Undoubtedly, Nikola Jokic’s game has been insane lately. Even without Jamal Murray or Michael Porter Jr. in the lineup, the All-Star center has been carrying the Denver Nuggets all season long. And while he’s doing that, the Joker is putting impressive numbers at a very efficient rate. But even though he’s been off the charts during the past few weeks, the big man's rookie cards have not reflected his worth on the court.
With a ton of choices in the card market, Jokic has often been relegated as an afterthought to the likes of younger stars, such as Luka Doncic and Ja Morant. We take a look below at why Nikola Jokic cards deserve more love, the state of this stock, and the verdict on it.
Nikola Jokic's campaign to win MVP for the second time
Before Jokic won the MVP award last year, the last center to accomplish this feat was Shaquille O'Neal during the 1999-00 season. Since then, it has been mostly high-scoring guards or athletic wings who were bestowed with the said honor. At this point in time, the Nuggets' All-Star big man is making a pretty strong case to win his second one in two years.
Last season, the one Jokic won his first MVP, was a monstrous time for the Joker. In all of the 72 games he played, the Nuggets' franchise player averaged 25.8 points by connecting 56% of his field goals, 38% of his shots from deep, and 86% from the free throw line. And if that scoring barrage isn't enough, Jokic added 10.8 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. His effort paid off as Denver finished the regular season with a 47-25 record, or the third seed in the Western Conference.
Unfortunately, the Nuggets exited the postseason earlier than expected when they were swept by the Phoenix Suns during the Western Conference Semi-Finals. And to rub salt into the wound, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. were slated to miss most of the current season due to injuries. Thankfully, Jokic stepped up to keep Denver competitive in the West.
In the 57 games he played this season, the Joker is averaging 25.8 points on 57% shooting from the field, 36% from downtown, and 81% from the charity stripe. The All-Star is also adding 13.8 rebounds, 8 assists, and 1.4 steals in 33.1 minutes per contest.
All of those numbers went to the next level when Denver faced the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this year. In that game, Jokic notched a season-high 49 points on 64/60/87 shooting splits, 14 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals, and 1.4 blocks to lead the Nuggets to a close 130-128 win over the opposing squad. This contest is just one of the many where the reigning MVP dominates by using his insane efficiency, stellar playmaking, and incredible feel for the game.
Do we need to be talking more about the NBA MVP race?
Nikola Jokić, Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo are not just having MVP-caliber seasons, @johnhollinger writes.
All three are having runaway MVP seasons.https://t.co/eUygO8kGd1 pic.twitter.com/gUHjdKOfMr
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) March 7, 2022
And speaking of the MVP race, Jokic remains on top of the list with the Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid in second and Giannis Antetokounmpo in third. Closing out the current top five are DeMar DeRozan and Ja Morant. And with league-leading box scores of 9.2 on offense, 4.7 on defense, and 13.9 on the overall box plus/minus, it's pretty hard to argue against the impact he brings to Denver. The only knock against his MVP case is the Nuggets' sixth place record of 38-26, owing mainly to the absence of key players in the lineup.
It can't be denied that Jokic's claim to winning his second MVP is a good one. Although other candidates, like Embiid and Antetokounmpo, have better records with their respective teams, the level of efficiency and impact he brings to the table is worthy of recognition. If he closes the deal and bags the said award, his rookie cards will get more attention in the market than they do now.
The state of Nikola Jokic rookie cards
While most stocks are underperforming in the market, Nikola Jokic cards are slightly up for a short-term period. This can be seen in a three-month graph by Card Ladder below.
In the said graph, Jokic's PSA 10 base Prizm rookie card has gone up from $500 to $610. This jump represents a 21.88% increase from where it was late last year.
Jokic's PSA 10 Prizm Silver is also on a short-term upward trend, as shown in another Card Ladder graph. From $2,455, the said card's value is now at $2,800. Its price has gone up by 14.52% over 11 confirmed sales during the same period.
It's pretty easy to connect Jokic's impressive performances this year to how his stock has moved up in the market. If he gets to win the MVP award or move the Nuggets up in the standings, collectors can expect this upward trend to continue in the coming weeks.
The verdict on Nikola Jokic rookie cards
Without a doubt, Jokic is something else. There's no other player in the NBA today who can dominate on offense, score efficiently from anywhere on the court, create plays for his teammates, and play credible defense on the other end of the court. And that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Nuggets' All-Star.
His rookie cards, on the other hand, have already risen a lot since winning MVP last season. The key to Jokic's stock rising again is two-fold. First, and the most important, is he gets to lead Denver to a higher seed in the standings, and makes a valiant performance in the postseason. In a way, the Nuggets should put up a good series in a deep playoff run to eliminate the memory of being swept by the Suns last year.
Second, and the more obvious reason, is that Jokic bags his second MVP award. If he gets to do these things, the market will react positively and increased demand for Nikola Jokic rookie cards will be felt in the hobby. This will coincide with a price jump that will most likely cool off when the offseason starts.
Since that's a long time, the best instance to enter Jokic's market was a couple of weeks ago before he was putting up insane numbers. But if the opportunity comes to get a graded or raw rookie card of the big man in good condition and at a very tempting price, it would be wise to do so right away.
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