March Madness is underway, and that means two unchanging things: people are biting their nails at buzzer-beaters, and the trading card market is sizzling like a steak on a hot grill with all the Sweet Sixteen hype. As eager scouts play a combination of detective and fortune teller, and fans are glued to their screens like toddlers to a candy aisle, this is the perfect time for young prospects to raise their draft stocks – and perhaps as importantly, their card values. Let’s see who’s creating buzz both in the court and in collectors’ treasure troves.
First on deck, Cooper Flagg from Duke, a name that’s more synonymous with potential than anyone else this year. Flagg is doing exactly what his fan club expected: leaving trails of scorched defenses, hogging the headlines, and transforming collectors into clicking monsters smashing the “Buy It Now” button at warp speed. At 6’8″ and still glistening as a freshman, he is already regarded as the potential No. 1 overall pick in the future draft. Duke’s ongoing tournament run only dumps more gasoline on the bonfire that is his already towering card prices. As of March 25, his fan-coveted 2024 Topps Chrome McDonald’s All-American Red Refractor Auto /5 PSA 10 fetched a delightful $11,000. Just two tiny days earlier, the same prized card traded hands at $9,500. While he’s yet to sway an NBA game, his cards are marketed as if he’s already an All-Star. The question isn’t whether he’ll continue to thrive, but how high his market can climb before the draft.
And then there’s Derik Queen from Maryland. Sometimes all it takes is one buzzer-beater to earn a hallowed spot in the collector’s world. Queen catapulted Maryland to the Sweet Sixteen with what can only be described as a chilly, jacket-worthy shot, prompting Topps to immortalize that moment on a Bowman U Now card. Queen has already had the hobby tabloids swirling. His November 2024 Bowman U Now card, where he notably capped off a mighty night with 22 points and 20 rebounds, saw its 1/1 Superfractor swing for $599. Now snug in the spotlight, Queen’s latest card release, shining gloriously through March 30, includes scarcity-special autos numbered to 10, 5, and the golden fleece of the 1/1.
Not to be outshone, Kon Knueppel, another Duke starlet, is warming the circuits. His name might trip you up, but Knueppel certainly doesn’t trip on the court. A Duke freshman who’s gliding up draft boards with stealth akin to a cat burglar, his cards are mirroring his on-court ascension. After roasting Miami with a searing 25-point display, Knueppel, too, got the Bowman U Now fanfare, with one card striking $230 on March 19 — not bad for a figure settled into the mid-to-late lottery zone. Another card rightly celebrates his well-deserved ACC Tournament MVP accolade because, clearly, when it rains, it pours, and Knueppel’s forecast is torrential.
Across the timeline, in Arizona colors, stands Carter Bryant, a player seemingly handcrafted for the modern NBA, complete with defensive tenacity and smooth perimeter finesse. However, his cardboard stardom is still in the soft-launch phase. The Sweet Sixteen duel with Duke might just be the obtuse springboard he requires. Arizona’s Bryant cards are currently languishing in the ‘affordable’ aisle, with basic Prizm Draft Picks running at the price of sundries. Nevertheless, exclusive editions like his /25 auto touch $49.99, while a Black Gold /5 manages $102.50. If he performs a 20+ point conjuring act on Duke, you can bid farewell to those friendly prices.
Last but intriguing is Isaiah Demonte Evans from Duke. While this freshman has yet to have a grand, tape-loop worthy moment, he’s quietly generating murmurs worth noting. Rated as No. 15 in last year’s recruiting class, Evans’ tenure has been more discreet, with just 7 minutes against Baylor. Still, collectors remain smitten by his potential. His 2024 Topps McDonald’s All-American Drive-Thru Superfractor 1/1 drummed up just under $200, while a Jersey Patch Auto /5 stretched to $275. Not earth-shattering by any means, but should Evans find floor space and unleash his scoring prowess, that tune could rapidly change.
The Sweet Sixteen brings with it the perfect playbook of national visibility, NBA potential, and a white-hot market. For those scanning the horizon for the next basketball Messiah—and their card equivalents—this weekend could offer the golden ticket to snagging a rising star, long before the whole world realizes their charm. As these young cagers continue to put on a show, collectors can’t take their eyes off the action, both on and off the court.
