It wasn’t too long ago when a lot of people were greatly disappointed in Zion Williamson’s performance in Orlando. After missing the majority of last season, everyone expected the number one pick to muscle his way through the Bubble and lead the New Orleans Pelicans into the playoffs. Unfortunately, Zion Williamson failed to live up to the massive hype surrounding him, leading his card value to stagnate for a couple of months.
Now in his second year, Williamson has finally been unleashed onto the league. While fans felt cheated after being injured for most of last season, the sophomore is showing why he’s worth the wait. At the same time, the demand for Zion Williamson rookie cards is increasing by the day. We take a look below at how his card prices are reflecting Williamson’s performance after 50 games this season.
A look at Zion Williamson’s sophomore campaign
Without a doubt, Williamson’s second year in the league has been a massive revelation. In stark contrast to his stats last season, the Pelicans’ All-Star is posting insane numbers on a nightly basis.
This year, he’s averaging 26.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 32.9 minutes per game. He also connects 67% of his 16 attempts from the field, making him unstoppable inside the perimeter. And while his efficiency from three and the free-throw line leaves more to be desired, the 6’7” forward still has a lot of room to grow as his career progresses.
Another stat that shows how incredible Williamson this year is his box plus/minus scores. 5.9 offensive BPM places him 10th in the entire league. Established stars, like LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Stephen Curry, are all ahead of the sophomore in the list. To be counted in the company of these players is truly a magnificent feat not every second-year player can accomplish.
In comparison, Ja Morant, last season’s Rookie of the Year, is in 70th place with a 1.4 OBPM. The huge difference shows how far along Williamson is in that aspect of his game, a trait that has been on display all season long for the Pelicans.
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Williamson’s impressive value was clearly shown in a game against the Dallas Mavericks at the end of last month. Coming off a career-high 39 point game in a loss against the Denver Nuggets, the All-Star would bounce back the following night with another stellar performance. He would go on to post 38 points in 34 minutes on the court with a 65% success rate from the field. Williamson also notched 5 rebounds and 6 dimes to lead the Pelicans to a win over the Mavericks.
The combination of a strong physique and guard-like skills is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Williamson. If these glimpses are but a taste of what he can really do, the future will certainly be a bright one for New Orlean’s emerging star.
The state of Zion rookie cards in the market
Williamson’s PSA 10 Prizm rookie card has been on an upward trend lately. Back in January, the price of the said card was around $710 and dipped to $600 when February began. That number shot up to $900 when Williamson was named as a starter in the All-Star Game last March. Now, his PSA 10 cards are being sold from $650 to $850.
As you can see from the prices above, Zion Williamson rookie cards are all the rage these days. Thanks to his incredible performance this season, the demand for his stock is increasing. But while that’s the case right now, it won’t be if the New Orleans Pelicans fail to make the playoffs. In that event, Williamson’s card value is expected to drop.
In any case, investing in Williamson still remains to be a good decision. He is a generational talent that can only get better in time, as long as he doesn’t get seriously injured. Overall, placing your capital on Zion Williamson will surely yield a lot of promise down the line.
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