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Last Updated On: October 18th, 2024
Baseball season winding down and football bye weeks forcing fantasy owners to choose between third-string tight ends can only mean one thing: basketball season is almost upon us.
Last year, we opened up the season with our own preseason NBA Buyer’s Guide. Now, we’re back with a new installment to get folks ready for the new year.
Unfortunately, this season’s rookie class is underwhelming. Such would likely have been the case for any class following in Victor Wembanyama’s size-vingt shoes. But this year’s rookie class is already being touted as historically poor.
With that in mind, we decided to try something a bit different in this year’s NBA Cards Buyer’s Guide. Rather than focus on a slew of lackluster rookies, this post will dive into a few alternative buys. Don’t worry, we still opine about the rookie class and offer up our favorites, but we believe there’s significant value elsewhere. We’ll focus our attention on 2nd-year stars, top-contending teams, and players who are in a prove-it mode for us heading into the 2024-25 season.
Let’s jump in!
Editor note: keep in mind buying sports cards comes with risk of financial loss. Please do your own due diligence and do not consider our excitement around the players mentioned throughout this post as financial advice, or any guaranteed results.
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Table of Contents
Overview
Our 2024-25 NBA Cards Buyer’s Guide is assembled using multiple factors as mentioned in last year’s guide — including team success, individual player success along with the potential to win an NBA award, and more. Be sure to review all the factors to understand the basis for our selections!
Additionally, we often include a player’s Panini Prizm Silver rookie in PSA 10 condition when recommending a potential target to buy. Consider the Silver Prizm a baseline only, as it is is not meant to imply that it is the only card, condition, or most important rookie to collect. Other rookies, as well as non-rookie cards like high-end inserts (such as Kabooms), case hits, and other collectibles, can be perfectly viable alternatives.
Jump down to see which cards are getting the most bids on eBay auctions for inspiration!
2024 Rookies: A Minefield of Speculation
In recent years, the NBA draft has produced talent like Victor Wembanyama, Paolo Banchero, Ja Morant, and Luka Doncic. By all indicators, the 2024 draft will be nothing like those historic hauls. According to The Athletic’s Sam Veccinie, this draft is more like the 2013 class, which saw Anthony Bennett, Nerlens Noel, Ben McLemore, and Shabazz Muhammad selected in the lottery.
The best advice we can offer for this draft is to wait. While the weaker draft is, on its face, a disappointment for collectors, it also offers collectors a unique opportunity. The lack of preseason hype and buzz allows folks to feel out the class before blindly going in on a given player.
Despite the mid-tier talent, there are a few players who will likely contribute relatively quickly to talented teams. For instance, Reed Sheppard already looks like he owns flamethrowers for hands; he’ll be counted on early for an upstart Rockets team that was a grisly 23rd in three point percentage last season. Big man Zach Edey will also be counted on to provide a big-bodied rim protector for the under-the-radar Memphis Grizzlies.
Other names worth monitoring: Matas Buzelis, who had a strong Summer League. Point guard Stephon Castle will be mentored by Chris Paul and play alongside Wembanyama in San Antonio. Rob Dillingham, though undersized, will look to supplant Mike Conley as the Timberwolves’ next generation floor general.
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Second Year Surgers
While the 2024 draft may not get folks as excited as years past, it does offer us the chance to relitigate the 2023 class. Add in the fact that Panini only released its 2023 set in February, and there’s still plenty of time to get in on a few rookies who impressed last year.
Dereck Lively II
There were moments during the Mavericks’ Finals run last season when Dereck Lively II was the second-best player on the court behind Luka Doncic. He provided what Dallas has desperately searched for in vain: a rim-running big (6.9 rebounds) who has the vision and mobility to space the floor. His Silver Prizm is going for a few bucks ungraded and less than $100 in Gem Mint condition.
Brandon Miller
Do the Charlotte Hornets . . . have a plan? A team mired in basketball purgatory appears to finally have gotten its stuff together over the last few drafts, including last year’s selection of Brandon Miller. It was always going to be difficult going in the same draft as Wembanyama, but Miller quietly excelled out of the spotlight, averaging 17.3 points and 4.3 boards as a freshman swing. Miller’s card is another one that makes for excellent flipping; raw it goes for around $75, but spikes to around $200 in Gem Mint condition.
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Chet Holmgren
Technically, Chet Holmgren’s rookie card can be found in the 2022 set. But a foot injury forced him to miss the 2022-23 season, making last year his professional debut. And my, did the former Gonzaga big not disappoint. An All-Rookie First Team selection, Holmgren put up nearly eight rebounds with 16.5 points per night. His ceiling may not be as high as Victor Wembanyama’s (no one is), but he nonetheless has high-end All-Star potential on a Thunder team stacked with star talent. His Silver Prizm rookie card in Gem Mint condition goes for around $250 right now.
