EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe day after 2026 NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks celebrated the franchise's first NBA title in 53 years, a collector spent $312,000 on Brunson's 1-of-1 numbered 2018 Panini Prizm Choice Nebula rookie card at a Fanatics Collect auction.That set a new record for any Brunson card. The previous high was $96,660 for the same Brunson card when it last sold in 2024. The card sold one other previous time -- in 2019, on eBay, for $300.Brunson, the NBA's 2025 Clutch Player of the Year, lived up to that billing in the 2025-26 NBA playoffs: Brunson averaged 9.9 points per fourth quarter this postseason, becoming only the second player since 1996 (Dirk Nowitzki, 2011) to average 9.9 or more into the conference semifinals or further. Brunson did so while shooting 56% from the field, 53% from 3, and 91% from the free throw line in the final quarter.Card collectors are responding to the possibility of Brunson cementing himself as the greatest Knick of all time. In June alone, there have been 14 sales of Brunson cards for $30,000 or more -- four of which, all since June 19, have been upward of $99,000.According to Card Ladder, of all known basketball, football, baseball, soccer and hockey card sales over the past month (min. 25 cards sold), no athlete has seen a larger month-over-month growth -- a figure representing a player's relative hobby value -- than Brunson's 131.9%. San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was a distant second at 89.73%.
