As a fantasy sports writer for the past 20 years, I’ve grown accustomed to ranking things. All things. Chicken wing restaurants; James Bond movies; siblings… It’s what I do!
With the 2022-23 NBA season officially upon us, I thought it would be a fun exercise to rank all the active players whose rookie cards I want (and thusly you should want) the most.
Think of it as our very own Trade Value chart! Would you trade this player’s rookie cards for this other player’s rookie cards? No? Then the first player is ranked higher!
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The first thing I want to make clear is that we’re not talking about specific rookie cards, since there are many variations, parallels, numbered versions, etc. This is about the base rookie cards of all active players, assuming all things are the same, including the pop report and current value. In other words, this is a subjective list — it looks both at history and potential.
Since this is a subjective list, there is plenty of room for debate; I want to hear whose rookie cards you would rather have than some of the players I mentioned!
Ranking the Top 15 Active NBA Players Whose Rookie Cards We Want
Remember, we’re not talking about any one specific rookie card, although, I am listing one of their most popular base rookie cards — that’s not an autographed/numbered card — along with a cheaper rookie card worth checking out. This is a list comparing player collectibility, including their past play and future outlooks. Prices listed are within the range of recent comps.
1. LeBron James — 2003
When the G.O.A.T. discussion comes up, it doesn’t matter which side you are on, between LeBron, Michael Jordan, or even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The fact that LBJ is even in the discussion — and still adding to his resume — means he’s one of the most collectible active athletes in all sports (tip of the cap to Tom Brady and Mike Trout). LeBron is expected to eclipse Kareem’s all-time scoring record, and he’s doing it with higher assist and rebound numbers than MJ. He likely won’t catch them in championship rings, but his rookie cards stand atop the active player basketball card-collecting mountain until he retires.
- Popular Rookie Card: 2003-04 Topps Chrome LeBron James RC #111 — PSA 10 ($8,000)
- Cheap (not really) Rookie Card Worth Considering: 2003-04 Bowman LeBron James RC #123 — PSA 9 ($700)
2. Stephen Curry — 2009
With four championship rings and being known as the greatest shooter the game has ever seen, Curry is skyrocketing up the “All-Time Greatest” lists. The baby-faced assassin is still just 34 years old, and as a guard who does most of his damage around the perimeter, he has the potential to stick around longer than some of his contemporaries. If the 3-point king adds a fifth ring (and possibly more when you consider how the Warriors have restocked around him), many will begin inserting his name in the G.O.A.T. conversation.
- Popular Rookie Card: 2009-10 Topps Stephen Curry RC #321 — PSA 9 ($1,700)
- Cheap Rookie Card Worth Considering: 2009-10 Panini Stephen Curry RC #307 — PSA 9 ($250)
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo — 2013
Back in 2013, you might have cursed your pack of Panini cards if you pulled a Giannis rookie card and not No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett of the Cleveland Cavaliers. While you likely would’ve tossed Bennett’s cards in the commons bin after a year or two, it would take about three years before you would realize you should have sleeved up Giannis’ rookie cards! We’re entering his age-28 season, which means there’s plenty of room for more MVPs (he already has two) and championships (he has one). As crazy as it is to say it, there’s room for The Greek Freak’s cards to climb.
Meanwhile, Anthony Bennett never eclipsed 6.0 points per game, and he’s now playing with the Hsinchu Lioneers in Taiwan.
- Popular Rookie Card: 2013-14 Panini Prizm Giannis Antetokounmpo RC #290 — PSA 10 ($1,100)
- Cheap Rookie Card Worth Considering: 2013-14 Panini Giannis Antetokounmpo RC #194 — PSA 9 ($100)
4. Luka Dončić — 2018
Originally drafted by the Atlanta Hawks, third overall pick Luka Dončić was traded for fifth overall pick Trae Young,. Picked before both of them? DeAndre Ayton and Marvin Bagley III, the latter of which is on pace to become a Sam Bowie-type trivia answer.
Dončić really became the poster boy for the card-collecting explosion during the pandemic, which explains why his Prizm rookie card ranks among the Top 5 most graded basketball cards at PSA. That’s good news for those who don’t have one of those cards, as that ample supply helps keep the price dampened a little bit compared to his older card peers. The Slovenian is already the odds-on favorite for MVP this season, and he’s turning just 24 later this year.
