James Wiseman was the second overall pick in the first round of the 2020 NBA draft, and he did not disappoint.
Drafted by a Golden State Warriors side that was in desperate need of some new energy and talent within their squad, Wisseman had an impressive first season with the Warriors and looks like he will only improve in the coming years.
He played his college ball for Memphis and is one of the bigger NBA players you will find on the court!
Understandably, James Wiseman rookie cards are likely to draw plenty of attention, given the fact he was the second overall pick in the draft to a high-profile team such as the Golden State Warriors, who boast stars such as Stephen Curry.
Unfortunately, he has not been able to play any games yet this season due to injury, but with his return imminent and GSW starting the season strongly, this is a recipe for success.
Check out the top ten James Wiseman cards you should consider adding to your collection below!
Looking for a quick recommendation? Collectors/investors may find our favorites from each of the five categories helpful (links to eBay):
- Most Popular: Prizm #268
- Budget: NBA Hoops #205
- Autograph: Origins Rookie Autograph
- RPA: National Treasures RPA
- Rare Insert: Crown Royale Kaboom!
Most Popular James Wiseman Rookie Cards
The “Most Popular” rookie card category includes cards most commonly searched for on Google and transacted on eBay. These cards are likely to be collectible long-term.
1. James Wiseman Prizm #268 (Shop on eBay)
First on this list, and a top-rated James Wiseman rookie card with collectors across the globe, is the 2020-21 James Wiseman Prizm #268.
Panini Prizm is one of the most prominent NBA card brands in the market, and because of this, their rookie cards are deemed a staple for any passionate collector.
Collectors/investors frequently search for Prizm on Google, and purchase on eBay.
While this card is not the rarest James Wiseman rookie card, and it is not the most expensive or highly valued, it is still a card you should consider adding to your collection.
All of this information means this card is an excellent option for you if you are on the hunt for a Wiseman rookie card to add to your collection.
Not only that, but this card is so cool! The color scheme matches Wiseman’s NBA team, the Golden State Warriors, and depicts Wiseman mid-lay up.
A few of our favorite parallels of this card include:
- Gold Wave #268
- Pink Ice #268
- Silver #268 (Popular!)
2. Donruss Optic Rated Rookie #152 (Shop on eBay)
Next, we have the extremely popular 2020-21 James Wiseman Donruss Optic NBA rookie card.
Like Panini Prizm, Donruss Optic NBA cards are renowned as desirable cards for collectors worldwide, and with the James Wiseman card, you can see why!
Due to its popularity, the Donruss Optic NBA set is widely searched for on Google and eBay, with some collectors searching for the James Wiseman card on its own.
One major factor that makes these cards so popular with collectors is the iconic “Rated Rookie” logo.
The 2020-21 Donruss Optic NBA Hobby box comprises one autograph card, 20 inserts or parallels, and 80 cards in total.
As with any Donruss collection, the cards within the 2020-21 Optic sets are produced to a high quality.
The base version of the James Wiseman rookie is depicted with a white border and the blue and gold colors of the Golden State Warriors.
There are also other variations, including:
3. James Wiseman Select Rookie Card (Shop on eBay)
The third card on this list is a little different and is brought to you by Select. Select rookie cards are slightly different from other leading basketball card brands like Prizm or Donruss. The main difference between these brands is that Select cards come with a three-tiered base set, which is no different for the 2020-21 Select James Wiseman base set rookie card.
Every base set card has a lower print count than the last. This print count is a significant factor in making a card high value, rare, and desired by collectors.
The concourse base is the most common James Wiseman Select rookie card. If you are after a Select base set James Wiseman card, you have the best chance of getting one of these.
Then there are the premier level and courtside James Wiseman rookie base subsets. As mentioned, these cards are much rarer, making them more sought after by passionate collectors.
Every base set James Wiseman card also comes with unique parallels. You are likely to find a blue retail parallel in a retail pack, and in a hobby pack, expect to find a silver parallel.
