How long has it been since Kevin Durant was a rookie? Well, the team that drafted him hasn't played in that city in more than a decade. Topps and Upper Deck still had licenses to produce NBA trading cards and some of today's current young stars were in elementary school. Yes, it's been a while, but that all kind of makes collecting Kevin Durant rookie cards … [Read more...]
Hottest Chris Paul Rookie Cards
Their numbers are dwindling but Chris Paul’s rookie cards date back to a time when Topps and Upper Deck still enjoyed NBA trading card licenses. Fans of the era remember Paul's 2005-06 Topps #224 and 2005-06 Upper Deck #230 base cards, each of which can be had for a very small investment, but it’s the numbered versions of higher-end products, especially those with certified … [Read more...]
Hottest Dennis Smith Rookie Cards
When the rebuilding Dallas Mavericks decided to look to the future they wanted an athletic point guard with size and skill. They were not sure the player they had their eyes on would last to the tenth pick, but he did and quickly became in instant star who made highlight plays virtually every night. The hobby was quick to jump aboard the bandwagon and Dennis … [Read more...]
Vince Carter Rookie Cards Take You Back to the 90s
There was a time when Vince Carter was the NBA. He was seemingly everywhere. After Michael Jordan had retired once more it was another electrifying dunker out of North Carolina that collectors wanted. “Vinsanity” reigned. After winning the 1999 NBA Rookie of the Year award and following it up the next season by taking home the Slam Dunk title, … [Read more...]
Best Russell Westbrook Rookie Cards
If you’ve been holding Russell Westbrook rookie cards, your patience is now paying off. With the Oklahoma City Thunder guard joining Oscar Robertson as the only players to average a triple-double, his rookie cards are now among the elite. Below is a sampling of some of his rookie cards--autographed and non-autographed and at the bottom a list of which … [Read more...]
Kyrie Irving Rookie Cards Proved Worth the Wait
His talent was once a little hard for fans and collectors to judge. Kyrie Irving’s rookie cards would have been a bit of a mystery had they been distributed in a traditional fashion five seasons ago. A labor dispute put his cardboard arrival on hold but those who jumped in quickly once they finally arrived have been rewarded. Duke and Done Irving was born in … [Read more...]
After Long Wait, Joel Embiid Rookie Cards Heat Up
The 76ers and general manager Sam Hinkie had an idea: to build gradually and to build from the very bottom. Some called it tanking, Hinkie said it was a "Process". The result for the 76ers was clearing huge amounts of salary cap room and accumulating several high draft choices. It was (literally) painful at times but one of them is now among the most … [Read more...]
25 Years Later: 1991-92 Upper Deck Basketball Brought Chase to Hoops
Card collectors of today, with boxes that cost over $1,000 and memorabilia cards that are easy to acquire, might find it hard to believe that when Upper Deck entered the basketball card market in 1991-92 they released what was considered a high-end product. Twenty-five years later, even though prices are low, that first issue is a hobby landmark. Not only was … [Read more...]
Steph Curry’s Rookie Cards Are the New NBA Gold
They didn't create much of a buzz when they arrived back in 2009-10. A check of Steph Curry rookie cards on eBay any given day makes that seem like ancient history. His outside shot and his basketball cards are now legendary but that was not always the case. As the son of Del Curry, one of the NBA's greatest outside shooters, Curry's ability … [Read more...]
Karl-Anthony Towns Has Collectors’ Attention
The players from the 2015 NBA Draft are surprising fans and card collectors as not only are there more with superstar potential than expected but they are producing at a high level already. Kristaps Porzingis, Devin Booker and Myles Turner are just some of the rookies who but Karl-Anthony Towns rookie cards may wind up as the best of this year’s class. While … [Read more...]