The NBA is back, and so is basketball fever. With the playoffs having kicked off this week, fans are taking the opportunity to dust off their NBA trading cards as values have begun to soar.
Just a few weeks ago, a LeBron James rookie card brought in a record-breaking $1.8 million at auction. Subsequently, prices for such cards are trending upwards, now that fans are once again able to watch their favorite players on a regular basis.
According to StockX, the average card price is up 90 percent as of this week, in conjunction with the beginning of the NBA Playoffs. Data shows that the better a player performs, the higher the resale value for his trading cards.
Since the NBA restart in the Orlando bubble, more than 100 unique PSA 10 graded trading card (a virtually perfect card) listings on StockX have recorded at least one sale. Furthermore, values have noticeably risen now that the playoffs are in full swing.
As resale value has been closely tied to player performance, there are five athletes in particular whose cards are currently in high demand. These include Bubble MVP Damian Lillard, playoff newbie Jamal Murray, breakout star Michael Porter Jr., 2019 NBA Rookie of the Year Luka Dončić, and resurgent veteran Carmelo Anthony.
Specifically, Lillard’s PSA 10 Panini Prizm Rookie Card sold for $825 prior to the NBA restart. Now after his first playoff game, the highest bid climbed to $2,000, while the lowest ask rose to $3,299. After Dončić's first playoff game, his Panini Prizm Rookie Silver #280 gained over $4,000 in resale value.
We're only in the middle of the first week of the NBA Playoffs, so if things continue to trend in the same direction, trading card values will remain on the rise. You can delve into the catalog on StockX here.
