Let's be honest. Bam Adebayo rookie cards aren't as hot nor in demand as those of his contemporaries, like Jayson Tatum or Donovan Mitchell. Heck, it's a far cry from the heights Luka Doncic and Ja Morant cards are reaching at this point in the season. But whatever the narrative surrounds those guys, there's one thing that sets Adebayo apart – his great fit with the Miami Heat, which has caused incredible results for the big man's career.
Although most of the attention has been focused on explosive and flashier guards, there's still a case to be made for Adebayo's rookie cards. We take a look below at why the Heat's All-Star center is flying below everyone's radar in the hobby.
Catalysts that are helping Bam Adebayo's rookie card to rise
From the start of the season until December of last year, Adebayo played an integral part in helping the Miami Heat solidify their position in the Eastern Conference. Throughout that stretch, the All-Star center notched 18.7 points on 52% shooting from the field, 10.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Although his assist rate went down due to the arrival of Kyle Lowry, his defense and playmaking still served his team well.
That is until Adebayo injured his right thumb late last year, causing him to miss 22 straight games. Fortunately, the Heat possessed enough depth to negate the absence of their starting center. Even without Adebayo's presence manning the 5 spot, Miami still managed to win 14 out of those 22 contests.
After quite some time, Adebayo returned to the lineup all healed up. With their center back, the Heat aced 13 of their most recent 18 games so far. For his part, Adebayo came out with guns blazing right from the start. During that 18-game stretch, he averaged 19.3 points on 54% shooting from the field, 10.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.9 steals, and 1.4 blocks in 34 minutes per game.
All of these numbers and the impact Adebayo brings to the table are very crucial in helping the Heat return to the NBA Finals. And even at this point, Miami's odds of going back to the biggest stage of them all is pretty good, to say the least. In Basketball Reference's current Playoff Probabilities Report, the Heat have a 100% chance to make the playoffs, a 24.8% chance to win the Conference Finals, and an 8.9% chance to become NBA Champions. In context, the Phoenix Suns have a 25.3% chance to beat them and win the ring, with the Golden State Warriors coming in at second with a 19.2% chance.
If the Heat wants to overcome powerhouse teams in their own conference and in the West, they'll be counting on Adebayo to take his game to the next level and as the anchor for their 6th place defense among 30 teams in the league. In the event Miami makes their way back to the Finals, expect Bam Adebayo rookie cards to be among the top prospects in the card market.
The state of Bam Adebayo rookie cards in the market
Adebayo's recent return, paired with the Heat rising through the standings, have helped the big man's rookie cards in the market. Take this three-month graph from Card Ladder, for instance.
Late last year, this particular Bam Adebayo rookie card in a PSA 10 slab was valued at $250 in the market. A couple of months later, that price has gone up to $301, which represents a steady 20.76% growth rate during the given period. With a PSA 10 population count of 483 at this point in time, any rise in this card's value is a welcome development. This is great in the long run, especially with the Heat gunning for the top spot in the East before the regular season ends.
The verdict on Bam Adebayo rookie cards
Those looking for a stock that's below everyone's radar, but still has enough room to grow need not go far. Adebayo's rookie offerings in the market can still be obtained at very affordable prices, as compared to his contemporaries. The key here is to find a good rookie card at its lowest so there'll be more room to work with when it potentially reaches its peak sometime in the postseason.
In any case, there are a few big men with a lot of potential on the court and in the card market. Without a doubt, Adebayo is among those guys in the NBA right now.
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