You can shop each of the three James Wiseman Select rookie cards by following the links below:
Budget James Wiseman Rookie Cards
The “Budget” rookie card category includes cards that are both popular and typically less expensive than cards included in the “Most Popular” category.
4. James Wiseman NBA Hoops #205 (Shop on eBay)
When you consider how impressive James Wiseman was in his rookie year for the Golden State Warriors, it comes as no surprise that James Wiseman’s rookie cards are highly sought after by collectors.
Card collection and card trading are in the middle of a resurgence. When you combine that with James Wiseman’s popularity as a player, the 2020-21 NBA Hoops James Wiseman rookie card is one for you to think about adding to your collection.
Sporting a white and blue border with a gold background, the image shows Wiseman about to play a killer pass, likely on the way to influencing another emphatic Golden State Warriors win.
Collectors do not buy this card for its eye-catching design, though, and it certainly isn’t the flashiest or most stylish card on this list.
This card remains popular with collectors and investors, but is transacted on eBay and searched for less on Google than cards featured in the Most Popular category such as Prizm.
However, the NBA Hoops brand is widely respected by more traditional collectors, making this a great budget card for your collection.
5. Donruss Rated Rookie #226 (Shop on eBay)
One great budget James Wiseman rookie card you might want to consider adding to your collection is the 2020-21 James Wiseman Donruss Rated Rookie card.
Donruss released these cards relatively early in the season, making it one of the earlier NBA rookie card releases.
Because of this, and because the famous Donruss brand makes it, many collectors view this as one of the best James Wiseman budget card options available to you.
Within a Donruss Choice pack are parallels that can only be found in these packs. Within hobby packs, there are exclusive laser parallels.
Check out some of our favorite parallels following the links below:
The base card shows Wiseman, bringing the ball up the court, poised to make a play for the Golden State Warriors.
This card also features the iconic Rated Rookie logo, another reason it is a popular choice with collectors.
James Wiseman Autograph Rookie Cards
The “Autograph” rookie card category includes signed cards from popular and unique basketball card releases. This category excludes rookie patch auto (RPA) cards.
6. Prizm Autograph (Shop on eBay)
When it comes to autograph rookie cards, you need to be prepared to pay top dollar. These cards are limited in number and highly sought after by high-rolling collectors.
If you have the funds to compete with these collectors, you might want to try getting your hands on the 2020-21 Prizm James Wiseman Autograph.
This card is included in the same set as the James Wiseman Prizm card, the 1st card listed in this article.
As you would expect, an Autographed Prizm card for a leading rookie such as James Wiseman is top-rated and hard to get your hands on!
The designs have not changed much since last year’s edition, but that’s okay given how stunning they are. There are ten hobby-only gold parallels of the James Wiseman card and one black parallel.
7. Origins Rookie Autograph (Shop on eBay)
Firstly, what a stunning card the James Wiseman Origins Rookie Autograph is!
By far and away, this is one of the most beautiful James Wiseman rookie cards you can collect.
The entire Origins series is always a beautiful collection, particularly this rookie card. The color explosions perfectly match the Golden State jersey, and the picture they chose of Wiseman with the ball in his hand makes this an elite card for collectors.
The classic Origins logo sits at the top of the card, along with James Wiseman’s autograph, name, and team, below the image.
A few collectors recently purchased this card for ~$120. Not a bad price for a rookie auto card.
James Wiseman RPA Cards
The “RPA” rookie card category includes rookie patch autograph cards. This category includes some of the most highly sought-after and expensive rookie cards.
8. James Wiseman National Treasures RPA (Shop on eBay)
If you want to go a step further than a James Wiseman rookie card, you might want to consider purchasing a Rookie Patch Autograph instead.
But not just any RPA, the 2020-21 National Treasures Basketball James Wiseman Rookie Patch Auto.
