The market for 1990s NBA cards keeps tilting upward, and some of the biggest movers are names that sit just below the hobby’s most untouchable tier. Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant cards may still live in a different financial universe, but a few of their era-mates are closing the gap fast enough to get collectors’ attention.
Allen Iverson is one of the clearest examples. The Hall of Famer’s appeal has never really faded - his No.
3 Sixers jersey still lands with fans around the world, and he remains a major attraction at events like Fanatics Fest and The National. That renewed interest is showing up in the numbers.
His Card Ladder index has climbed 30% over the last three months and 70% over the past six, with first-year inserts like 1996 E-X2000 Star Date 2000 and base rookies from Topps and Finest all more than doubling.
Even with that surge, Iverson’s biggest cards still trail far behind Bryant’s. A PSA 9 of Iverson’s Topps Chrome rookie, #171, last sold for $250.
Kobe’s 1996 Topps Chrome rookie, #138, in the same grade is selling between $4,700 and $4,999. Iverson may never catch Bryant in hobby value, but he could still move into that upper conversation.
Tim Duncan is another star whose market is finally getting louder. “The Big Fundamental” has the résumé to match almost anyone’s: five championships, two MVPs and 15 All-NBA selections.
But his game never came packaged with the flash that usually drives card hype. That seems to be changing now.
Duncan’s overall sales are up 32.95% over the last three months, according to Card Ladder.
His biggest recent headline came on August 21, when an ultra-rare BGS 8 1997 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Green #66 brought $330,646, setting a new record for the Spurs legend and topping its previous sale from almost exactly a year earlier by 45%. His sharpest percentage gain belongs to a PSA 9 Metal Universe base rookie, which was in the $40 range in May before selling for $375 on August 24. That’s a 752% jump in fewer than 90 days.
Other Duncan cards are climbing, too. PSA 10 copies of his Topps Finest and Chrome rookies are up 301% and 187%, while inserts like the 1998 Skybox Premium That’s Jam and 1997 Fleer Thrill Seekers have risen by more than 300%.
Kevin Garnett is right there with them. “The Big Ticket” never seemed like the type to go quietly into retirement, and he hasn’t.
Between his frequent NSFW Instagram rants and his podcast appearances, he’s stayed very much in the public eye. Add in the nostalgia surrounding the Timberwolves finally retiring his No. 21 jersey, and his card market has started moving hard.
Garnett’s Card Ladder index is up 33.79%. His 1995 Finest #115 rookie in a PSA 9 has jumped from $56.55 to $209.99, its highest point in more than two years.
Other early Garnett cards are following the same path. A 1995 Skybox Premium #233 in PSA 10 sold for $127.50 in February and is now valued at $400, while his 1995 Metal #167 rookie in PSA 10 has risen 70% and still looks modest at $299.99.
Collectors are also chasing his 1997 Hoops High Voltage #10 in any condition they can find. The raw version has gone from $45 to $115 over the last six months, and a PSA 9 has climbed more than 200% to an all-time high of $499.
For Garnett, the question is whether there’s more room to run. “Anything is possibleeeee!”
In Other News...
Spurs Already Learned The Finals Lesson The Knicks Should Fear
The NBA's long view is already taking shape, and ESPN's Summer Forecast panel has gone out on a limb with its June 2027 Finals pick. The projection has the Oklahoma City Thunder meeting the New York Knicks, a pairing that would bring plenty of baggage for New York given its recent history against Oklahoma City and the lingering memory of how the Spurs handled the Knicks on the league's biggest stage.
San Antonio's own lesson from the 2026 Finals is the part that still hangs in the air. The Spurs were in position to close out the title, only to let the chance slip away, and that kind of experience tends to travel with a team. If these two franchises cross paths again, the Spurs would have the benefit of having lived through the mistake once already, while the Knicks would be left wondering whether the same pressure points are waiting for them again. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Suddenly Have A Young Core Debate Few Teams Can Match
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What makes the debate so compelling is that the Spurs may not be limited to a simple two-man discussion for long. Castle and Harper both bring the kind of upside that gives San Antonio enviable flexibility, and DeAaron Fox only adds another layer to a core that can be argued with the leagues best groups on paper. For a team that has spent years chasing the next wave, the bigger question now is not whether the talent is real, but how far this cluster of high-end pieces can push the organization once it fully settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Wembanyama Just Lost A Must-See International Matchup Spurs Fans Wanted
Victor Wembanyama has already gotten a couple of exhibition tuneups with the French national team against Serbia as the buildup to FIBA World Cup qualifiers continues, and the next date on the calendar had obvious appeal for Spurs fans following along from afar. France is set to meet Slovenia at the Accor Arena in Paris, a stage that would have offered another early look at Wembanyama in a marquee international setting.
The matchup is now missing one of the biggest names that made it so intriguing. Luka Doncic will not play against France as he works through personal issues and injury recovery, which strips some of the star power from what had shaped up as a must-see game. For a player like Wembanyama, these are the kinds of nights that help define the spotlight around him, so the absence leaves the international showcase feeling a little less complete. [Read more 🡒]