- Popular Rookie Card: 2018-19 Panini Prizm Luka Dončić RC #280 — PSA 10 ($350)
- Cheap Rookie Card Worth Considering: 2018-19 Panini Hoops Luka Dončić RC #28 — PSA 10 ($125)
5. Kevin Durant — 2007
While there are many things that makes KD a player of interest, the fact his rookie card depicts Seattle’s last season with an NBA team makes it even more historic. Toss that nugget in with the fact that his legend has touched nearly every corner of the country (from the Pacific Northwest to the Midwest to Northern California and now in New York City), and you can understand why he’s heavily collected everywhere.
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Durant’s Topps rookie card comes in white, black and orange borders, and the black version is one of my all-time favorite designs (although, it’s very tough to gem). Since his rookie season happened 15 years ago, he has rookie cards from Bowman, Fleer, Topps and Upper Deck, with several versions of each.
- Popular Rookie Card: 2007-08 Topps Chrome Kevin Durant RC # 131 – PSA 10 ($1,400)
- Cheap Rookie Card Worth Considering: 2007-08 Topps (White) Kevin Durant RC #2 – PSA 9 ($50)
6. Jayson Tatum — 2017
Many people look to an NBA player’s age-24 season for possible breakouts, and that’s exactly what Tatum delivered in 2021-22, as he emerged into a superstar in his fifth season. After years of wallowing in a who’s-the-alpha-dog battle with talented teammate Jaylen Brown, Tatum blew up with career-highs in points, rebounds and assists per game last year, taking the Celtics to the NBA Finals.
Most 3-pointers in NBA history before turning 24
1. Jayson Tatum –764
2. D’Angelo Russell – 718
3. Devin Booker – 669
4. Bradley Beal – 663
5. Luka Doncic – 659 pic.twitter.com/mZUo4yVMri— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) March 2, 2022
A special talent on a storied NBA franchise, with a decade-plus in front of him, Tatum’s “Collect Now” sign continues to flash, despite everyone already knowing about him. A handsome fella with a marketable smile makes him a future face of the NBA, too, after guys like LeBron, KD and Steph move on.
- Popular Rookie Card: 2017-18 Panini Prizm Silver Jayson Tatum RC #16 – PSA 10 ($1,300)
- Cheap Rookie Card Worth Considering: 2017-18 Donruss Optic Jayson Tatum RC #198 – PSA 10 ($105)
7. Ja Morant — 2019
No one excites basketball fans the way Morant has in the past couple years (he’s my current favorite player!). Temetrius Jamel Morant has a slight build, but he definitely doesn’t play like it, as he burrows into the paint with no regard for injury, reminding me of Allen Iverson. From a hobby perspective, he picked up the slack from when his draft-mate, Zion Williamson, started piling up DNPs. Unfortunately, that’s also my worry with Morant, who has missed a lot of games in his three seasons, too. He flies up the court like someone’s always pressing the turbo button (check out Pistons rookie Jaden Ivey, with a similar end-to-end zoom), and his dunks over much larger men have become legend.
The question is whether he can continue to build on his outside game, enabling him to last longer than a shooting star.
- Popular Rookie Card: 2019-20 Panini Prizm Silver Ja Morant RC #249 – PSA 10 ($1,100)
- Cheap Rookie Card Worth Considering: 2019-20 Donruss Optic Ja Morant RC #168 – PSA 10 ($85)
8. Anthony Edwards — 2020
Football fans who are still looking for an NBA player to latch onto should take a close look at Ant Man, who could easily step into an NFL huddle as a serviceable running back. This swing man was the top pick in 2020 coming out of Georgia, and the Timberwolves have made moves around him portending future playoff success.
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Edwards has averaged over 20 points per game in his career, and his third season could be the one that catapults him even higher. He just turned 21 years old this summer, and he has a quirky personality that attracts fans (and sometimes gets him in trouble). I wouldn’t be surprised to see him end up on another team within five years, though, after his fellow T-Wolves stars get older, and no draft picks are there to replace them.
As he matures, he’ll gain even more fans. And if he hits a big market in a few years, like his hometown Atlanta, following Dominique Wilkins’ path from being a Bulldog to a Hawk, then the sky’s the limit.
