Right before the regular season began, there was a lot of doubt revolving around the Philadelphia 76ers. For one, the Ben Simmons saga had everyone thinking that Philly won't be the same juggernaut they were before and the load on Joel Embiid's shoulders will be too much. But as fate would have it, the Sixers proved everyone wrong by finishing with the fourth seed and getting James Harden for the disgruntled Simmons.
Of course, the All-Star center's rookie card value stands to be the primary beneficiary when it comes to Embiid's stock in the market. We take a look at how it has meteorically risen over the past few months as Embiid's stellar performance has led him to clinch the NBA's scoring title this season.
Joel Embiid's elite scoring for the Philadelphia 76ers
If someone told NBA card collectors that even with all the drama at the start of the season, the Sixers would still emerge as one of the favorites to win the Eastern Conference, there's a pretty good chance this claim wouldn't be believed by those in the hobby. Of course, the emergence of one Tyrese Maxey in his second year in the league and the addition of James Harden to the lineup are great arguments to cement Philly's case. But the biggest one out there? It's obviously Joel Embiid and the MVP-caliber season he's having this year.
Before tackling the insane offense Embiid is having this season, we need to take a look at what he did during the last one. In the 51 games he played during the 2020-21 regular season, one with Ben Simmons as his primary teammate, The Process averaged 28.5 points on 51% shooting from the field, 37% from deep, and 85% from the free throw line. The thing is, that significant chunk of time he missed due to injuries and health protocols seriously marred his quest to be even included in the MVP conversation, the same one that Nikola Jokic one.
Of course, that wouldn't stop Embiid from dominating last season. The best example was when the All-Star center led Philadelphia when he tallied 50 points and 17 rebounds to get the 112-105 victory over the Chicago Bulls. In some ways, this impressive showing on the court provided collectors a good glimpse of what an MVP-level Embiid can be.
This year, Embiid has taken a leap and made a pretty good case to win the NBA's top award for the regular season. In the 68 games he has played, the Sixers' All-Star is averaging a league-leading 30.6 points per game on 50% shooting from the field, 37% from beyond the arc, and 81% from the foul line. He's also making 11.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.5 blocks in 33.8 minutes per contest.
With those video game numbers seemingly coming to life on the court, it's pretty hard to argue against Embiid and what he has done for Philadelphia. While Jokic is also presenting a strong case for the MVP, it's performances like this one that makes the Sixers' center look like the better choice.
During a match against the Cleveland Cavaliers last February, Embiid posted 40 points on 50/80/93 shooting splits while adding 14 rebounds, 10 assists, and 3 steals. His bonkers performance led to Philly getting the 103-93 win over a Cavs squad that posted an elite defense during that time.
And that wasn't the only time Embiid dominated opposing squads in this manner. The All-Star would post 46 double-doubles and two massive triple-doubles in the span of 68 games this season. That's why it isn't a stretch to see why the Sixers are among the top teams in the East and Embiid himself is being pushed as a very strong contender against Jokic in the MVP race.
As the regular season ends, one accolade is sure to have Embiid's name on it – the scoring title. This honor coincides with the Process' rookie card value, which has been on a steady rise for the past few months. It remains to be seen whether the momentum Embiid has on the court and in the card market will continue in his favor in the coming weeks.
The state of Joel Embiid rookie cards
Without a doubt, Embiid's stock is among the better performers in the card market during the past few months.
In a three-month graph by Card Ladder, Embiid's PSA 10 2014 Prizm rookie card has gone up from $265 to $385. That's a 45% increase of $120 over the course of 51 sales on eBay. And with a population count of 1,344, it's safe to say that supply of this graded Joel Embiid rookie card won't overtake demand in the market anytime soon.
The verdict on Joel Embiid rookie cards
There's only one play here that can match Embiid's hot streak during the regular season – sell. It isn't wise to enter his market right now since prices are soaring and the Sixers aren't exactly locked to make the Finals, especially with the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, and Miami Heat standing in their way.
If given the chance, those who need to move their funds to other stars should sell their Joel Embiid rookie cards right away. There's certainly no better time than now and there's no telling at what point Philadelphia is going to exit the postseason. Those who are interested in getting his card, on the other hand, would have to wait for the offseason when the whole market rests. In any case, it pays to keep an eye on Embiid and the Sixers to help you find the right time to sell his stock.
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