The National Treasures card packs are widely regarded as some of the very best by card collectors and have produced some of the very best rookie cards over recent years.
There are just ten cards within each National Treasures hobby box in total. Four of those cards are relics, and the other four are autographs.
These figures may lull you into a false sense of hope and optimism that you will be able to get one of these cards with ease, but don’t be fooled. Rookie cards of the caliber that James Wiseman is are hard to find.
James Wiseman Rare Insert Cards
The “Rare Inserts” rookie card category includes rare and highly sought-after rookie cards. The cards on this list will be among the most expensive rookie cards available.
9. Panini Crown Royale Kaboom! (Shop on eBay)
First off, I love the Kaboom card style, so I was a little biased when I added this card to the list!
Not only that, but I particularly love the James Wiseman rookie card!
There are a few reasons that the James Wiseman Kaboom card made this top ten list. Kaboom is renowned for using high-action imagery for starters, and the Wiseman card is no different. Here, he is depicted mid-leap as he prepares to send down a trademark dunk for the Golden State Warriors.
On top of that, the beautiful, shimmering stars in the background grab any collector’s attention, making this a card you should consider investing in.
10. Panini Spectra Color Blast #22 (Shop on eBay)
Another beautifully stunning card rounds off this list and comes to us courtesy of Panini Spectra. The 2020-21 James Wiseman Panini Spectra Color Blast is a great card to close out the top ten.
While the picture of Wiseman dribbling the ball up the court is presented in a style that you will see on many rookie cards, the background color makes these cards so desirable for many collectors.
On top of that, Spectra cards are printed on a slightly thicker stock than other leading brands such as Prizm or Donruss, providing them with a better look and feel.
Each hobby card has four packs, consisting of 16 cards in total.
That said, collectors/investors should not expect to find many Wiseman cards in these packs because they are limited in number, and pulling one is highly unlikely.
James Wiseman Rookie Card Risk and Upside Analysis
Note: please keep in mind that all sports card investments carry risk, and you should always complete your own analysis prior to investing in sports cards.
As of the 2021-22 NBA season, we classify James Wiseman’s rookie cards as High Risk with Moderate to High Upside potential. He was a top pick in the NBA Draft and his card prices have room to grow, but he will need to significantly improve his individual on-court performance to accelerate his card prices.
>> Read How to Get Started with Sports Card Investing
Why do we believe James Wiseman rookie cards have High Risk?
We consider James Wiseman rookie card values to have high risk for several reasons.
First, Wiseman is only 20 years old and in his second season in the NBA, after an injury shortened his first season with the Warriors. Wiseman will need to put together several strong seasons to mitigate risk associated with his rookie cards. Thus far, collectors/investors haven’t seen enough to significantly increase his card prices.
Second, Wiseman plays Center, and big guys get less love from card collectors. For example, collectors pay more for Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball rookie cards, and they are from the same rookie class. Due to his position, Wiseman card prices will almost certainly have a lower ceiling compared to players such as Edwards and Ball.
Due to the logic outlined above, we consider James Wiseman’s rookie cards to have High Risk.
Why do we believe James Wiseman rookie cards have Moderate to High Upside potential?
Collectors/investors have had limited opportunities to see Wiseman on the court, but if he performs well, his card prices have plenty of room to grow.
As of January 2022, collectors/investors can purchase PSA 10 James Wiseman rookie cards for less than $100. A collector even purchased a PSA 10 Donruss Optic Rated Rookie Choice Parallel for ~$130 in December 2021. Relative to the market overall, these prices are very affordable.
In addition, James Wiseman plays for the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors have a strong record in the 2021-22 NBA Season and will likely compete for the NBA title. A deep playoff run will provide Wiseman with the opportunity to showcase his skills to collectors/investors, thus providing the opportunity for card prices to increase.
As a result of the logic above, we believe James Wiseman rookie cards have Moderate to High Upside potential.
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