A couple of years ago, the Phoenix Suns looked like chumps trying to make the playoffs in a conference dominated by the Golden State Warriors. Fast forward to now and it seems that they're on top of the West and the whole league. While Chris Paul's addition to the squad has been heaven-sent, no one can deny that Devin Booker deserves a huge chunk of the accolades as well.
And with Phoenix standing proud on top of the standings, Booker's value in the hobby is growing hotter by the day. We take a look at how the All-Star shooting guard has played all season long and how his rookie card value has performed during the past few months.
Devin Booker's dominant leap this season
It's no secret that Booker is among the best offensive players in the NBA right now. As early as his second year in the league, the one where he dropped 70 points out of nowhere, Suns fans knew that the centerpiece they've been waiting for has finally arrived.
Even last year, the one where Phoenix went all the way to the NBA Finals, Booker was already standing out from the rest of the crowd. During the 2020-21 regular season, the All-Star guard averaged 25.6 points on 48% shooting from the field, 34% from deep, and 86% from the free throw line. He would take those numbers up to the next level as Booker and the Suns endured a challenging postseason campaign, which saw the then 24-year old star post 27.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in his first appearance in the playoffs.
Unfortunately, the Suns fell short in the Finals and lost to the Milwaukee Bucks. With that loss still fresh in their minds, Booker and his team went out to prove that their run to the Finals wasn't a one-time thing. So far, it looks like they're proving the doubters wrong.
The Suns are currently fourth in offense (114.2), second in defense (106.2), and boasts a first-place +8 net rating among all 3o teams in the NBA right now. Booker, meanwhile, is leading Phoenix's offense by scoring 25.6 points on 45/37/86 shooting splits and making 5.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. The All-Star is also posting an offensive box score of 3.3, which places him in 22nd place among all active players in the league.
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But as great as these numbers are, seeing Booker on the court is a lot better, especially if he goes off against the likes of LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. In Phoenix's recent matchup against the Gold and Purple, the All-Star notched 30 points by connecting 48% of his field goals, 40% from deep, while adding 10 assists, 4 steals, and 2 rebounds.
Plus, the fact that Chris Paul wasn't in the lineup makes Booker's performance more admirable. In any case, Phoenix's 54-14 record places them on top of the league and the best odds to win the Finals this year, as per Basketball Reference's Playoff Probabilities Report. If this comes true, expect those Devin Booker cards to heat up in the market.
The state of Devin Booker rookie cards in the market
Booker's definitive Prizm rookie card is looking good these past few months. In fact, both PSA 10 and BGS 9.5 prices are on an upward trend during the said period.
In a three-month graph by Card Ladder, a Devin Booker Prizm Silver encased inside a BGS 9.5 slab has gone up from $946 to $1,500. That's a 58% increase over the course of 23 confirmed sales on eBay.
In another graph, the same card inside a PSA 10 slab is also doing good. Over the same period, it has gone up from $2,985 to $3,800. This represents a 27% growth over the course seven sales during three months.
These numbers show that the market is reacting positively to Booker's rookie card stock as the Suns have shown how dominant they are since the current season started. At the same time, the argument for the best player to chase from the 2015 NBA Draft has been settled with him being the most obvious choice.
The verdict on Devin Booker cards
Without a doubt, Devin Booker rookie cards are trending up at this point in time. With the Suns steamrolling through everyone to get to the top, it's only understandable that the hottest stock belongs to their best player.
Those who are planning to get the All-Star's cards should wait for the offseason instead when prices have gone down a bit. On the other hand, those who have been holding on to his stock, especially the graded slabs, can cash in right now and make the most out of their profit. These collectors can also sell during the playoffs, which is riskier. In any case, these Devin Booker cards are definitely looking good right now.
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