This phrase refers to National Basketball Association (NBA) trading cards featuring the Menendez brothers. These items, like other sports collectibles, are pieces of memorabilia associated with a tragic and infamous legal case. An example would be an official NBA card from the 1990s that depicts one or both of the brothers when they were actively playing basketball, potentially fetching a higher value due to the notoriety linked to their names.
The value and collectibility of these specific items stem from the intersection of sports memorabilia collecting and true crime fascination. The historical context revolves around the intense media coverage of the Menendez brothers’ trial and the cultural impact of their story. The perceived importance of these collectibles resides in their novelty and the dark historical connection that sets them apart from ordinary sports cards.