The LeBron James Card That Connects Him to Legends Past
LeBron James has more "hobby iconic" cards, like his 2003 Upper Deck Exquisite rookie cards and several other iconic rookie cards. However, if "King James" decides to retire this summer or after next year, there's one card that connects him - unlike any other - to the pantheon of NBA greats that came before him.
That card is the first from the 2020/21 Panini Prizm basketball set. The card captures an important moment in basketball history. It's certainly one of the most memorable Lakers moments, which is saying a lot considering the franchise's storied history.
RELATED: Top 5 NBA Scorers and their Most Iconic Cards
Bryant died in a tragic helicopter crash on January 26, 2020. On February 6, when James had the opportunity, he emulated Bryant in a tribute to his famous dunk from November 18, 2001. James took the ball on a fast break, leaping from the right side of the paint to finish a stunning windmill reverse dunk. It was a chill-inducing moment in an otherwise normal game.
It's uncommon to see such moments captured on modern trading cards, but the photographer seemed to catch the perfect moment. Print-on-demand cards like the Topps Now franchise don't capture a milestone's exact moment every time.
RELATED: Bill Russell: Context, Cards, and Championships
James was already a three-time champion and an all-time great in his second year with the Lakers. But with his dunk and Los Angeles still in mourning, James honored Bryant in a way no one else could. For a moment, it was as if Bryant was back in the Staples Center, reincarnated through James. It was also a way for James to acknowledge Kobe's greatness in the house he helped build.
As the movie "The Sandlot" reminds us with Babe Ruth's quote, "Heroes get remembered, but legends never die."
The card comes in various parallels, including but not limited to Silver, Orange Ice, Red Ice, Purple Ice, and Green Shimmer. Some parallels are more valuable than others, but the most iconic is the Gold out of 10. It's especially valuable because it's a perfect color match to the Lakers' purple and gold team colors. A Gold #'d/10 sold for more than $408,000 in January 2022 - the #1/10 card. Only three weeks earlier, the Gold #5/10 sold for $204,000.
The moment, iconic as it is, can be forgotten because just a month later the world was struck with COVID. Everything that came before seemed to be quickly forgotten. The sporting world came to a screeching halt. But in that same year, James would win his fourth title in the NBA Bubble in October 2020.
Horacio is an avid sports card collector and writes about trending card auctions and news across several major hobby sites, including Sports Collectors Daily and Collectibles on SI.
Follow murphreeman