Cam Whitmore
While Miller and Holmgren are the higher-end plays, Rockets forward Cam Whitmore is a bit different. Notoriously, Whitmore was a higher-end lottery talent who slid to the back end of the first round after a ghastly injury report ahead of the draft. But he quietly put together a strong season in Houston, putting up 12 points in about 18 minutes of action per night. If Whitmore continues to earn head coach Ime Udoka’s trust, he could be in line for a bigger role. At less than $20 ungraded and nearly $100 in Gem Mint condition, Whitmore’s card makes for a fun flip or investment.
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Victor Wembanyama
Many players’ inclusion in the list depends on current pricing and future potential; we want to find value in players whose prices don’t quite reflect the season we think they’ll have.
Victor Wembanyama is the ultra-rare exception to this rule. We do not (really) care what his cards are currently valued at, nor are we concerned with his on-court performance. The French phenom answered most questions last year: he played every game, reeled off highlight upon highlight, and, in a roundabout way, might have kept the Denver Nuggets from returning to the Finals.
There will never be a time when Wemby’s cards are not highly sought after — his cards are consistently found among the most popular basketball cards on eBay. Add that Panini will be losing the license to make NBA cards, and his rookie Prizm could become even more collectible.
The long caution we offer is to prioritize serial-numbered cards (and stay away from unpopular parallels). The pop count for his Silver Prizm is already north of 6,500, and the gem rate for his Silver Prizm is already over 65%. A few weeks ago, we discussed how that high of a pop count might hurt his future card values. To combat this, we recommend targeting rarer, numbered cards. There’s no reason to think these cards won’t be the next generation’s version of Michael Jordan cards. Well, unless we find ourselves in yet another Junk Wax Era, that is.
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Top Teams (and Under-the-Radar Watches)
In addition to first and second-year stars, we want to highlight a few players from teams expected to compete for the championship. But in addition, we’ll throw some love to their lesser-heralded teammates, who might serve as nice under-the-radar buys.
Boston Celtics: Jayson Tatum (or… Derrick White)
Let’s start with the reigning champion Boston Celtics. Boston is the heavy favorite to repeat; +300 odds for a team returning much of the same lineup as last year. Naturally, all eyes will fall on Jayson Tatum, the (mostly) clear-cut number one on the team. After a weak shooting year (continuing a trend that’s quietly stretched to the last several playoffs), Tatum admitted to revamping his shot this offseason. His Gem Mint Silver Prizm values have remained largely the same over the last year, between $700 and $900. We expect those values to remain strong so long as the C’s put in another strong season.
Alternatively, collectors may want to take a look at Derrick White’s 2017 Silver Prizm. White wasn’t nearly the same prospect as Tatum coming out, meaning his pop count is low (180 PSA 10s) despite White elevating into a solid third option for Boston last year. His values have also quadrupled over the last two years, settling at about $80 in Gem Mint condition.
The Celtics will have some tough salary cap decisions to make next season, which could force them to offload White to balance the books. If it happens, could White continue rising on another team? Or will he remain in Boston, extending the team’s championship window? Either way, it stands as a positive for collectors.
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Oklahoma City Thunder: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (or… Jalen Williams)
Last year, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was one of our favorite buys, as was the entire Oklahoma City starting corps. And not to toot our own horn, but SGA’s Silver Prizm rookie card is up $150 over the last year, a credit to his inclusion in last year’s list.
Expect the same this season. At present, the Thunder is Boston’s greatest threat to repeating as champions. If OKC is successful, it will necessarily be due to SGA continuing his dominant play and, perhaps, cracking the top tier in MVP voting. Even a Finals appearance should burnish his card’s value.
On the cheaper side, Gilgeous-Alexander’s teammate Jalen Williams’ Silver Prizm rookie card in Gem Mint condition costs around $200. In addition to Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren, Williams rounds out a troika of uber-talented stars on OKC’s roster. Further, collectors appear bullish: his sale prices are up around $50 on his Silver Prizm over the last year.
New York Knicks: Karl-Anthony Towns (or… Mikal Bridges)
The Knicks took everyone by surprise last season, coming a few injuries shy of an Eastern Conference Finals berth. Jalen Brunson turned into Batman for the city, while New York’s casting of former Villanova national champions became Gotham’s real-world version of the Justice League.
A few weeks ago, the Knicks firmly declared their intention to go all in, trading away franchise mainstay Julius Randle for Minnesota Timberwolves big Karl-Anthony Towns. The jury is still out on whether Towns has what it takes to come through in a major playoff moment, but he’s complimented by a talented group, making me somewhat optimistic that Towns could be this season’s version of Kristaps Porzingis.
Towns wasn’t the only trade the Knicks made this offseason. In accordance with their affinity for Villanova Wildcats, the Knicks added Mikal Bridges to the fold, adding an exceptional two-way talent to an already switchy team. Bridges should rise to the top of the fold, and if he does, the value of his Silver Prizm rookie card should follow suit (currently valued at a paltry $56.50 in Gem Mint condition).
