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Top Ten LaMelo Ball Cards

The NBA has always had at least one mega superstar carrying the league on its’ back to help sell a product that is now a global success. Life is good when those generational talents, like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James, reach their peaks. However, there is always a transitional period where new talent emerges in a bid to replace them. Lamelo Ball is one of the main candidates to take the throne. Therefore, we have decided to present you with, the Top Ten LaMelo Ball Cards for your investing and collection needs.

Who is LaMelo Ball?

A former Chino Hills High School basketball superstar, and youngest of the Ball brothers (Lonzo and LiAngelo), LaMelo Ball was always considered the best in the family because of his elite court vision and passing. He already carried an impressive basketball IQ throughout his entire prep career; as he grew up, it just got better.

Then, after being drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the third overall pick of the 2020 Draft, he quickly turned into a player that not only deserves respect, he demands it. First, at just 19 years old, he became the youngest NBA player ever to record a triple double. Then, he won Rookie of the Year despite playing in a mere 51 games.

2020-21 Rookie Season Stats

Statistic Avg. Rookie Ranking
Games 51 15th
Games Started 31 9th
Minutes Played 28.8 5th
Points 15.7 2nd
Assists 6.1 1st
Rebounds 5.9 3rd
Steals 1.6 1st

This chart makes it pretty apparent that he had the best season among last year’s rookie performers.

LaMelo Ball is one of the most exciting young players in the NBA (get one of his posters on Amazon)

Is LaMelo The Best of The Ball Brothers?

When Lonzo Ball entered the NBA in 2017, he was a tremendous talent. But the one area that he struggled, and still does, is scoring. So he would pass first instead of taking the shot. That is the most significant difference, on paper, between him and LaMelo. But, coming into the NBA last year, LaMelo Ball was already an elite player that could shoot from anywhere on the court.

He is faster, stronger, and bigger than Lonzo and has the intangible “It” factor. However, he is more of a leader and seems destined to transform the Charlotte Hornets into a winning team. Even Lonzo Ball has admitted that LaMelo is the best player in the family.

What Does LaMelo Ball’s Future Hold?

Heading into the 2020 NBA Draft, LaMelo Ball had several weaknesses that concerned scouts. One of his biggest concerns was his erratic shooting. In addition, he came into the NBA struggling with shot selection, defense mechanics, off-the-ball decision-making, and a general lack of strength.

However, LaMelo is a fast learner. Not only did he improve his shot selection, but his defense proved far better than expected.

That said, his upside is limitless. Ball has already shown how much he can improve as he matures. More than anything, that is a testament to his potential. If he improves his shooting, LaMelo may prove an MVP-caliber talent.

How Does LaMelo Ball Compare To The Other Young Stars?

Over the past three NBA Drafts, two studs from each class have already begun their league takeover. These players are the face of the NBA’s future and will forever be linked together.

Here is a chart showcasing the rookie season averages of six of the league’s biggest Young Stars.

Player G Min Pts FG% Ast Reb Stl Blk
LaMelo Ball 51 28.8 15.7 43.6% 6.1 5.9 1.6 0.4
Anthony Edwards 72 32.1 19.3 41.7% 2.9 4.7 1.1 0.5
Ja Morant 67 31.0 17.8 47.7% 7.3 3.9 0.9 0.3
Zion Williamson 24 27.8 22.5 58.3% 2.1 6.3 0.7 0.4
Trae Young 81 30.9 19.1 41.8% 8.1 3.7 0.9 0.2
Luka Doncic 72 32.2 21.2 42.7% 6.0 7.8 1.1 0.3

How does LaMelo stack up with other young stars like Luka? (get your Luka Doncic posters on Amazon)

LaMelo has the lowest PPG of the group, but keep in mind that he came into the league as a 19 -year-old. Meanwhile, he compares more favorably in terms of rebounds, assists, and particularly steals. So it is easy to see why he belongs in this elite class.

Top Ten LaMelo Ball Cards

LaMelo Ball entered the league as basketball cards were exploding in price, so it was only natural that his cards would be much higher than anyone ever imagined four years ago. So let’s take a look at the ten best cards of his short career.

  1. 2020-21 Panini Prizm Mojo Prizm RC, #/25

When the sports card craze went into overdrive last year, Panini Prizm was one of the most precious sets. So any of LaMelo Ball’s 2020 Panini Prizm rookie cards are going to be valuable, with a few of them standing out as the best. The PSA 10 version of this Mojo Prizm is currently valued at around $75,000.

