When looking at the Boston Celtics, the most obvious play for hobbyists to consider is to go for Jayson Tatum's stock. But while the young forward is a great choice, he's not the only All-Star option Beantown has to offer. All things considered, Jaylen Brown and his rookie cards also deserve some of the spotlight, especially since the Celts are rising back up in the Eastern Conference.

Even with Tatum's bigger presence in the hobby, there are several factors that make Brown's stock an enticing one for rookie card collectors. We take a look below at how he has elevated his game all throughout his career and the impact it renders on his value in the market.

Why the Celtics' recent rise bodes well on those Jaylen Brown rookie cards

For the past few seasons, basketball fans and collectors have gotten used to the Celtics as one of the East's upper-tier teams. But with the departure of key pieces, like Gordon Hayward, Kyrie Irving, and Terry Rozier, much of the offensive load was placed on the shoulders of Tatum and Brown.

The lack of another reliable shot creator and playmaker in Boston's lineup didn't actually do wonders for them early in the season. With the Kemba Walker experiment failing the season before, the Celtics counted more on the Tatum-Brown combo than ever to help get some wins along their way.

That plan didn't exactly work as the latest season began. At some point late last year, there was a lot of doubt whether the partnership between the two wings can work or not, if Head Coach Ime Udoka can get his team to work as one, and solve several other issues along the way. But before any of these problems were resolved, Boston had a record below .500 before the new year began, causing some to question whether they'd make the playoffs this season or miss it for the first time in several years.

Fortunately, the Celtics prefer keeping their streak of appearing in the postseason alive no matter what. Before the year began, Boston found itself with a 17-19 record after getting a 123-108 win over the Phoenix Suns. At this point in time, the team is now in 6th place with a 36-27 record.

During that stretch, which includes an impressive nine-game winning streak, Brown posted admirable numbers of 24.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. While his offense can't be denied, it's his defense that's making the Celtics' wing stand out. With Brown's brand of tenacity that he shares with his teammates, Boston's 106 defensive rating is 2nd among all 30 teams in the NBA.

As the Celtics improve, both on how they play the game and in the standings, more attention will be focused on how this was accomplished. While most collectors will conclude Tatum is the key piece here, there's a pretty strong argument to be made for Brown and what he has done. In the event Boston gets to continue their stellar performance until the regular season ends, there's a pretty good chance that the team's success will rub off on the value of those Jaylen Brown rookie cards in the market.

The state of Jaylen Brown rookie cards

While Jayson Tatum rookie cards are the current toast in Boston, Brown's stock isn't a bad option to entertain. As a matter of fact, his rookie cards are also imbued with the Celtics' ceiling, especially if they potentially reach the Finals.

Jaylen Brown, Celtics, NBA Cards

In a three-month graph by Card Ladder, Brown's base PSA 10 Prizm rookie card is up from $118 to $144 over the given period. That's a 22.17% increase over 37 confirmed sales that started late last year. But while his base Prizms are currently doing well, the same can't be said for the Silver parallels.

Jaylen Brown, Celtics, NBA Cards

In another graph that covers the same period, Brown's PSA 10 Prizm Silver rookie cards have fallen from $543 to $470, which results in a 13.44% drop in value. This data occurred over 11 confirmed sales over the past three months.

These numbers show that Brown's rookie stock isn't doing that bad. With just the right catalyst, either a higher spot in the playoffs or a monster game in the future, his prices will have a good chance to skyrocket.

The verdict on Jaylen Brown rookie cards

When given the choice between Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown rookie cards, most collectors would often go with the former. While this is still a great option, there are merits when choosing the latter.

Celtics, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum Jaylen Brown

For one, Brown's PSA 10 base Prizm rookie cards have a population count of 839, as opposed to Tatum's 5,548. This is a good thing for Brown as the supply won't overcome demand or price anytime soon. And speaking of prices, Brown is much more affordable than Tatum in the card market, giving collectors a good ceiling to grow when considering profit.

With the Celtics gaining a lot of steam to catapult them into the postseason, there's a good chance the team's positive outlook will rub off on those Jaylen Brown rookie cards and their value in the market. Rather than spend money on players who won't make the playoffs, it's better used on this Celtics' All-Star wing and his rookie stock.