In around two weeks, the regular season will come to a halt, giving way to the Play-In Tournament, and the playoffs right after. What started at the end of 2020 has now blossomed into 60 or more games full of pleasant surprises, nasty disappointments, and everything in between. The same goes too for this year’s set of rookies and, of course, their NBA cards.
The 2020 NBA Draft Class has certainly seen its share of triumphs and defeats during the past few months. Some went below the radar to surprise us at the right moment while few didn’t exactly live up to the hype. All of these factors reflect not only their on-court performance, it also has an impact on their card value.
We take a look below how select rookies from this season’s class are doing, both on the court and their stock using the gold standard in today’s card market – the 2020 Panini Prizm set.
LaMelo Ball Prizm Cards
Even though LaMelo Ball was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets using the third pick, he is still regarded as the best player from this year’s draft. In the 41 games he has played, the rookie averaged 15.9 points5.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.6 steals in 28.6 minutes per contest. Ball is also shooting efficiently with a 50% success rate from two and 37% from beyond the arc.
It comes as no surprise to anyone that Ball’s Prizm rookie offering is among the must-have NBA cards in Panini’s latest Prizm set. As of now, a raw base copy normally fetches $125 on eBay. The parallel and numbered cards, meanwhile, start at $280 and can go as high as $30,000. If Ball returns before the regular season ends or the Hornets secure a playoff spot, his stock can even go higher.
James Wiseman Prizm Cards
After a hot start to his season, James Wiseman’s first year in the NBA ended with a knee injury. Before that, the Golden State Warriors’ big man played from the bench and didn’t really have much of an impact most of the time. He notched 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds in 21.4 minutes per game. While Wiseman was good on the field with a 54% rating, he was only hitting 31% of his three-pointers, leaving a lot of fans disappointed.
Wiseman’s disappointing showing this year has extended to his card value. The rookie’s base Prizm card is currently fetching an average of $12.01 on eBay. This price can potentially go lower in the offseason when demand for modern NBA cards momentarily drops down.
Anthony Edwards Prizm Cards
Don’t look away now because Anthony Edwards has made the race towards the Rookie of the Year award more exciting than what it was a few months ago. Although he had a quiet start, the number one draft pick has been balling out since last month. He’s currently averaging 18.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Although his efficiency remains to be one of the weaker parts of his game, Edwards’ motor and ability to get to the rim has proven to be valuable to the Minnesota Timberwolves as of late.
Edwards’ impressive run these past few weeks is evident in his stock. His raw Prizm card is currently demanding $46 on the market right now. It’s still far away from Ball’s value but Edwards’ stock can spike up if he nabs the Rookie of the Year award.
Saddiq Bey Prizms
While the Detroit Pistons aren’t doing so hot this year, one of their rookies is showing what he can truly do – Saddiq Bey. In 26 minutes per game, the 6’7” wing is posting 11.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. The highlight of Bey’s game is his ability to shoot down threes above the league average. He’s currently attempting 6.2 shots from downtown per game and connecting 38% of them. Bey has the chance to improve his outside shot, pair it with a defensive leap, to become a 3 and D wing for his squad down the road.
After more than a month of being released to the market, Bey’s Prizm value remains modest at best. As of now, copies of his base rookie card are valued at $8.5 This is a great buy-low candidate with little-to-no risk involved.
Immanuel Quickley Prizms
The New York Knicks are certainly the toast of the town, especially after surprising everyone with how good they’ve been all season long. Its 25th pick, Immanuel Quickley, is getting his fair share of attention from basketball fans. This year, the rookie is posting 11.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 19.5 minutes from the bench. His per 36 minutes projected averages of 21.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.9 dimes are encouraging, to say the least.
Playing in New York for a resurgent Knicks team has definitely rubbed off on Quickley. His base Prizm rookie card is priced at $20, which is seen as a sign that he’s one of the better players from this year’s draft class.
With the regular season about to end, the prices of some of these NBA rookie cards will enjoy a boost, especially those playing for playoff-bound squads. On the other hand, those who won’t suit up for the postseason might see their card stock dwindle in the offseason. In any case, it’s best to discern which deal helps you maximize your investment in these Prizm cards for the foreseeable future.
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