A couple of years ago, the two young guards to look out for in the hobby were Luka Doncic and Trae Young. Without a doubt, the gravity of these All-Stars and their respective rookie cards on the market are beyond description. But the thing is, there are two new guards that are getting a good chunk of the attention. These are Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies and LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets
These two guards boast a ton of highlights each time they play, a wonderful rookie stock in the card market, and a promising career ahead of them. But of the two, which rookie card is the better choice for collectors? We take a look below at the respective cases of these All-Star guards.
The case for LaMelo Ball rookie cards
Before the youngest Ball brother entered the NBA, there were a couple of concerns that surrounded him. While his playmaking skills were off the charts, his jumper and youth didn't exactly fill scouts back then with a lot of confidence. This isn't the case anymore as his stint with the Hornets has everyone buzzing about the high ceiling he can reach in the coming years.
In his first year in the league, Ball played 51 games for Charlotte, 31 of which he did as a starter. The 6'7″ point guard posted averages of 15.7 points on 43% shooting from the field, 35% from deep, and 75% from the free throw line. He also contributed 5.9 rebounds, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in 28.8 minutes per contest.
Looking at these numbers, of course, doesn't do any justice to what Ball can do on the court and what he brings to the table. Just by taking a look at Ball's rookie highlights and collectors will see how he has elevated Charlotte's roster and made several key pieces better. Take Miles Bridges, for example.
And that's just during Ball's first year in the NBA, a time when he won the Rookie of the Year award. His sophomore campaign is looking better than expected. With averages of 19.9 points on 36% shooting efficiency from deep and a better 86% from the foul line, Ball is also notching 7 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.
Again, the numbers look alright. The thing with Ball is his game needs to be seen because no amount of words can describe how smooth and breathtaking it is.
Thanks to an impressive array of skills, which includes playmaking, shot creation, and feel for the game, the hype for Ball all season long has culminated in him being named to his first All-Star Game. Plus, there's no denying that even at this point in his career, Ball is undeniably the Hornets' franchise player and the foundational piece for them to build on. All of these factors come together to make Ball's stock in the card market an enticing option for collectors.
As it stands, PSA 10 slabs of Ball's base Prizm rookie card have settled after so much hype last season. In a three-month graph by Card Ladder, the said card has slightly gone down from $412 to its current value of $390. This is a given after the insane heights his rookie stock reached when they first landed on the market.
With Ball as the face of the Hornets, a promising career ahead of him, and a crazy demand in the hobby, there's no denying that the All-Star point guard is a safe bet for collectors. The question is, does Ball have what it takes to be the better rookie card option than Ja Morant?
The case for Ja Morant rookie cards
When taking a look across the NBA's landscape, it's impossible not to come across Morant in one way or another. The third-year guard is in the middle of an awe-inspiring campaign, one that has propelled the Grizzlies to the Western Conference's upper tier.
In just his third year in the league, Morant is posting insane numbers of 27.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. His 6.4 offensive box score is 7th in the league and tied with the King, LeBron James. These numbers clearly show that Morant's impact on the offensive end of the court is one that can't be understated.
Thanks to Morant's MVP-worthy campaign, the Grizzlies are now firmly entrenched in the West's third seed with a 43-20 record, just behind the league-leading Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors. Not only that, but the explosive guard was also recently named to his first All-Star Game appearance and as a starter for Team Durant. With all of those accolades and the leap he's taking, it's no wonder the former Rookie of the Year is the frontrunner for this season's Most Improved Player award with a projected deep playoff run in the coming months.
All of the action revolving around Morant can be easily seen in his stock. In a three-month graph by Card Ladder, his PSA 10 base Prizm rookie card has jumped up by 74.82% from $170 to $297. This rise in value occurred over 1,129 confirmed sales during the given period.
With that kind of momentum, imagine how high Morant's rookie cards can go if he makes a statement in the coming playoffs. Without a doubt, that will spike his value across the board. But for now, the Grizzlies' franchise player holds several aces up his sleeve. For one, he's a better shot creator without compromising on playmaking or leading his team towards the dub. It doesn't hurt that Memphis' record is way better than Ball and the Hornets. Thanks to these two factors, Morant's rookie stock is enjoying more steam with each day that passes.
The better rookie card stock for collectors
To start with, both of these young guards present a wonderful option for collectors. But in this case, there has to be a better choice. In this regard, the obvious play here is to go for Ja Morant rookie cards.
While Ball is a very promising prospect, Charlotte's standing in the East and his lack of scoring punch in some games hinder his stock from going up further. On the other hand, Morant's fiery way of playing the game, which includes filling the stat sheets with high-scoring performances, and Memphis's good positioning in the West has given him the upper hand in the hobby.
Those who are choosing between the two won't lose actually. They're both incredible young guys with exciting seasons ahead of them. But when all factors are considered, Morant is the clear winner between the two.
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