The Panini Prizm Mojo is a beauty (get one on eBay)

  1. 2020-21 Panini Select Green Prizm RC #/5

Even though this rookie card is from the Panini Select series, it remains highly valuable since it is numbered to five and has that classic Prizm design.

  1. 2020-21 Panini Instant Black NBA Tip-Off Auto RC 1/1

As one of the only Panini Instant LaMelo Ball autographed rookie cards numbered to one, the Black NBA Tip-Off parallel has gained some value recently as more people are starting to take notice of the NBA’s reigning Rookie of the Year.

  1. 2020-21 Panini Prizm Blue Shimmer RC #/35

We have nothing but respect for the people who design these beautiful Prizm parallels. The Blue Shimmer Prizm is one of the more colorful rookie cards for LaMelo Ball, helping it become a highly desirable unit.

There is something about a Blue Shimmer (look a LaMelo Prizm Blue Shimmer on eBay)

  1. 2020-21 Crown Royale KaBOOM!

The KaBOOM! Series is not numbered. However, they are scarce. In this instance, there was only one in every case of 2020-21 Crown Royale.  A PSA 10 of this card sold online for $19,000.

  1. 2020-21 Panini Prizm Orange Prizm RC #/49

Once again, Panini Prizm parallels are dominating the game, and this Orange Prizm rookie card is not the sexiest looking card. Nonetheless, there is just something about it that demands your respect. Maybe it is the darkness in the Orange when it reflects the light.

The Orange Prizm has a remarkable way of reflecting light (get one on eBay)

  1. 2020 National Treasures Gold FOTL Auto Patch RC #/24

The National Treasures Gold parallel featured in their “First Off the Line” series comes complete with a patch and on-card autograph. National Treasures is known for producing some of the most premium cards available. Here is another beauty with this LaMelo Ball rookie card numbered to 24.

  1. 2020 National Treasures Purple Auto Patch RC #/8

A rookie card to sell for six figures within a year of the player’s debut is the perfect example of how crazy the sports card industry has recently become. However, this LaMelo Ball RPA is the reason you should invest in him. If a PSA 9 sold for $140,100, imagine the value of a perfect PSA 10.

  1. 2020-21 Panini Prizm Black Gold Prizm RC #/5

Some of these non-auto LaMelo rookie cards are worth 20 times more than the autos. Part of the explanation is the love of Prizm parallels. In the case of the Black Gold, it is only numbered to 5 as well.

Presenting the Black Gold Prizm (look for them on eBay)

  1. 2020 National Treasures Green Auto Patch RC #/5

For the third time on our list, National Treasures produces the same LaMelo Ball RPA; only this one is numbered to just five. Once again, LaMelo Ball shows you exactly why investing in his future is worth every single penny.

LaMelo Ball Cards vs. The Future

Luka Doncic changed everything when his 2018-19 National Treasures Logoman RPA, a true one of one, was sold for $4.6 million this past year. It became the highest-selling basketball card ever but proves just how much the industry has changed recently. It took a couple of seasons before this card became such a valuable commodity, so when you consider just how young LaMelo Ball is, there is potential for one of his cards to reach those incredible prices.

Besides Luka Doncic, who has been breaking sales records for the past 12 months, LaMelo Ball really does not have much competition for card value and if you really want to invest, buy him now because when he explodes into the superstar, he will one day become, you will be glad you did.

The Cardlines Pick Of The Top Ten LaMelo Ball Cards

We cheated and are giving you the 11th card as our ultimate pick. After all, the National Treasures Rookie Logoman Patch Rookie Card (Numbered to 5) is the game-changer. The obsession for landing a Logoman patch rookie card has gotten more prominent over the past two years, so it should not be surprising to see that we think it belongs on the top of the charts. When it does finally sell, estimates are already putting it in the $175,000 range.

The LaMelo Logoman Patch Auto is so highly coverted, that people are making their own (look for homemade versions on eBay)

Bottomline On The Top Ten LaMelo Ball Cards

LaMelo Ball has many years ahead of him, but from what we have seen so far, it is more than promising. The chances are that his cards will be worth every penny you put into investing into them.

Not only has he shown improvement in one year, but he has also shown the ability to improve quickly and fix the areas of his game that people are most worried about today. That alone is enough to safely suggest investing in the kid who has future NBA MVP written all over him. So pick any of the Top Ten LaMelo Ball Cards. But get to it.

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