It wasn’t too long ago when a lot of people thought Russell Westbrook’s best days in the NBA were over. After a forgettable stint with the Houston Rockets, the All-Star point guard was traded to the Washington Wizards for John Wall. What followed was a horrible first half of the season that led Westbrook’s squad to fall down to the Eastern Conference’s bottom tier, leading everyone to dismiss them from the playoff race.

Russell Westbrook Cards: Peaking At The Right Time

Now, as the regular season races to its end, that’s not the case anymore. The Wizards have been unleashed recently after achieving an impressive eight-game winning streak. Thanks to their herculean performance, the boys from D.C. are in 10th place with a 27-34 record through 61 games. This gives them a strong chance to enter the play-in tournament, and potentially the postseason.

A big part of the Wizard’s success is Westbrook, a player many dismissed earlier this season. We take a look below at how this one-time MVP has been performing as of late, and how his card value in the market has reacted.

Right after the trade deadline expired last March, the Wizards possessed a 15-28 record, leaving them with a slim-to-none chance to make the playoffs. While everyone gave up on Washington, Westbrook took it upon himself to drag his squad back to contention.

Russell Westbrook, Wizards

In the 19 games that occurred since then, Washington has won 12 of them. During that stretch, Westbrook essentially averaged a triple-double by posting 21.8 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 12.3 assists. 

And speaking of triple-doubles, the Brodie has 29 of those this season. This April alone, Westbrook achieved 12, breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s 1968 record for most triple-doubles in a single month. This feat comes off a recent 146-143 overtime loss to the San Antonio Spurs, where the point guard notched 22 points, 13 rebounds, and 14 assists.

 

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Thanks to Westbrook’s all-around game, the Wizards are placed in a position to enter the postseason, granted they ace the Play-In Tournament first. They can potentially face the Miami Heat, Charlotte Hornets, and Indiana Pacers if the regular season ended today. Nonetheless, the nine-time All-Star’s monster performance during these past few months are reason enough to put some respect on Westbrook’s name.

Russell Westbrook Rookie Cards In The Market

As March ended, Westbrook’s PSA 10 2008 Bowman Chrome rookie card dropped down to $698 on eBay. That price rose up more than a week ago to $1,975, which represented a sharp upward spike in such a short time. This week, though, graded copies of this card jumped up again to $2,650. As these prices show, Westbrook’s impressive run has reflected positively on his stock in the card market.

 

It’s immaterial now whether the Washington Wizards make the playoffs or not to the Brodie’s long-term card value. It’s a given that he’s one of the best players in the league right now and will be considered as one of the most unique players in history. What matters now for serious card enthusiasts is to find a great deal on those Russell Westbrook rookie cards, especially the graded ones. Doing so will add a surefire Hall of Fame-caliber player to your current collection.