Believe it or not, there was a time when rookie basketball cards were about as exciting to your average hobbyist as that checklist they pulled from their last wax pack.
Indeed, back in the 1980s, during the original hobby boom, it was tough for even the hottest of basketball players to make much noise in a market dominated by baseball cards. Heck, even football was a distant, distant second to the diamond when it came to capturing collector hearts … and dollars.
It took a good long while, and some of the most exciting stars in NBA history, but the tide slowly began to turn.
A large part of the credit for that has to go to Michael Jordan (who else?), whose first Threepeat with the Chicago Bulls elevated him to basketball legend status. Even then, though, Jordan’s 1986-87 Fleer rookie card didn’t sell for much more than the RCs of the latest baseball phenom.
Upper Deck issued a baseball card of Jordan in 1991, though, and it instantly became a hobby favorite and began to shine light on other hoops cards.
When Jordan retired from baseball in the mid-1990s and headed to the diamond, his star — and his basketball cards — rose even further.
By the time Air Jordan returned to the court a year later, Shaquille O’Neal and other young stars were really starting to light up the hobby with their own rookie cards.
The 25+ years since have seen hoops continued to eat into baseball’s hobby market share, with huge names like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and many others flooding the buckets with their shots and the market with their rookie cards.
Today, you can pretty much count on every basketball product yielding a crop of new rookie cards that continue to drive the market forward.
And you can find nearly all of those cards for sale through various online venues … but, of course, there’s still one leading marketplace when it comes to where collectors turn to find our next cardboard conquests.
Yeah, it’s eBay, no doubt.
And, as you can see from the 25 most watched rookie basketball cards on eBay right now (down below), the hoops market shows no signs of slowing down. For further proof, check out these other basketball cards setting fire to the market:
Check back often, too, as these listings are updated on a continual basis.

2012-13 Exquisite Endorsements On Card AUTO /10 Larry BIRD Julius Erving MAGIC
![]() | Watchers: 190 # of Bids: 33Current Bid: $480 Auction Ends: 06-Feb-2023 03:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
Michael Jordan 1986 Fleer Rookie Card #57 Ungraded
![]() | Watchers: 184 # of Bids: 29Current Bid: $1775 Auction Ends: 03-Feb-2023 09:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
2018-19 Panini Immaculate #3 LUKA DONCIC ON-CARD ROOKIE AUTO /99 RC BGS 8.5/10
![]() | Watchers: 128 # of Bids: 28Current Bid: $2025 Auction Ends: 07-Feb-2023 03:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
MICHAEL JORDAN BASKETBALL ROOKIE CARD (1986-1987) (AUTHENTIC EXCELLENT CONDITION
![]() | Watchers: 119 # of Bids: 81Current Bid: $4558 Auction Ends: 06-Feb-2023 16:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
Jalen Green 2021-22 49/49 Immaculate Signature Moves Rookie On Card Auto Rockets
![]() | Watchers: 117 # of Bids: 26Current Bid: $710 Auction Ends: 04-Feb-2023 02:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
2018-19 Panini Immaculate #29 LUKA DONCIC ON-CARD ROOKIE AUTO /99 RC BGS 8.5/10
![]() | Watchers: 117 # of Bids: 32Current Bid: $1825 Auction Ends: 07-Feb-2023 03:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
LEBRON JAMES 2003/04 TOPPS #221 RC ROOKIE CARD CLEVELAND CAVALIERS SP PSA 9 MINT
![]() | Watchers: 99 # of Bids: 38Current Bid: $511 Auction Ends: 03-Feb-2023 16:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
