From a sports card collector's perspective, the guy to get right now is Ja Morant. Rightfully so, because the third-year guard is making an unbelievable leap that will land him in the All-Star conversation sooner than later. But what hobbyists should know is that there is another opportunity looming over the horizon when it comes to Grit and Grind. It's no other than Desmond Bane cards.

Although all the attention has been revolving around Morant, there's a pretty good argument to be made for the second-year guard. We take a look below Bane is doing, both on the court and in the card market.

The catalyst for Desmond Bane cards in the market right now

Bane's first year in the NBA was somehow dominated by Morant, and other notable rookies from the Class of 2020, such as Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball. But while everyone else was looking away, the then-rookie flew under the radar.

In 68 games, 17 of which Bane started for the Grizzlies, he notched 9.2 points 3.1 rebounds, and 1.7  assists per contest. While those numbers didn't exactly light his card value on fire, it was his efficiency with the ball that showed promise. During those games, Bane would connect 46% of his shots from the field, 43% from beyond the arc, and 81% from the free-throw line.

Now that he has had a full offseason to rest and work on his game, Bane has started his sophomore campaign on a strong note. From posting forgettable stats during his first year in the NBA, the Grizzlies shooting guard is now averaging 17.7 points on efficient 48/41/87 shooting splits. He's also contributing 4.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and a lone steal in 30 minutes per game.

Of course, those numbers only look good on paper. Collectors should see Bane in an actual game to see what he brings to the table for Memphis. And that he did during the first contest of the season against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

In almost 30 minutes, the Grizzlies' sophomore guard posted 22 points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals while hitting 50% of his shots from the field. While he only connected 33% from downtown, Bane managed to go 4 out 4 when it comes to his free throws against the Cavs on opening night.

Since then, Bane has scored double-digits while being efficient with his shots in the course of seven games this season. And while it's still too early to tell, collectors are liking what they see in him, causing raw Desmond Bane cards to go up in the market.

The verdict on Desmond Bane cards

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As of now, there aren't that many PSA 10 slabs of Bane's rookie offerings out there. Due to PSA limiting the number of submissions earlier this year, collectors will have a harder time finding gem-mint graded Desmond Bane cards in the market.

Nevertheless, his Prizm Silver rookie card is still performing well on eBay. PSA 9 slabs of the said card are going for $205 while raw copies are valued at $40. These prices show that Bane's stock is doing better than most guys from the Class of 2020, thanks to a stellar start to his season.

Needless to say, Bane isn't a big name in the market yet. There's still an opportunity for collectors to hoard his stock while he's flying under the radar. If he manages to become the Robin to Ja Morant's Batman down the line, his rookie cards will surely take a leap after.