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Dallas Mavericks: Luka Doncic (or… Klay Thompson)
Finally, we come to the reigning Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks. Luka Doncic gets the nod as the high-dollar play here. Much like a franchise quarterback, as long as Doncic is in tow, the Mavs should be in the mix for a deep postseason run. Be careful about which Doncic cards you go after, though; his Silver Prizm rookie card was one of the hottest in the pandemic-era surge, putting its Gem Mint pop count north of 2,300.
The truly intriguing name worth discussing here is Klay Thompson. In the offseason, the Golden State Warriors legend traded the B-A-Y for the D-F-W. While Thompson’s All-Star days are more than likely in the rearview, he makes for a fun legacy play. Add in that the Mavs are sure to be more competitive than the Warriors, and there’s no ruling out the possibility of a glimmer of playoff magic for the former Splash Brother.
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Underappreciated Buys
In a time-honored tradition here at Only Greats, the next section will discuss a selection of players whose stock is down, but we nonetheless see the arrow is pointing up.
Jimmy Butler
We were extremely bearish on Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat writ large one year ago. True, Butler had quietly put together one of the most impressive postseason string of runs of the 2020s. But heading into the 2023-24 season, it felt like his luck would run out.
We were right. The Heat’s playoff mysticism faded, and Butler spent much of the season injured. But heading into the 2024-25 season, Butler suddenly has everything to play for. He’s up for a new contract; the Heat are finally healthy and probably can’t be counted out for a playoff run.
If we were out on Butler last year, we’re back in heading into a crucial season for the Heat star.
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Ja Morant
Like Doncic, Ja Morant’s rookie card could not have come at a better time for the player. At nearly $5,000 for a Gem Mint Silver Prizm in 2021, Morant’s on-court performance appeared to warrant the exorbitant sum.
Things look much different three years later. The former Murray State star hasn’t seen the court consistently in several seasons, spending last year on the bench recovering from injury. Off-court issues have also plagued the explosive guard, further cratering his card value.
But the Grizzlies are back. Morant is healthy and, the last time we saw the group together, they were a legitimate Western Conference Finals threat. We expect them to return to those lofty peaks in 2024, which makes this a perfect time to get in on Morant cards. Bear in mind that serial numbered cards will be your friend with Morant’s pieces, given his popularity during the 2020s.
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Need to See
Conversely to the section above, the following players might be riding a high from recent performance, but we’re not quite sold on just yet.
Jamal Murray
It was only a few months ago that Murray’s Silver Prizm rookie card was going for around $350 a pop in Gem Mint condition. The Nuggets had fallen just short of expectations, but there was a real Canadian basketball buzz heading into the Olympics.
Needless to say . . . the Canada-ssaince did not come to bear. Murray looked out of sorts in Paris and disappeared at times last season. With terrors rising in the Western Conference – the Timberwolves, Mavericks, Thunder – and newcomers ready to prove their mettle – the Rockets and *whispers* Spurs – the Nuggets are no longer the invincible force they once appeared.
Cade Cunningham
I’m not sure how much personal blame Cade Cunningham deserves for being in this slot. The hapless Pistons have been the league’s most abominable franchise of the last decade, whiffing on draft prospects, overpaying coaches, and failing to develop its star-level talent.
Cade Cunningham was supposed to represent a new era in Motor City. Unfortunately, advancements in his game haven’t materialized; he’s a lackluster shooter in an era where guards must present some sort of shooting threat to keep defenses honest.
Again, this isn’t all Cunningham’s fault. But though I want to believe a coaching change would help, J.B. Bickerstaff (formerly of the Cavs) never showcased an ability to get a talented Cleveland team to reach its full potential. Expect much of the same in Detroit.
Buying on eBay Live Auctions
The following eBay auction results are curated to display rookie cards for the players mentioned in this guide. The search can be adjusted to find specific players, cards, inserts, or anything else by using the form filters below and clicking Update.
Summary: 2024-25 NBA Preseason Buyer’s Guide
Given the lack of premier talent at the top of the 2024 NBA draft, we’ve striven to provide a few alternative options to add to your collection heading into the new season. Since we’ve already seen many of these players take the court, we have a rough idea of which former top picks will continue ascending, which have work to do, and which we feel may never reach their once lofty ceilings.
Additionally, we’ve explored players from teams widely expected to compete for the championship. Among the X-factors to consider when evaluating a card is a player’s on-court performance and postseason success, which translates to a positive legacy. The options provided here cover picky, deep-pocketed collectors and newcomers alike.
We’ll check back in next year to see how we did. Did we miss a player? Do you think we’re high on someone we shouldn’t be? As you watch this season play out, let us know your thoughts in the comments below.