Los Angeles Lakers: Why LeBron 2020-21 basketball card will be hot

LeBron James’ 2021 Los Angeles Lakers basketball card will be a hot commodity

Los Angeles Lakers basketball card collectors might want to keep their eye out for a particular player next year…

When it comes to collecting basketball cards, typically rookie cards hold the most value. Having a pristine card of a star player from their rookie season is far more interesting than a card that was collected when they got mass-printed as they became more recognizable and marketable.

It’s simple supply and demand, is all.

But beyond that, there are still some instances in which non-rookie cards can hold a lot of value for casual and avid collectors alike.

LeBron James is always a hot commodity, no matter if it’s his rookie season or his 50th year in the league (which at this pace, I mean, who really knows!). This past year more people were collecting his card than in any recent years because it was his first championship-winning season in the Purple and Gold.

LeBron James title-winning 2020 card: Here’s what’s available on eBay

There’s reason to think that hype is only beginning and that the 20201 LeBron basketball cards will be even more collectible.

LeBron James 2021 Lakers card will be a hot commodity

LeBron James attempted to surrender his 23 to Anthony Davis this year to pick up “6” (which he wore for the Miami Heat), but too much “23” jersey supply outstanding forced him to keep 23 for one final season. Next year, he’ll make the pivot to a new (old) number with the Lakers.

If history has taught us anything, it’s that when a Lakers star changes his number, the first year of the new number is going to be worth holding onto.

Kobe Bryant changed from number 8 to number 24 starting in the 2012-13 season, and his 2012-13 Prizm cards that first featured “24” sell for a pretty respectable amount for a non-rookie card.

A PSA-10 card went for $510 and a bunch of raw versions of the same card sell in the hundreds fairly frequently. If you have any cards of Kobe’s first 24 season, it might be worth considering getting them PSA graded.

Side note, If you’re interested in the first 24 cards, here’s the current offering on eBay. 

Bryant’s change from 8 to 24, as we now know, was iconic. He didn’t just change numbers, he shifted personas. From afro to bald, from young star to respected veteran. He won three titles with “8” and two with “24”.

But the shift marked almost a restart of sorts for the star who had been so notable in “8” previously. It was somewhat like a new rookie season.

While it remains to be seen if the same narrative will grip James’ career like it did Bryant’s, there’s reason to bet on him putting up a better Lakers career in “6” than he will have in “23”. In his two years with 23 in LA, he missed the playoffs in an injury-ridden debut season and had a great MVP-flirst season in year two where they, of course, won the title and he won Finals MVP.

James isn’t going anywhere, his career isn’t close to done, and Anthony Davis likely isn’t, either. They have two top-5 players in the league on their roster and should be running after titles for the next several years at least. When it’s all said and done, you can count on “6” being a more notable Lakers number than “23”.

And who wouldn’t want to have the debut card to commemorate that?