Ant vs. Wemby: Who Has the Safer Card Market in this Playoff Matchup?
In this story:
With Game 2 of the series between the San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves in the books and the series now tied 1-1, we're breaking down the two megastars on each franchise, trying to answer the question: Who is the better player to collect, Anthony Edwards or Victor Wembanyama?
Both players were No. 1 overall picks, are the marquee players for their respective franchises, and represent the future of the NBA. But these two players also couldn't be more different.
Below, we make an argument for each player, plus look at a few simple metrics to gauge where they sit in the hobby.
The Case for Anthony Edwards
Anthony Edwards has shown slow but steady growth every season of his career. This past year, he averaged 28.8 points per game while shooting 48.9% from the field and 39.9% from deep, which are career highs for Edwards.
But beyond the numbers, Ant brings that rare, magnetic charisma that makes him truly unique. He currently ranks sixth in jersey sales while playing in a smaller market with the Minnesota Timberwolves, proving his star power greatly exceeds his core market. That kind of momentum and mainstream appeal is exactly what collectors chase.
Edwards' Record Sale & Current PSA 10 Silver Prizm Rookie
Anthony Edwards has been trending upward this year, with a 25% year-over-year increase, per Card Ladder. His highest-selling card is an ungraded 2020-21 Panini Flawless Logoman Autographed rookie card that sold for $426K back in June 2022.
Recent May sales of his PSA 10 Silver Prizm rookie card, with a population approaching 2,300, have been going for around $900. It's objectively a great card, and the image of Edwards' mid-behind-the-back pass is one of the most recognizable Prizm rookie-card images, despite it being a photoshoot.
The Case for Victor Wembanyama
Like Edwards, Wembanyama has proven he's dialed in, with the exceptional growth and development he's exhibited over the three seasons he's been in the NBA. This past year, he averaged 25 points and 11.5 rebounds per game while shooting 51.2% from the field and 34.9% from deep. His PPG, RPG, and FG% numbers are all career highs.
He plays both ends of the court extremely well, and his defense is unparalleled. He unanimously won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, becoming the youngest player ever to win the award and the first unanimous selection. In only his third year in the NBA, he's already had five games with 9 blocks or more, and he's probably the most likely player in today's NBA to pull off a quadruple-double.
Wembanyama also has incredible global appeal and is one of the best players ever to come out of France. He currently ranks fourth in NBA jersey sales, underscoring a worldwide following that few players can match this early in their careers.
However, at 7'4 and already showing some fragility (deep vein thrombosis in 2024 and numerous ankle, calf, and knee issues), Wemby has a fair amount of injury risk, which has historically plagued bigs, especially 7-footers.
Wemby's Record Sale & Current PSA 10 Silver Prizm Rookie
Victor Wembanyama is on another planet with respect to hobby demand this past year, as his cards have surged nearly 140% year-over-year. He has multiple sales over $500,000, but his highest-selling card is a one-of-one PSA 9 2023-24 Panini Prizm Nebula Choice rookie card (#136) that sold for a whopping $860,100 last February.
Recent May sales of his PSA 10 Silver Prizm rookie card, with a population of roughly 5,100, have been going for around $2,700, which is three times what Anthony Edwards Silver Prizm rookies are selling for. That is a hefty price point for a player with no rings and just a few defensive accolades to his name.
The Verdict
Both players are elite talents with massive upside, but when you compare PSA 10 Silver Prizm prices, year-over-year growth, and durability concerns surrounding Wemby, Edwards looks like the safer buy right now.
That said, collecting is an individual pursuit, and even if the numbers don't make sense on paper, everyone should collect whoever they like, focusing on the thrill of adding to a personal collection rather than on ROI.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Conor is a life long sports card enthusiast who started collecting in the early ’90s, inspired by hometown heroes like Larry Bird, Paul Pierce, Tom Brady, and David Ortiz. Like many ’90s hoops fans, he also started building (and continues to build) a modest Michael Jordan collection.