The day after Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks celebrated the franchise’s first NBA title in 53 years, a collector paid $312,000 for a 1-of-1 numbered 2018 Panini Prizm Choice Nebula rookie card at a Fanatics Collect auction, setting a new record for any Brunson card. The previous high for the same card was $96,660 when it sold in 2024; the card also sold on eBay in 2019 for $300.
Brunson was named the 2026 NBA Finals MVP and was the NBA’s 2025 Clutch Player of the Year. He carried that late-game production into the 2025-26 playoffs, averaging 9.9 points per fourth quarter this postseason — becoming only the second player since 1996 (Dirk Nowitzki, 2011) to average 9.9 or more points in the fourth quarter into the conference semifinals or beyond.
According to the postseason box scores cited, Brunson posted efficient numbers in those final quarters, shooting 56 percent from the field, 53 percent from three-point range and 91 percent from the free throw line.
Card collectors have reacted strongly to Brunson’s postseason and Finals run. In June, there were 14 sales of Brunson cards of $30,000 or more, including four sales since June 19 that exceeded $99,000, the sales records show.
According to Card Ladder, which measures hobby sales, Brunson recorded the largest month-over-month growth of any athlete across basketball, football, baseball, soccer and hockey (minimum 25 cards sold), with a 131.9 percent increase. San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama ranked second at 89.73 percent, Card Ladder reported.
