In the world of NBA sports cards, the basketball court isn’t the only place witnessing impressive maneuvers and transformative plays this playoff season. As we find ourselves deep in the heart of the NBA Conference Finals, the collector’s market is experiencing a parallel set of dynamics—full of excitement, potential moves, and lucrative surprises. With four teams battling for the ultimate prize—Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, Indiana Pacers, and New York Knicks—the spotlight is as much on their franchise players as it is on the highly coveted collectible cards associated with them. If you’re a collector, hobbyist, or just a curious outsider peeking through the hoops of this vibrant niche, you might wonder: What’s all the fuss about Kaboom, Downtown, and Color Blast?
For the uninitiated, collecting sports cards has evolved leaps and bounds beyond sticking trading cards in a shoebox. Today’s top-notch inserts, particularly in the fast-paced world of NBA trading cards, have names and designs as flashy and audacious as the players themselves. The likes of Kaboom, Downtown, and Color Blast act like colorful trophies encapsulating the athletic prowess within glossy, cardboard sanctums. Their value ebbs and flows with game-day dynamics, playoff performances, and fan fervor.
Let’s break down how the market is reacting for each star and their teams as the playoff journey progresses.
Starting with Oklahoma’s dynamo, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (or SGA, as his fans affectionately call him) has dribbled his way into the hearts of many. Not just on the court but in the parallel arena of memorabilia, his cards are gaining traction. His 2023 One and One Downtown card has been rather mercurial. With a jump of 7.4% for raw cards over the past month, its latest sale vaulted up to $2,500 from some rather humble lows of $1,950 witnessed a few weeks back. But in an intriguing collector twist, the PSA 10 rated cards are actually down by 20%—indicative of heightened expectations probably unmet during this phase, selling for $3,700 as of mid-May.
In another striking player-to-card phenomenon, the 2023 Obsidian Black Color Blast insert of SGA’s has shown a raw card rise of 22%, commanding last sales around the $850 mark. With a PSA 10 score, its value reached $1,170, suggesting that savvy collectors are watching closely, eyeing opportunities if OKC manages to play further into mystical playoff territory.
Meanwhile, Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards—a.k.a. Ant-Man—is causing quite the commotion. Already a face many in the NBA recognize and adore, his prominence is mirrored in his card numbers, notably the 2020 Crown Royale Rookie Kaboom!, which saw a hearty trade at $2,950 last March. A PSA 10 rating for the same card branding even amped up to $8,923 recently, seeing a mild 2.5% increment. On the rarest of collectible fronts, his 2020 One of One Rookie Downtown card boasted astonishing reverberations, leaping the big leap to $13,000, testament to both its exclusive appeal and Edwards’ aspired ascendency.
With the Indiana Pacers journeying under the guiding hands of Tyrese Haliburton, the card aficionados have raised their glasses in recognition. His 2020 One and One Rookie Downtown card, with a PSA 10 score, saw a vigorous increase of up to 40%, reaching a sum of $4,000 this month alone. If that doesn’t speak during-play valuation, what does? Meanwhile, the 2023 Spectra Color Blast of his met with an eager market at $1,463. Despite its contemporary recency, it begs a crucial what-if of card trajectory should Indiana hold their banners high in Finals.
Finally, the New York Knicks’ star Jalen Brunson, guiding his under-doggie Knicks to the Conference Finals, is crafting narratives worthy of their own index. His 2023 One and One Downtown cards depict a rollercoaster—a contrast of fortunes stark. Raw prices may have slipped by 14%, with transactions around $1,100—indicating a growing tension as to where the Knicks are headed from here. In contrast, his PSA 10 verified cards sprinted upwards by 35%, displayed keenly in its recent high-trade of $2,425. For the wise hobbyists, echoes of a buy-raw-n-grate strategy could bear fruits if the Knicks continue surprising fellow ballers and fans alike.
Trading cards have long held an intrinsic allure—the mingling of student-era nostalgia and adult-era economic savvy—capturing NBA’s very essence: unpredictably thrilling, and thrillingly unpredictable. Amidst this cardboard kaleidoscope, only one truism remains: In the collecting game, as with basketball, timing is everything.
