Low Card Prices for NBA Centers?

Let's compare two players' resumes:

Player A	Player B
6 All Star Selections	8 All Star Selections
3 All-NBA Selection	8 All-NBA Selections
	3-time Defensive Player of the Year

At first glance, most would assume Player B had the better career and, in turn, would command higher card prices. But the reality tells a different story. A PSA 10 Rookie Refractor (Population 8) of Player A last sold for $850, while a PSA 10 Rookie XFractor (Population 6) of Player B last sold for just $325. Why? Because Player A is DeMar DeRozan, and Player B is Dwight Howard. And historically, centers simply don’t sustain great sports card value.

Three Graded Card Auctions Exceed $1,000,000 In A Single Night

Dwight Howard in his 8 All-Star seasons:

— 19.5 PPG | 13.3 RPG | 2.3 BPG
— 59 FG%
— 8x All-Star
— 8x All-NBA
— 5x All-Defense
— 3x DPOY pic.twitter.com/aAXEuVzzrw
— StatMuse (@statmuse) August 25, 2022

Now, we can jump to all sorts of justifications for this comparison. We can point to how DeMar comes from the same draft class as Steph Curry, how he’s still playing and has more to achieve, and so on. But the principle remains the same. Kobe’s card prices are a fraction of Shaq’s, despite Shaq winning all three Finals MVPs during their championship runs together. And there are plenty of other examples riddled throughout NBA history. The following doesn’t explain why this is justified, but it should hopefully provide some insight into why it happens.

1. Popularity

The first principal we have to establish is that accolades aren’t what drive card values - popularity is. On-court achievements don’t directly determine value; rather, they help increase a player's popularity, which in turn drives demand and ultimately impacts card prices.

2. Fan Connection

So why aren’t centers as popular? It’s simple - they’re harder to connect with. Fans gravitate toward players they can emulate, and it’s a lot easier to see yourself in DeMar DeRozan than in a 7-foot center. The flashy handles, step-back jumpers, and dynamic scoring of guards and wings are more relatable than the physical dominance of a big man in the paint.

3. Scoring Preference

When people think of basketball, they think of shooting. It’s the most fundamental and widely practiced skill in the game. Because of that, fans naturally gravitate toward players who score from distance. Guards and wings, who dominate in these areas, become the desirable players, while dominant big men - despite their impact - often take a backseat in popularity and, consequently, in the card market.