2011/12 UPPER DECK MICHAEL JORDAN HOME COURT SIGNATURES ON CARD AUTO RARE SP !🔥
![]() | Watchers: 91 # of Bids: 9Current Bid: $1397 Auction Ends: 03-Feb-2023 04:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
2007-08 UPPER DECK CHRONOLOGY AUTO KEVIN DURANT SIGNED ROOKIE CARD RC RARE /99
![]() | Watchers: 91 # of Bids: 26Current Bid: $300 Auction Ends: 09-Feb-2023 02:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
1986-87 FLEER PREMIER MICHAEL JORDAN #57 ROOKIE CARD RC BECKETT 7.5
![]() | Watchers: 88 # of Bids: 41Current Bid: $3700 Auction Ends: 05-Feb-2023 02:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
LeBron James 2003 Topps Chrome #111 Rookie Card RC PSA 9 🔥GRAIL🔥
![]() | Watchers: 85 # of Bids: 29Current Bid: $1666.75 Auction Ends: 06-Feb-2023 02:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
Paolo Banchero - 2022-23 Panini NBA Hoops Art Signatures - Rookie On Card Auto
![]() | Watchers: 80 # of Bids: 12Current Bid: $1333 Auction Ends: 03-Feb-2023 21:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
1986 Fleer Michael Jordan Misprint Card
![]() | Watchers: 79 # of Bids: 19Current Bid: $660 Auction Ends: 06-Feb-2023 12:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
HUGE 3200+ Sports Cards Collection PATCH/AUTO/ROOKIE KOBE LEBRON BRADY JORDAN
![]() | Watchers: 79 # of Bids: 24Current Bid: $305 Auction Ends: 04-Feb-2023 02:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO 2013-14 SELECT ROOKIE CARD RC #178 CSG 9.5 MINT +
![]() | Watchers: 74 # of Bids: 24Current Bid: $177.5 Auction Ends: 06-Feb-2023 02:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
2021-22 Immaculate Cameron Thomas RPA On Card Auto /24 Nets. TT
![]() | Watchers: 72 # of Bids: 36Current Bid: $160.5 Auction Ends: 03-Feb-2023 02:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
2016-17 IMMACULATE HAKEEM OLAJUWON RALPH SAMPSON ON CARD Dual Auto /49 🔥🔥
![]() | Watchers: 71 # of Bids: 16Current Bid: $127.5 Auction Ends: 03-Feb-2023 04:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
2019 Panini Select Ja Morant #72 Gold Prizm /10 Rookie Card RC Concourse PSA 10!
![]() | Watchers: 70 # of Bids: 33Current Bid: $1525 Auction Ends: 11-Feb-2023 21:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
2003-04 LEBRON JAMES RC Fleer #261 ROOKIE Card PSA 10 Gem Mint • PERFECT!
![]() | Watchers: 65 # of Bids: 23Current Bid: $660 Auction Ends: 06-Feb-2023 22:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
1996-97 Topps Finest Gold Refractor #280 RC Rookie Card Allen Iverson PSA 7
![]() | Watchers: 64 # of Bids: 16Current Bid: $82 Auction Ends: 06-Feb-2023 02:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
1996 Skybox Premium Kobe Bryant #55 Rookie Card PSA 10 GEM MINT PSA 10 🔥🔥🔥
![]() | Watchers: 64 # of Bids: 65Current Bid: $305 Auction Ends: 05-Feb-2023 03:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
2020-21 Tyrese Maxey Donruss Optic Rated Rookie Red Prizm Auto ON CARD 76ers🔥
![]() | Watchers: 63 # of Bids: 1Current Bid: $99.99 Auction Ends: 03-Feb-2023 04:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
2009 Topps Stephen Curry Steph Curry #321 Rookie Card RC PSA 7!
![]() | Watchers: 61 # of Bids: 35Current Bid: $510 Auction Ends: 04-Feb-2023 22:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
2019/20 One and One Nikola Jokic 1st Team Signatures On Card Auto Nuggets MVP
![]() | Watchers: 59 # of Bids: 12Current Bid: $33 Auction Ends: 05-Feb-2023 07:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
PAU GASOL 2021 Panini Immaculate Award Winners 2001 ROY Acetate On Card Auto /49
![]() | Watchers: 59 # of Bids: 9Current Bid: $51 Auction Ends: 05-Feb-2023 20:02 See full listing on eBay (affiliate link) |
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