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What a week it has been for Basketball card collectors! Asks for graded 2019-2020 Panini Prizm Basketball are increasing every day as BGS and PSA are firing out returns, Zion did not disappoint with his long-anticipated debut, and the NBA All-Star starters have been announced. There are 3 first-timers amongst the 10 starters. Let’s take a look at what is happening to their rookie cards.
Luka Doncic
Luka needs no introduction at this point (I mean the man is recognized by one name). Obviously, his production is nothing new this season. Luka put together a premiere first-year performance averaging 21 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists and locking up Rookie of the Year honors. At the end of his rookie campaign, his Panini Prizm #280 PSA 10 was trading between $60-$70 per PSA auction data.
Luka Doncic 2018 Panini Prizm Rookie #280
Since this season tipped-off, Luka has been walking front-page news. He is now averaging 29, 9 and 9. He has 12 triple-doubles and has come back from his injury like it never even happened. Luka’s card prices have followed suit. A week into the season his Prizm PSA 10 was trading around $100, by November it was up to $150. While it peaked at $250, it has been hovering around $220 as of late. Luka has been in the international spotlight all season. His All-Star appearance is not a surprise to anyone. Barring a crazy individual performance, it is hard to imagine his trading card sees much of an increase before the playoffs.
Trae Young
Out East, Trae Young has been absolutely lighting it up. But his light has always had to compete with the shadow that Luka casts. Last year, he stood his ground and stayed relevant in the ROY discussion. That performance saw his Panini Prizm #78 PSA 10 end the season trading between $30-$40.
Trae Young 2018 Panini Prizm Rookie #78
While Trae is not making the noise Luka is in the media, he has elevated his game this year averaging 29 points a night and over 8 assists. Since season’s start, Trae’s rookie card has increased a little over 2X as it has been trading steadily around $75. Once the All-Star announcement was made on Thursday night, it shot up and traded for $95. Trae was not a shoe-in starter for the All-Star Game. He also plays for a team that is currently in the basement of the Eastern Conference. So, the honor of being an All-Star starter means much more to his rookie card at this point in his career. Trae’s Hawks are young, they’ve dealt with some controversy, this is not their year. However, he has proven he can compete in the Association and has plenty of room for growth for his career and his card.
Pascal Siakam
Pascal Siakam did not come into the NBA as a lottery pick. While he started some his rookie year, he mainly contributed off the bench for his first 2 seasons. It was not until last year that he really established himself as a two-way force on the court.
Pascal Siakam 2016 Panini Prizm Rookie #220
Most casual fans were introduced to Pascal during Toronto’s championship run last year. In the playoffs, he averaged 19 points and was Toronto’s second scoring option behind Kawhi. Even after the championship, his 2016-17 Panini Prizm #220 PSA 10 rookie card was not getting much love at all. It did trade once during the Finals for $122. However, once Kawhi left Toronto so did the interest in the Raptors and Siakam. Pascal has responded in a big way leading his team in scoring, and to the third-best record in the Eastern Conference. Even still, his 2016 Panini Prizm #220 PSA 10 has not traded for much more than $100.
It is also important to note that there are only 80 PSA 10s in the population report for Pascal’s 2016 Panini Prizm #220, compared to 7685 for Luka and 3332 for Trae. With being named an All-Star starter and playing on a playoff contender with championship experience, Siakam’s rookie deserves attention.
