This exercise of ranking the 11 best 2024 NBA rookie cards coming out of Panini and Topps products this year is a fun one! Sure, there’s no question that the 2024 NBA Draft class isn’t one of the better ones, especially since it follows the Victor Wembanyama draft and likely the Cooper Flagg draft.
But don’t sleep for too long on these guys just because this class might be short on first-year superstars. There have been many instances in the past where great players come out of lackluster classes. Consider, too, that this is more of a wider draft than it is a top-shelf draft, meaning there are several good players right now, as opposed to a few great ones.
As we look through the best 2024 NBA rookie cards, understand that collectability isn’t necessarily the same as basketball ability. In other words, there might be some excellent players whose card collectability just doesn’t match up. Players like Kawhi Leonard, Joel Embiid and Kristaps Porzingis are great examples of this.
This class is lining up to be one of the worst classes since 2017, which boasted Malcolm Brogdon as its Rookie of the Year, and we No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons killed his own collectability. Even so, there are promising players in 2024, just like there were in 2017. Remember that Jaylen Brown, Jamal Murray and Domantas Sabonis came from that draft class, as did Pascal Siakam.
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While we are just ranking the best 2024 NBA rookie cards in general, it’s important to note that chromium cards (Prizm, Donruss Optic, Select and Mosaic) are usually more collectable than paper cards (NBA Hoops and Donruss). Also, Prizm is considered the flagship set for Panini, so a player’s true rookie card comes from that 2024 Prizm NBA set. Finally, silver holo Prizm parallels of a player’s true rookie card are the most collectable, when we’re not talking autographed cards are ultra-low numbered cards.
Just remember that as a general rule, scorers are more collectable than defensive stars, and the younger the player is, the better for his collectability. While we list the best 2024 NBA rookie cards in general, know that the parallels and PSA 10 versions of these cards are considered the most attractive.
This rookie class is stupid with big men and defensive studs, which means a player like McCain stands out as even more collectable. McCain’s rookie season ended early because of knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus in January, and even that doesn’t dampen his collectability.
Before McCain went out, he was averaging over 15 ppg for the Sixers, who were a huge disappointment this year. McCain was a bright spot, and he should remain such in the coming years, as a torn meniscus isn’t anywhere close to something like a torn ACL or MCL.
McCain is just 21 years old, as a one-and-done player out of Duke, and he has tons of charisma on the court, which makes his rookie cards huge bargains on eBay!
View Jared McCain rookie cards on eBay!
Just like last year, we see a Spurs lottery pick near the top of our best 2024 NBA rookie cards rankings. Castle is the top scoring rookie right now, and I’m sure many are surprised he doesn’t rank first. Will he be a superstar? Probably not, especially since the Spurs will eventually have Wemby (blood clots) and De’Aaron Fox as scoring options ahead of Castle.
Even so, Castle proved his star power when he showed out for the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest in his freshman year.
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic also sees Castle as the best long-term bet out of this class. “If you made me bet on one player to be an All-Star at this point from this class, I think my pick would be Castle. The skills he’s showcased — particularly within the new calendar year — have given me hope that there is real unsettled upside here as he continues to grow into his game.”
View Stephon Castle rookie cards on eBay!
3. Jaylen Wells, SG/SF, Memphis Grizzlies
Working alongside Ja Morant isn’t a bad place to be for most young players, and Wells is no exception. He has proven to be an excellent all-around player, working hard on both ends and acting like a non-rookie. Again, like Castle, it’s tough to see his star power exceed Morant’s, but for a second-round pick (39th overall), one can understand his ascension in collector’s minds, like he would for Grizzlies fans.
If you want to see the good news in the lack of stars at the top, it’s that it allowed someone like Wells to rise up in our consciousness faster.
View Jaylen Wells rookie cards on eBay!
4. Alex Sarr, C, Washington Wizards
A French center not named Wemby, playing for the Wizards – there are many strikes against Sarr’s collectability, but there are some good things.
Sarr turns just 20 years old this summer, and the second overall pick has the best future among all the young Wizards players.
Unfortunately, Sarr needs to bulk up, grow into his body, and develop more shooting skills before we recommend him as a great pickup.
View Alex Sarr rookie cards on eBay!
5. Reed Sheppard, G, Houston Rockets
How weird is this list of the best 2024 NBA rookie cards? We have a player listed in the top-five from a collectability standpoint in spite of him scoring 3.9 points per game this year and spending some time in the G League!
