NBA's Biggest Draft Busts Still Have Expensive Sports Cards?

Jun 27, 2013; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Anthony Bennett (UNLV) shakes hands with NBA commissioner David Stern after being selected as the number one overall pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2013 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-Imagn Images | Jerry Lai-Imagn Images

In 1998, the Clippers had the #1 overall pick in the NBA Draft, with the chance to select Paul Pierce, Dirk Nowitzki, or Vince Carter. Instead, they chose Michael Olowokandi, a player who would average more than 10 points per game only twice in his career. So why did a Michael Olowokandi rookie card sell for just under $1,000 only a few months ago? The answer lies in the fact that sports card values depend on more than just player performance or popularity - they’re heavily impacted by the set the card belongs to.

The card that sold belonged to the Dunk 'N Go-Nuts insert set from 1998-99 E-X Century, a design closely resembling that of Dunkin' Donuts. This is important because, just two weeks after the set's release, Dunkin' Donuts sent a cease-and-desist letter, demanding an immediate halt to product distribution. As a result, the set was discontinued after its initial release, and continued to gain popularity as the years passed.

#hoodyshighend 3 saw a record sale set for this 1998 Skybox Century Dunk ‘N Go Nuts Kobe Bryant PSA 10
FINAL SALE PRICE: $8,100 pic.twitter.com/e06rPywl1t

— Hoody's Collectibles Consignment (@collecthoodys) November 18, 2024

The truth is, there are many examples of underachieving players' cards selling for respectable amounts of money. Just a year ago, one of Anthony Bennett's rookie cards sold for over $2,500. A 1-of-1 game-worn logoman rookie card from Giannis' rookie class, with an autograph and inscription, carries value - regardless of what Bennett ended up accomplishing.

So, the next time you try to predict who the next big superstar will be, consider a different approach - predicting the set, not the player. This way, even your card of the next Michael Olowokandi might amount to something.