- Popular Rookie Card: 2020-21 Panini Prizm Silver Anthony Edwards RC #258 – PSA 10 ($950)
- Cheap Rookie Card Worth Considering: 2020-21 Donruss Optic Anthony Edwards RC #151 – PSA 10 ($75)
9. Nikola Jokic — 2015
For the most part, big men just aren’t as collectible as their flashy, lane-slashing counterparts, but The Joker has never been accused of being just another big man. This Serbian second-round pick took a couple seasons before both his team and collectors trusted his abilities. The four-time All-Star is a hero in the analytics world, and he has now posted back-to-back MVP seasons, while playing for an also-ran Nuggets team hamstrung by injuries. As Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. return in 2022 from season-ending injuries, the Nuggets could make a deep run in the playoffs, giving Jokic a chance to shine on a brighter stage in his age-27 season.
Despite being drafted in the same 2014 class with Joel Embiid, Andrew Wiggins and Nuggets teammate Aaron Gordon, Jokic’s rookie cards didn’t come out until 2015, after he made the All-Rookie team.
- Popular Rookie Card: 2015-16 Panini Prizm Silver Nikola Jokic #335 RC – PSA 10 ($2,100)
- Cheap Rookie Card Worth Considering: 2015-16 Donruss Nikola Jokic #215 RC – PSA 10 ($180)
10. Anthony Davis — 2012
This doesn’t look like a popular pick at this point because the stank from 2021-22 is still wafting through the air. But let’s remember that the former No. 1 pick out of Kentucky still plays on the most visible NBA team in the league, and he plays second fiddle to the greatest player in the 21st century. The Brow is entering his age-29 season, and injuries have begun to pile up on him, but this eight-time All-Star still has MVP potential.
Let’s not forget he’s on the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, and he has four All-NBA seasons on his resume. His prices have dropped, but he still has enough promise to keep us eyeing his rookie cards.
- Popular Rookie Card: 2012-13 Panini Prizm Anthony Davis #236 RC – PSA 10 ($325)
- Cheap Rookie Card Worth Considering: 2012-13 Panini Hoops Anthony Davis RC #275 – PSA 10 ($70)
11. James Harden – 2009
He made the 75th-Anniversary team, landed with a contender in Philly and comes into the season in great shape!
- Popular Rookie Card: 2009-10 Topps James Harden RC #319 — PSA 9 ($125)
12. Zion Williamson — 2019
Injuries derailed his game on the court, and his rookie cards on eBay, but he’s still so young that it’s tough to exclude him here. The 1990 Fleer Michael Jordan card is the only basketball card that has been graded more times than Zion’s Prizm base card.
- Popular Rookie Card: 2019-20 Panini Prizm Zion Williamson RC #248 — PSA 10 ($200)
13. Devin Booker — 2015
Go back and look at that 2015 NBA Draft and pick one player you’d rather have than Booker, who was chosen 13th out of Kentucky. He turns 26 in one week, and he has averaged 26 points per game in the past four seasons.
- Popular Rookie Card: 2015-16 Panini Prizm Devin Booker RC #308 – PSA 10 ($275)
14. Joel Embiid — 2014
Big men get no hobby love, especially when they don’t play their first two seasons because of a foot injury. He’s red-hot now, though, and he’s my pick for winning the 2022-23 NBA MVP Award!
- Popular Rookie Card: 2014-15 Panini Prizm Joel Embiid RC #253 – PSA 10 — $205
15. Chris Paul — 2005
The Point God never won a championship, but his ability and longevity makes him someone I want on my display shelf. Two Olympic gold medals, an NBA MVP award and a spot on the NBA 75th Anniversary team should also make you want him on your display shelf. (His ungraded Topps flagship rookie card #224 can be had for under $15!)
- Popular Rookie Card: 2005-06 Topps Chrome Chris Paul RC #168 – PSA 10 ($300)
Just Missed the Cut (in alphabetical order): Carmelo Anthony, LaMelo Ball, Jaylen Brown, Jimmy Butler, Cade Cunningham, DeMar DeRozan, Paul George, Dwight Howard, Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Russell Westbrook, Trae Young.
Plenty of great players were left off this list, so if you gripe that I left off someone, you better be ready to tell me which player he should replace on this list! Let’s hear it in the comments! Happy NBA season, everybody!
Have a #HappyHobby!
(Top photo: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports)
