dreams is to go to a Knicks game. Despite being several times in the United States for vacation I never had a chance to see the live.”
Tomasz is not a big fan of social media, and unlike many collectors, he does not own an Instagram account to show off his collection. But if you would like to connect with Tomasz on Facebook, he would love to connect with other Knicks fans and collectors and graciously shared his personal profile: https://www.facebook.com/tomasz.zajac.900.
Tomasz Zając
Tomasz Zając
***Posting and Toasting remains on the hunt for the finest Knicks collections around the globe. If you are a collector and would like to see your collection featured in Collector’s Paradise, please email us at knickscollections@gmail.com with a brief bio and a list of your rarest and most valuable Knicks items for consideration.***