As we are now halfway through the 2020-2021 NBA season, we are starting to see lots of young players now prosper in their current roles. With this, the NBA card hobby needs to start keeping an eye out on these four particular prospects that we have listed down below. Given their talent and opportunity, they could be poised for a second half breakout and skyrocket in value very soon:
Kevin Porter Jr. – Houston Rockets
Now a part of the Houston Rockets, Kevin Porter Jr. has been on a tear recently after getting recalled from the NBA G-League. From all of his drama earlier in the year, with issues on and off the court, he has now started to show the flashes of a potential superstar in the making.
Averaging 19.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 8.0 assists a contest, Rockets fans might be getting a sense of déjà vu from a young James Harden when they see Porter Jr. play. A streaky lefty, and a versatile ball handler, Porter Jr. could be looking like a future cornerstone piece, for a disoriented Rockets team this season.
With the Rockets having every incentive to tank, they could opt to sit their stars Victor Oladipo and John Wall in favor of the sophomore stud. The time is now if you do want to get your hands on some Porter Jr. rookie cards before they go ballistic, as he shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Luguentz Dort – Oklahoma City Thunder
A fan favorite within the Oklahoma City Thunder fanbase, Luguentz Dort has stepped up as one of the best young defenders in the league this year. Built like a bulldog, Dort has been giving the best offensive players in the league a steady diet of defense with an extra serving of more defense.
Packing in at 6'3, 215 pounds, he is still able to manage to be quick on his feet for a guy of his stature, and being the Thunder's number 1 defensive option comes crunch time.
But on the other side of the floor, his scoring has also been steadily improving this season. With averages of 12.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game, the 21-year-old sure does look like he has a bright future in the league.
Given also that the print runs on some of his cards are much smaller than those of other players in his class, being excluded from having the likes of Prizm and Optic rookie cards. It surely helps with the case of supply and demand, in which collectors and investors will soon be trying to hoard as much more NBA cards of his very shortly.
RJ Barrett – New York Knicks
No one expected the New York Knicks would be this good this year, currently holding onto the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference standings. Being led by 1st-time all-star Julius Randle, veteran point guard Derrick Rose, alongside heaps of young talent, the Knicks are finally relevant again in MSG.
RJ Barrett has been a vital piece leading the way for this hot streak that the Knicks are on right now. He's upped his efficiency in field goal percentages from last year, an area that he often got flack for as an inconsistent offensive initiator. He is now slowly earning his top 3 selection in the 2019 NBA draft, as a player the Knicks can rely on both now and in the future.
If the Knicks do indeed make the playoffs this season, do watch out for a spike in Barrett's prices. The postseason is when NBA cards reach their highest peak during the whole year. Combine his ability to go off on any given night with a prime time spotlight on national television, it's hard to argue his rookie cards could erupt if he has a big series.
Robert Williams – Boston Celtics
Ever since Al Horford left the Boston Celtics organization, there has been a void in the painted area for the C's that hasn't been fixed. This issue became prevalent especially during the bubble playoffs, where teams exposed them in the paint every night.
They eventually lost to an underdog Miami Heat squad in six games, even with the stacked talent they had scattered around their roster. Their number one option at that time, Daniel Theis, brought a lot of energy but isn't a reliable defender for larger matchups.
The team eventually Tristan Thompson this past offseason in free agency, to fulfill those center needs. However, Thompson has been pretty underwhelming this season to say the least, even being put on the trading block according to some rumors.
This opened the door for Robert Williams this year, who has been backing up Thompson off the bench getting around 17 minutes of action a night. The big man has been producing well when his name gets called, with 7.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks a game. He's done even better in his six games in March, with averages of 11.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, and an absurd 3.5 blocks per game in over 21 minutes of action.
He is proving that he can be a real part of Danny Ainge's future, as that young energetic center they need going forward.
Some of his high end rookie cards have already sold for a ton recently, like a BGS 9.5 gold Prizm rookie which sold for $1999.99 on eBay. The NBA card value will only go uphill from here for the Timelord, as he continues to grow into his role as the Celtics' primary center.
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