This Kentucky blueblood is a sharpshooter who could have tripled his scoring output on any other lottery team, but the super-deep Rockets drafted him third overall instead.
Sheppard is just plain fun to watch, and I expect his cards to climb in value in the coming years as this roster shakes out.
View Reed Sheppard rookie cards on eBay!
6. Zaccharie Risacher, SF, Atlanta Hawks
The Spaniard forward turns 20 in April, and the Hawks liked him enough to move DeAndre Hunter at the NBA Trade Deadline. Risacher started the second half of the season strong, and now he seems to be one of the brightest birds in the nest.
Now is the time to pick up some Risacher cards, while everyone else grumbles about this No. 1 overall pick not being as good as Wemby, Flagg or even Paolo Banchero. He can do a lot, and he’s only going to get better. Don’t underestimate what his international appeal can be, also.
View Zaccharie Risacher rookie cards on eBay!
7. Nikola Topic, G, Oklahoma City Thunder
A torn ACL in May of 2024 killed his draft stock, but consider that even after the injury, the Thunder (one of the best drafting teams in recent seasons) took him 12th overall, knowing he was out for the 2024-25 season.
What team is better for Topic to sit and learn from than the Thunder, who just went through Chet Holmgren’s injury-ruined rookie season just three years ago.
Topic is a playmaker at the point guard spot, and teams are already trying to trade for him. I expect the Serbian to get dealt in the offseason, as the Thunder shore up an already great starting lineup. Topic will be 20 years old when he steps on the court as a second-year rookie, and if he lands in a major media market, like Chicago, Miami, New York or Los Angeles, his rookie card will gain even more attention!
View Nikola Topic rookie cards on eBay!
8. Kel’el Ware, C, Miami Heat
The Heat uncover another great young center, but much like Bam Adebayo, card collectors won’t be fighting for his rookie cards. Even so, as the Heat become a younger team, Ware could prove to be a sleeper in future seasons, like he was this year.
View Kel’el Ware rookie cards on eBay!
9. Matas Buzelis, F, Chicago Bulls
The 20-year-old Lithuanian has star potential, but it likely won’t be realized until his third year or so. He can get to the rim with the best of them, and he’s not afraid of the spotlight, proven by his entry into the 2025 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
The Bulls don’t have a lot of star power, so Buzelis should have room to flex in the coming years, which is good for card collectors.
View Matas Buzelis rookie cards on eBay!
10. Zach Edey, C, Memphis Grizzlies
Think of how long it took for Nikola Jokic to become collectable, and it’s easy to let Edey’s rookie cards pass right by you without issue. He’s a 7-foot-4 beast, with great touch around the rim, but he is still a center, with limited range.
Much like Ware with Adebayo, Edey gets paired with Jaren Jackson Jr. in two-big lineups, which just muddles his value further.
View Zach Edey rookie cards on eBay!
11. Dalton Knecht, G/F, L.A. Lakers
Knecht is a really interesting player and his rookie card is interesting for even more reasons. Knecht turns 24 years old in April of 2025, which makes him older than NBA veterans like Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Franz Wagner and Cade Cunningham, all of which were drafted three years or more sooner than Knecht.
But Knecht is an exciting shooter, and he’s on a high-profile Lakers team, which makes him collectable the same way as Austin Reaves.
Unfortunately, the Lakers already showed they’d be happy to move him in package to improve their chances to win a title right now, as they tried to ship Knecht to Charlotte for center Mark Williams, in a trade that was eventually cancelled because Williams failed his physical.
Knecht moving to Charlotte would have made him a much less collectable player.
View Dalton Knecht rookie cards on eBay!
12. Donovan Clingan, Portland Trail Blazers
Similar to Walker Kessler, Clingan makes noise defensively in the west, but it’s tough to see the former UConn Huskie become a must-get in card-collecting circles.
View Donovan Clingan rookie cards on eBay!
13. Tristan Da Silva, F, Orlando Magic
As much as I enjoy watching Da Silva play for my Orlando Magic, his rookie cards should be found in bargain bins for the next few years. He does everything well, but nothing amazing. He’s a good, solid role player, and he’s going to turn 24 years old just before his sophomore season.
View Tristan Da Silva rookie cards on eBay!
Just Missed Our List of the Best 2024 NBA Rookie Cards:
These are our current rankings for the best 2024 NBA Rookie Cards, but there’s one thing we know — the rankings can change from year to year. Did we rank one of your favorite rookies too low? Do you like some players more or less than what we suggested? Let’s hear it in the comments below!
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