In a draft class that's exceeding expectations since the start of the season, Jalen Green was surprisingly among those who didn't. Until the All-Star break, the Houston Rockets' second pick didn't exactly light the league on fire. Add his team's abysmal record and most collectors would turn their attention to surer options, such as Evan Mobley and Scottie Barnes. But in the recent weeks, Green seems to have turned things around, which culminated in their last match against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
After a career night against the Purple and Gold, collectors are now seeing what Green can really do on the court. We take a look below at how he's been doing before and after the All-Star break and his notable rookie cards in the market.
Jalen Green's first year in the NBA
It's pretty easy for some collectors to pass up on Jalen Green cards in the market earlier this season. Other notable rookies, like Mobley and Barnes, immediately made their presence known and posted a series of impressive games. Although his first few weeks were quiet, Cade Cunningham has stepped up and continues to impress as the Detroit Pistons' centerpiece.
That wasn't the case with Green. In his first few weeks, the rookie shot 38% from the field and only connected 27% from downtown, causing some to be disappointed with his inefficiency. He was also averaging 14 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists during that stretch when the Rockets fell down with a 2-16 record.
After missing 14 straight games late last year because of a hamstring injury, Green's performance for the next 25 games was very similar to his early-season averages. It also didn't help that Houston fell all the way down to the bottom, killing most of the hype and excitement around the rookie. Among the few exceptions was a 30-point explosion against the Boston Celtics early in the season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YBXdz6hbPA
In that contest, Green notched 30 points by hitting 61% from the field and an impressive 80% from three while making 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, and a single steal. And even though Houston fell to the Celtics with a 107-97 loss, that glimpse into the rookie's potential was promising for Rockets fans and card collectors.
While that performance was among the few times he excelled in most aspects, how Green is playing after the All-Star break is showing he has the potential to play at a high level on a nightly basis. In those eight games with an average of 35.5 minutes each, the Rockets' rookie is posting 21.8 points on 49% shooting from the field and 35% from three while making 3.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.1 steals. Although Houston only went 2-6 during that stretch, it was their last game against the Lakers that saw Green erupt.
In 38 minutes as a starter, Green torched Los Angeles by hitting 61% from the field and 57% from downtown to get 32 points. He also added 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and a single block as the Rockets get the 139-130 OT win against the Purple and Gold.
Collectors are expecting this kind of performance from this year's number two pick in the draft, which drew praises from James himself. And while the Rockets aren't competing for the playoffs anytime soon, the outlook for Green's sophomore campaign next season is starting to look pretty good.
Notable Jalen Green rookie cards
At this point in time, Panini hasn't released their chrome-based products, such as Prizm and Select, which feature the latest batch of rookies in the NBA. This makes it hard to determine the value of Green's card value in the market as of the moment.
What's available for collectors right now are card sets Panini has released so far, like NBA Hoops and Donruss Elite. Among the most prominent Jalen Green rookie cards out there is this Rated Rookie Gold Auto from the latest Donruss basketball set.
With a limited print run of 10 copies and a striking gold laser design, this pull is becoming quite a looker. And even though it only has a stickered auto on it, the card's current value of $1,450 redeems it in the market.
Another Jalen Green rookie card that breached the $1,000-mark is his Donruss Elite Pen Pals Auto Gold. Since this is the rarer parallel and the first of 10 copies within the print run, It's no surprise that is on-card auto fetched $1,300 recently.
These are just two of Green's more notable offerings out there. That won't be the case as the year progresses with Panini releasing this seasons' chrome-based basketball cards.
The verdict on Jalen Green cards
At the start of the season, the obvious stocks to get in the hobby are those of Evan Mobley, Scottie Barnes, and Cade Cunningham. As the NBA moved towards the All-Star Game, Josh Giddey and Franz Wagner were added to that list. After All-Star weekend, it seems Green has made himself worthy of inclusion as well.
Looking at his game, it's easy to gravitate to the Rockets' rookie. He presents himself as an athletic score who can get to the rim at will, similar to what Kobe Bryant did in his younger years. If Green manages to improve his shot efficiency and handles while reducing turnovers, Houston will potentially gain an elite scorer down the road. That's why it won't hurt to invest in his rookie cards while the market is more focused on other young stars as Green's stock has enough room to grow in the hobby.
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