Jalen Brunson rookie card tops $96k in record sale

Five years ago, the same card was selling for $300; now it's going for nearly six figures

Cover Image for Jalen Brunson rookie card tops $96k in record sale
Jalen Brunson's card market has surged 31% percent over the last year. (Credit: Goldin Auctions)

As Jalen Brunson has become an NBA superstar, his card market appears to be following suit.

A 2018-19 Panini Prizm Nebula Choice Prizm #250 Jalen Brunson rookie card (#1/1), graded PSA 9, sold Sunday night at Goldin Auctions for a record $96,661, four times the previous record sale of this card, $24,000.

Just five years ago, one collector was attempting to sell this exact card for a less than $300.

Since signing with the New York Knicks in 2022, Brunson's career has rocketed upward both on and off the court.

In his first two seasons with New York, Brunson averaged 26.5 points per game to go along with 6.5 assists per game. Last year, the former Villanova point guard was named to his first All-Star team and finished fifth in voting for MVP.

This year, he's off to another blistering start, as he aims to bring the new-look Knicks to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.

Off the court, Brunson and fellow Knicks and Nova teammate Josh Hart launched the "Roommates Show," which has become one of the top New York podcasts in the country, as well as a top basketball podcast.

All of this has helped lead to a surge in Brunson's card market.

Brunson’s graded cards, tracked by data tool Market Movers, are up 31% collectively over the last year across more than 2,400 sales.

Among his most important rookies, Brunson’s 2018 Prizm Silver PSA 10 is up 111% over the last year on more than 200 sales.

Once a $98 card, that Prizm Silver has recently trended closer to $210.

And now, a card that a collectors was once attempting to sell for just $300, is worth nearly $100k.

Matt Liberman is a reporter and video producer for cllct.