March Madness is back in its full, exhilarating glory. This time of year, sports fans revel in the back-and-forth battles, late-game heroics, and Cinderella stories written in basketball’s annual collegiate dance. But the undisputed stars of this basketball bacchanalia go beyond the slams and buzzer beaters; they involve a spectacle as intriguing as the games themselves—the card market. College players’ performances are not just making basketball fans scream, they’re lighting up the hobby world with a fiery demand for cards. Let’s lace up our high-tops and deck ourselves in card-collecting wisdom as we scout out the prospects with games and cardboard prowess to match.
First up on this collection’s dream team is the towering beacon of potential, Cooper Flagg. Standing at a looming 6’8″, Flagg is more than just your typical Duke sensation. The excitement in the atmosphere when Flagg takes to the floor is almost electric. He’s not only capturing August basketball headlines but also creating quite the buzz in collector circles, where a sale can make headlines of its own. This young gun is widely regarded as a future No. 1 overall NBA draft pick, a presumed ascendance that has card enthusiasts ‘Flagging’ him as one you must not overlook. His Topps Chrome McDonald’s All-American Red Refractor Auto PSA 10 card sold for $11,000 on March 25, a solid leap from $9,500 just two days prior. The hoops he shoots may be college-level for now, but his card prices are already taking a star-studded NBA trajectory.
Next, all eyes are shooting toward Derik Queen of Maryland, who is proving his worth on the hardwood court—and seemingly every court-related cardboard. His claim to Sweet Sixteen fame? A buzzer-beater worthy of a spot in the March Madness highlight reel, sending Maryland into an ecstatic whirl of victory. Topps was quick to docundent this moment with Queen’s Bowman U Now card— move over holiday cards, there’s a new must-have in town. Previously, his November 2024 Bowman U Now card captured collectors’ imaginations by fetching $599 for its 1/1 Superfractor. Now, in this frenzied dance, his new offerings promise autos as scarce as numbered 10 and rarer, presenting card collectors the proverbial golden ticket.
After Marylan’s star comes another Duke devil, Kon Knueppel, whose name, though it trips off the tongue, signals a player who can fluently “speak bucket.” This sniper is silently sneaking up the draft board ranks. His ability to torch opponents—exemplified by dropping 25 points on Miami—has positions on auction blocks soaring. Collectors won’t slip on pronouncing his name when they spot his card’s value sizzling. A card from his Bowman U Now collection recently caught $230, showing promise even for those projecting Knueppel as a mid-to-late lottery prospect.
There’s more air to soar with Arizona’s Carter Bryant. Playing with the elegance of an artful perimeter game meshed with defensive instinct, he stands tall amongst the rest. His cards are basking in what might be the quiet before a volcano of value erupts. A dollar could get you a standard Base Prizm Draft Picks, yet when scouting the upper echelon of rare cards, such as his auto number to 25, you might be paying upwards of $49.99. If he takes Duke’s measure in their upcoming showdown, expect card prices to instantly transform into hot treasures worth their weight in proverbial gold.
Last, but certainly not the least, is Duke’s Isaiah Demonte Evans. While this 6’6” freshman might not have his breakout moment just yet due to constrained minutes—only a scant 7 against Baylor—there’s still plenty of clangour surrounding his prospects. Tomato-catchy speculators remember his alluring PSA sales of a McDonald’s All-American Drive-Thru Superfractor 1/1 passing the $200 mark, alongside a much sought-after Jersey Patch Auto hitting $275. Though not emptying pockets yet, should Evans get the minutes and reminds us all why he’s a scorer, then it won’t be long before his card values give an updated highlight reel.
As the Sweet Sixteen looms large, so too does the anticipation both on the hardwood and in the realm of collectors. Exciting potential, national spotlight, rising NBA prospects, and a booming card market—it’s a siren call to investors and basketball lovers alike. If your wallet is itching to explore or you foresee picking the next trading card godsend before everyone else, the Sweet Sixteen is prime time to act. After all, prime cards are as much a tinge of athletic history as they are a modern-day treasure.
