Zion Williamson 1-of-1 Rookie Card to Be Auctioned; Could Fetch $750K
January 9, 2021
A one-of-a-kind basketball rookie card featuring New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson is about to hit the auction block with an estimated sale price of $750,000.
TMZ Sports reported Saturday an Australian NBA fan won the Williamson card, a 2019-20 Panini Flawless Logoman patch card numbered 1-of-1, during a lot draw on Christmas Eve and has quickly reached an agreement with Goldin Auctions to sell it. Bidding begins Monday with a $150,000 minimum.
The card, which received a grade of nine out of 10 from grading company PSA, is described in the official listing as a "unique, prized commemorative of a youthful athlete who is widely projected to achieve NBA superstardom."
In September, a similar Logoman patch card featuring the Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo set the modern-era record for a basketball card at $1.81 million.
Williamson won every major honor, including the Naismith and Wooden Awards, during his only season of college basketball at Duke before the Pelicans selected him with the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft.
The 20-year-old North Carolina native missed the start of his rookie season because of a knee injury. He returned last January and looked every bit like the emerging superstar people expected, and that trend has continued during the early stages of the 2020-21 campaign.
He's averaged 22.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists while shooting 57.6 percent from the field across his first 33 NBA games.
Meanwhile, the sports card industry has enjoyed a massive resurgence during the COVID-19 pandemic as people look for new hobbies to pass the time.
Buying the rare Williamson rookie for $750,000, or potentially more, represents an investment and a bet on his future. If he does develop into one of the best players in the world on the level of Antetokounmpo, LeBron James or Stephen Curry, the card's value will soar over the next decade.
For now, the standout forward is focused on trying to help the Pelicans (4-5) keep pace in the loaded Western Conference.
New Orleans next plays Monday night when it kicks off a seven-game road trip against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center.