It has been more than a year or so since the NBA cards market went supernova. During that time, the hobby saw a massive influx of new collectors and old ones coming back to it. But as with all things that rise, there will come a time that the card market should fall down as well.

We examine two autographed cards that are surprisingly performing well during the current dip. At the same time, we also take a look at how the players featured are doing on the court.

Two Dip-Defying Autographed NBA Cards

In a tweet by Slabstox, there are currently two autographed NBA cards that are going against the flow during this price dip in the hobby. These are Luka Doncic’s 2018 Panini Prizm Rookie Signatures and Giannis Antentokounmpo’s 2013 Panini Gold Standard Rookie Patch Auto.

In the last week of May, Doncic’s PSA 10 rookie offering was valued at $3,475. Before the month ended, that figure went up to $4,271, or a 23% increase in price. Antentokoounmpo’s RPA, meanwhile, was priced at $1,825 in mid-May. Now, its value is up by 64% to $3,000.

Clearly, these two high-end cards are exceeding everyone’s expectations by going up in a sellers’ market. As their respective teams push through with their playoff runs, their value can potentially go up in the short term.

Luka Doncic

Even though he’s just in his third NBA season, Doncic is already way ahead of the curve. He is widely considered a generational talent that can alter the fate of a franchise for the better. Of course, there’s no better sample to justify his impressive worth than Doncic’s performance against the Los Angeles Clippers.

In the four games he has played against this Kawhi Leonard-led squad, Doncic has averaged 33.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and a steal. He’s also hitting 48% of his shots from the field and 40% from beyond the perimeter. Taking these numbers into account and you’ll end up with a star who boasts a complete game, especially on the offensive end of the court.

Doncic’s impressive offense was on full display when he toyed around the Clippers' defense by draining 39 points. In that contest, the All-Star hit 11 of his 24 field goal attempts and connected on five of his shots from deep. Even Mavericks’ legend Dirk Nowitzki acknowledged Doncic’s masterful performance during that night.

While Doncic is operating on another level during the postseason, the Clippers are now firing on all cylinders after tying the series. On paper, Los Angeles has more talent and is projected to beat the Mavericks. If this happens, Doncic’s card value will take a hit, just like what occurred last year in the Bubble.

Giannis Antentokounmpo

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Julio Luis Munar ·

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Julio Luis Munar ·

Unlike Doncic, the Greek Freak plays with a lineup that has All-Star talent in it. Milwaukee made it a point during the offseason and before the trade deadline to surround Antentokounmpo with credible guys, like Jrue Holiday and P.J. Tucker.

The Bucks’ roster moves finally paid dividends during their first-round matchup against the Miami Heat. In that series, Antentokoumpo dominated his opponents by posting 23.5 points, 15 rebounds, 7.8 assists, and 1.8 steals in 36.3 minutes per game. Thanks to his stellar performance in those four games, the Bucks got their revenge against the Heat by sweeping them in their matchup.

Antentokounmpo and the Bucks are slated to face Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets in the second round. Along with the excitement generated by this dream matchup, collectors are also eagerly anticipating the short-term uptrend that can happen if the Greek Freak manages to dominate in a game or two in the series.

These two players and their respective cards are just some examples of exemplary offerings defying the downward trend in the market. Keep a close eye on guys who are performing well in the playoffs, just like Doncic and Antentokounmpo. Chances are, there are a lot of undervalued cards of these stars that can go up without any warning., making them ideal purchases for collectors.