We’re barely into the second round of the NBA playoffs and Lebron James and Kevin Durant are already out. Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are still in and are building their legacies with some huge games. We’re witnessing a changing of the guard.
How has this newfound success for these new stars translated into increased value for their card prices?
Commentators are comparing Anthony Edwards to Michael Jordan.
On May 5th, just after sweeping Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns, and going up 1-0 on the defending champions, Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets, The Athletic published an article "Go ahead, say it: Anthony Edwards looks a lot like Michael Jordan right now." While many would argue that is a premature comparison, The Athletic noted that Edwards has achieved something that even Michael Jordan didn't achieve -- he's one of only two players 22 or younger (Kobe Bryant was the other) who have scored 40 or more in consecutive playoff games (Jordan achieved this feat when he was 23).
Ant's success seems to have had an impact on the value of his cards. For example, a BGS 9.5 / Beckett 10 of his 2020-21 Panini National Treasures Rookie Card #111 (which includes a patch from one of Edwards' jerseys and his autograph) sold for an unbelievable $70,123 (or $85,550 with the buyer's premium) on Goldin on May 4th. This card wasn't even a 1-of-1, but a 1-of-99.
This sale appears to be an outlier since a nearly identical card (a PSA 10 of the same card) sold on eBay the very next day for "only" $30,000. Nonetheless, these are huge sales numbers and they show how much the market is reacting to Ant's success.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the most clutch players in the NBA.
Playing in a small market, and rarely ever playing on national TV, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the most underrated players in the NBA. Just 25 years old, and averaging over 30 points per game the past two seasons and shooting over 50% from the field, Gilgeous-Alexander led the Oklahoma City Thunder to the No. 1 seed in a stacked Western Conference. He’s about to face off against Luka Doncic in the second round.
Gilgeous-Alexander is also one of the most clutch players in the NBA. "Clutch time" is defined to be the last two minutes of the game and overtime when the score is within five points. During clutch time during the regular season, Gilgeous-Alexander scored a total of 112 points on 58.1/35.7/89.7 shooting, while dropping 19 assists to just six turnovers. These statistics were third best in the NBA this past season.
Although Gilgeous-Alexander hasn't had a lot of opportunities to play before national audiences, it's clear the baseball card market believes in this young man's upside and is willing to invest in him. For example, let's take a look at Gilgeous-Alexander's 2018-19 Panini National Treasures Rookie Card #121 (which includes a patch from one of Shai's jerseys and his autograph) which sold for a hefty $22,000 ($26,840 with the buyer's premium) on March 30th on Goldin.
If Gilgeous-Alexander had remained with the Los Angeles Clippers and had similar success, I believe it's likely that his cards would be worth even more.
Do you think Edwards and Gilgeous-Alexander have more upside? Are there any other young stars that you're investing in? Please let our community know in the comments section below!
