For the better part of the last decade, the rivalry between LeBron James and Stephen Curry has highlighted the NBA Finals. For four straight years, both of these stars faced off, with the Golden State Warriors’ three championships beating the Cleveland Cavaliers’ lone title.
Even though James and his squad came up short against Curry’s Warriors on the court, their battle on the card market is a different story altogether. We take a look below at which of these future Hall of Fame candidates is the best player card collectors can invest in, especially with their upcoming play-in tournament game.
The Case For Stephen Curry
Without a doubt, Curry is the greatest shooter in NBA history and one of the key reasons for the 3-point revolution in the league. The seven-time All-Star holds a 43.3% rating from downtown, 51.9% from inside the arc, and 90.7% from the free-throw line throughout his 12-year career in the league.
While a lot of people expected Curry to decline this season, the opposite happened. This year, the All-Star point guard averaged a league-leading 32.0 points to go along with 5.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.2 steals in 34.2 minutes per game. These numbers helped the Golden State Warriors defy logic and keep their playoff hopes alive. Even James himself has acknowledged that Curry deserves to be the MVP for this year’s regular season.
PSA 10 copies of Curry’s 2012 Topps, his definitive rookie card, have dropped on eBay. From $16,900 last March, prices sat at $9,700 when April ended. This value can go either up or down, depending on how long the Warriors last in the postseason.
The Case For LeBron James
Throughout his career in the NBA, James has established himself as one of the best ever to play the game of basketball. He boasts a legendary list of accomplishments, including four titles, four Finals MVP, four regular-season MVPs, and 17 years of being named as an All-Star, among others. He’s also the third-leading scorer in NBA history, just behind Karl Malone and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
In his 18th season, The King is still going strong without showing any major signs of regression when he's healthy. He averaged 25.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 7.8 assists, and 1.1 steals in 33.4 minutes per game. Apart from boasting a complete game, James is also very efficient with the ball by shooting 51.3% from the field and 36.5% from beyond the perimeter.
Even though he missed a number of games this year due to an ankle injury, having James in the lineup is still reason enough for any team to be careful against the Los Angeles Lakers. He’s currently leading the Purple and Gold in points and assists per game, making him their most important playmaker as they enter the play-in tournament.
Along with his worth on the court, James is the most recognizable active player on the card market right now. His PSA 10 Topps Chrome rookie card is currently valued at $21,600 on eBay. Card enthusiasts expect that price to steadily go up in the coming years, especially when The King retires from the league.
The Verdict
Curry, in his own right, deserves all the accolades and respect he’s getting, especially after dragging the Warriors to the postseason this year. Great as the All-Star point guard may be, The King’s better overall game and a longer list of accomplishments in the NBA make him the superior baller.
The same goes too for LeBron James’ card stock. His cards are expected to age better than those of Curry’s by reaching record-breaking prices in the future. Of the two, The King is definitely the better option for card collectors than The Splash Brother.
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