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Cult heroes in the NBA are those who enjoy a different kind of popularity among fans. They’re not necessarily your conventional star players on their team but they possess a distinct charisma that draws people to them. Some famous examples in league history are Brian Scalabrine, Lance Stephenson, and Dennis Rodman, to name a few. Few players fit the cult hero’s description better than the Los Angeles Lakers’ Alex Caruso.
The Bald Mamba, as he is dubbed by fans, tried to enter the NBA via the 2016 Draft. Although he went undrafted, Caruso would go on to play for the Oklahoma City Blue in the NBA Development League.
One year later, he would join the Lakers’ Summer League team and start in place of an injured Lonzo Ball. Caruso caught the eyes of the front-office, which led to him becoming the first player to directly enter the league from the D-League via a two-way contract.
Thanks to his highlight-worthy dunks and the hype constantly generated by his teammates during those moments, Caruso is enjoying a level of popularity among basketball fans. He is the everyman representing all us normals in the NBA.
Lakers bench HYPE after the Alex Caruso dunk #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/oAnvq5kRxE
— Highlight Hoops 24/7 (@HLHoops247) September 21, 2020
As it stands, the Bald Mamba doesn’t have a lot of rookie cards on the market due to his undrafted status. This scarcity has driven Caruso’s stock upwards since the supply of his cards isn’t equal to the great demand out there. Although the conventionally valuable cards like National Treasures RPAs or other classic don't feature Caruso, it doesn’t mean he doesn't have a few high-value cards. Shown below are three of his most expensive cards ever sold.
3. 2017-18 Status Pink Alex Caruso Rookie Auto 11/25
Coming in at third is the Bald Mamba’s autographed rookie card from the 2017-18 Panini Status set, which was sold last year at $299. The parallel card features Caruso front and center with his sticker autograph right below it. It has a low print-run of only 25 copies, making it a valuable piece of item to own for Caruso fans.
2. 2017-18 Donruss Optic Signature Series PSA 10
At second place is a beautiful rookie autograph card from Panini’s 2017-18 Donruss Optic set. The card’s clean design, accentuated by the Lakers’ purple and gold colors, helps it stand out. Its gem mint PSA 10 grade also increases the card’s stock on the market. Proof of that value is when this exact slabbed card fetched $374.99 on eBay last year.
1. 2017-18 Contenders Game Ticket Alex Caruso Rookie Auto 02/25
At the top of our list is Alex Caruso’s 2017-18 Contenders Game Ticket Rookie Auto card. Like the two previous entries, this card was released during the Bald Mamba’s rookie year in the NBA. Caruso himself is featured on the left side of the card with his sticker auto down below. The card’s limited print run to 25 copies heightens up its value, which is quite evident when it was sold for $850 in December last year. With the Contenders set being a cult favorite in its own right, it seems fitting this this captures Alex Caruso's essence for his most expensive card sold thus far.
The key factor to look out for Alex Caruso rookie cards is the Lakers’ potential to repeat as champions this season. If that happens, his scarce supply in the market will become more valuable. It’s wise to hoard on the Bald Mamba’s cards while they haven’t spiked in value yet.
