The Rise and Fall of Zion Williamson and His Collectibles Market
With the Pelicans sitting at 5-25, it seems like only yesterday that they were considered to have the brightest future in the NBA after selecting Duke phenom Zion Williamson. At the time, the #1 overall pick was the most hyped prospect since LeBron James. The Pelicans had championship aspirations, Williamson’s rookie cards were exploding in value, and his PSA 10 Silver Prizm card even hit a peak of over $6,300.
Since sports card collecting started to become more popular again, the Zion hype was something collectors hadn’t ever seen before. A 6'7", 285-pound power forward with athleticism rarely found even amongst guards, Zion captured the imagination of the hobby. It became a defining moment that would serve as a lasting reminder for generations of collectors to come.
It's official.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 15, 2019
Zion Williamson is declaring for the NBA Draft.
Williamson is just the 3rd freshman to win the Wooden Award, joining Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis. He shot 68.0% from the field, setting a Division I freshman record.
He is ESPN's top-ranked NBA Draft prospect. pic.twitter.com/gciPvuu6TG
Zion began his career on an incredible trajectory, and it seemed the Pelicans were poised to make a run. Unfortunately, injuries plagued the start of his career, as they have for so many young talents looking to make the leap. Zion missed the entire 2021-22 NBA season and played only 29 games the next year. When he managed to play 70 games the following season, his points per game dropped from 26 to 22 and remained at that level during the six games he was able to play this year.
Most sports cards saw a decline after the bubble market created by the COVID-19 pandemic. But not like this. Zion’s rookie card, which once sold for over $6,300, can now be bought for just $180. Below is a chart from Card Ladder illustrating the dramatic decline in the Zion Williamson market.
This has set a trend that, unfortunately, shows no signs of slowing down: the tendency to hype up a player's rookie card before they've had a chance to truly prove their worth. For more insight into this common mistake among sports card collectors, check out The Hobby Mistake Sports Card Collectors Keep Making.
Jason is a dedicated basketball card collector who recently transitioned into writing and educating others about the sports card industry. Find him on Instagram @jeancardz