The deep rookie class from the 2017-18 NBA Draft, which featured Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, Lonzo Ball and other players who had the hobby buzzing. Not much hobby attention was on the Miami Heat’s top draft pick. You would be forgiven for not jumping all over Bam Adebayo rookie cards right out of the gate. If you did manage to grab some, you are more than happy with the way his story is playing out at the present moment.
Adebayo Anecdotes
A young Edrice Adebayo acquired the nickname that the world now knows him by at a very young age. After flipping over a coffee table at the tender age of one, his mother anointed the nickname ‘Bam Bam’ on her son after The Flintstones character of the same name.
Born in Newark, New Jersey, Adebayo grew up in Pinetown, North Carolina and excelled on the hardwood for North Side High School. As a junior he averaged over 30 points and over 20 rebounds and then joined the aptly named AAU squad dubbed “Team Loaded,” teaming up with a number of other future college and NBA standouts from his home state.
He then transferred to High Point Christian Academy for his senior season where he was named 2016 North Carolina Mr. Basketball and participated in nearly every high school showcase game including the McDonald’s All-American game and the Jordan Brand Classic.
There was no shortage of suitors for his talents as a five-star recruit before he opted to sign with John Calipari’s University of Kentucky Wildcats. After one season in Lexington, he entered the 2017 NBA Draft where he was selected 14th overall by the Heat.After seeing a minimal amount of opportunity is rookie year, his profile has grown each year since, leading up to the 2019-20 season where his numbers in every major category have doubled compared to his rookie season. He was named an NBA All Star for the first time in 2020.
He took his game to the next level in the NBA playoff bubble in 2019-20, averaging nearly 18 points and over 10 rebounds per game leading to Miami Heat to an NBA Finals appearance, ultimately losing to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
The former Wildcat signed a max extension contract, so look for him to be a cornerstone of what the Heat are building in South Beach for years to come. His new nickname? “No Ceiling.”
The rising star has a moderate amount of true rookie cards, with the number just north of 30. That being said, there is an Adebayo rookie for everyone, from the super high-end to the very low end, as seen in our RC countdown list below.
NBA All-Star Tier
2017-18 Panini National Treasures #114 Bam Adebayo JSY AU RC #/99
This is the top of the line piece of cardboard for the versatile young big man. It hails from one of the highest end products released each year. It offers an on- card signature with a large, multi-colored jersey patch and a low serial number. National Treasures RPAs are usually considered the Rolls Royce of rookie cards and a popular choice for investors willing to put down a four-figure price.
2017-18 Immaculate Collection #112 Bam Adebayo JSY AU RC
This is the second card from the truly upper tier of Bam Adebayo rookie cards. It, like the one just mentioned, also comes from a very high-end product, features an on card autograph with a beautiful multicolored jersey swatch and a serial number to just 99 copies. This bad boy just won’t set you back quite as much as the National Treasures and Immaculate is seldom a bad choice. If you are looking high end, look no further than these two gems.
2017-18 Absolute Memorabilia Encased #79 Bam Adebayo RC
The dark horse card appears in the top tier, not because of an autograph, because it doesn’t have one. It does not appear in Tier 1 because of a nice jersey patch, because that doesn’t exist on the card either. It’s on the list strictly because of scarcity factor and that alone, sans jerseys and autos, shoots the price up to top tier status. It’s still relatively inexpensive, however.
Wildcat Tier
2017-18 Panini Contenders #114A Bam Adebayo AU/125 RC
Once again the Panini Contenders line finds itself on a list of rookie card picks. The familiar Contenders ticket design is found here coupled with a nice autograph from Adebayo and a relatively low serial number by Contenders standards, at just 125 copies. If you are looking for the true RC, be careful when purchasing this card because there are a few variations that look very similar, so similar that the photo was snapped just a millisecond earlier or later of Bam passing the rock.
2017-18 Panini Cornerstones #164 Bam Adebayo JSY AU/199 RC
This is a beautiful true RC of the former Kentucky Wildcat star. It features a nice, clear picture in the center of the card, surrounded by four jersey pieces and an autograph near the bottom of the card coupled by the serial number. This one is one of the nicer mid-range Adebayo rookies you will find and rather artistic, but at a paint-by-numbers price.
2017-18 Panini Prizm #51 Bam Adebayo RC
This card could often be found in commons boxes at the time of release and for months afterward but those days are long gone. Prizm base rookie cards have, for better or worse, become popular picks and seem to be standing the test of time. There are parallels that cost a bit more but this is the solid cornerstone rookie card that’s easy to buy …and hold.
AAU Tier
2017-18 Select #171 Bam Adebayo RC
This slick Adebayo RC carries all the expected Select shine. It offers a nice in action shot of Bam on a clean yet somewhat busy card design that the brand is known for each year. Select is rapidly becoming a favorite of collectors who like the design and the price. There are a lot of parallels, including some cool die-cuts, but the base version is usually the more budget-friendly option.
2017-18 Donruss #187 Bam Adebayo RR RC
The classic Donruss Rated Rookie card finds its way on to our list. Standing as one of the most recognizable symbols in collecting, the Rated Rookie always carries value but not enough to make it out of reach for young collectors or those who prefer the penny stock approach. This is a solid image from the rookie photo shoot coupled with a nice, clean card design. You can still pick it up for a few dollars all day long online.
2017-18 Hoops #264 Bam Adebayo RC
The long-running Hoops brand carries a strong brand name and a no-frills design that collectors still like. This example is a simple, straightforward and very affordable rookie card that can also be acquired for just a few dollars–or a low risk investment in graded form.
Many of the most popular Bam Adebayo cards can be found in eBay auctions. Here’s an up-to-the-minute look at the 50 ‘most watched’ listings.
Related Stories:
Arrowheadliner: A Clyde Edwards-Helaire Rookie Card Review
The Big Easy: A Brandon Ingram Rookie Card Review
Jimmy Butler Rookie Card Picks and Current Most Watched Auctions
50 Hottest Tyler Herro Rookie Card Auctions
Afterthought No More: Aristides Aquino Cards Among Hobby’s Hottest
Canuck on the Rise: A Guide to Collecting Elias Pettersson
De’Aaron Fox Rookie Cards Bear Watching
Hottest Dennis Smith Rookie Cards
