Since his NBA debut, Luka Doncic’s rookie cards have been more prevalent since his NBA debut than flapjacks at a lumberjack convention. They are, without a doubt, one of the best long-term investments in the sports memorabilia hobby.
Luka took the league by storm in 2018, averaging a mind-blowing 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game. Those numbers were better than LeBron James’s rookie year stats and won him the 2018 Rookie of the Year award.
The Atlanta Hawks drafted Luka “The Don” Doncic with the 3rd overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, going after Deandre Ayton (1st) and Marvin Bagley III (2nd).
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The Dallas Mavericks traded for Luka, giving up fellow superstar Trae Young. See the exact trade details below:
- Mavericks receive: Luka Doncic (No. 3 overall selection in 2018 NBA Draft)
- Hawks receive: Trae Young (No. 5 overall selection in 2018 NBA Draft); Protected 2019 first-round pick
Luka rewarded the Mavs as he was unanimously selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
- Born: February 28, 1999
- Place: Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Height: 6′ 7″
- Weight: 230 lbs
- Nationality: Slovenian
Luka Doncic on Social: Twitter luka7doncic · Instagram lukadoncic
Luka Doncic Rookie Year Stats (2018): 21.2 PPG · 7.8 TRB · 6.0 AST · 1.1 Steals
Luka has carried the Mavericks throughout his short career in Dallas and led them to the NBA semifinals in 2021, losing to eventual champions Golden State Warriors.
Many believe Luka can and will win multiple NBA Championship Rings, but he may need more help. If he can win a ring or three, his rookie cards will explode and value.
His Best Cards
Card makers ran wild, with Luka producing hundreds of rookie cards for collectors who eagerly gobbled them up.
Now is an ideal time to invest in Luka Doncic’s basketball cards before he wins those rings. Here are the top 10 Luka Doncic RCs to buy now and hold long-term.
10. 2018 Immaculate Collection RPA /99 RC #124
The first card we want to examine is one with Luka in a black Mavericks jersey. He wears a black undershirt beneath his jersey and wears blue leg warmers. Luka looks up-court in the image as he dribbles the ball in his left hand.
There are two things of note on the left side of the card. Up top, you can see a game-worn jersey patch. Here the patch is primarily white with black on the right.
Additionally, a Luka Doncic autograph is below it written in blue ink. Below that is Luka’s name and team. The background is blue in the top left and bottom right, whereas white is in the opposite corners of the card.
9. 2016 Upper Deck Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Rainbow RC #23
Here we have a unique card as Luka is not wearing his Mavericks uniform. Instead, this image is from when he played for Real Madrid in the Euro League.
His white uniform features several advertisements as is customary in European sports leagues. You’ll also notice Luka is wearing the number 7 instead of 77 as he does in the NBA.
Furthermore, you can see Luka making a pass with his right hand. Interestingly, European balls feature an equal amount of blue and black, making them different from American basketballs.
There are logos in three corners of the card. A Real Madrid logo is in the top left, the Upper Deck logo is in the top right, and the Turkish Airlines logo is in the bottom right. Finally, Luka’s name and position are in the bottom left.
8. 2018 Panini Select Courtside RC #229
This Luka Doncic rookie card from Panini has a unique background. Several fans are looking on earnestly as the game unfolds. Luka in the foreground gives the feeling that the entire image could be from a game.
The image is a side-face view of Luka from the right side. Luka is in mid-air as he takes a jump shot with the ball in his hands.
He is wearing his white Mavericks uniform, and you can see the blue lettering of his number on the back. Additionally, Luka is wearing white leg warmers and white shoes.
The Select logo is in the top left and Luka’s name is written out in the bottom right. Both are in front of black backgrounds.
7. 2018 Donruss Optic Rated Rookie RC #177
This Donruss Luka Doncic rookie card is unique because it has 3D imaging. It has a checkered background, but creative shading around the border makes it look like the image of Luka is a little further back.
In the image, Luka is wearing his blue uniform, and he is looking up-court. He is dribbling the ball in his left hand. An interesting quirk of the image is the checkered pattern overlaps with his legs. While this was likely unintentional, it is a cool distinction.
Below the image of Luka is a small blue border with his name and team written out. The right side of this border features the Optic logo. Finally, the Rated Rookie Logo is to the left of his head.
6. 2018 Panini Crown Royale KABOOM! #2
Kaboom cards always have unique designs, and this one is no different. It features a bright red Kaboom logo written vertically on the left side of the card.
The background features several bright colors, but it is mostly blue. The colors are split up into various star-like images.
You can see a cartoon drawing of Luka on the left side of the card as he gets ready to dunk the ball. He is wearing his blue Mavericks uniform and white shoes.
The bottom of the card also features “Luka” in black writing and “Doncic” in bright red. Finally, the Mavs logo is next to Luka’s left shoe.
5. 2018 Panini Flawless RPA RC #39
You can see Luka in a unique uniform in this Panini Flawless card. Instead of wearing traditional colors, Luka is wearing a black Mavericks Jersey with blue lining.
He is also uncharacteristically wearing a black T-shirt under his jersey and blue leg warmers. He is dribbling the ball up-court in his left hand as he looks forward for offensive plays.
The left side of the card features a small jersey patch in the top left. This card’s patch is mostly white but has some black on the right side. Above it, you can see some numbering.
Below the patch is Luka’s autograph in blue ink. Below that is Luka’s name and team written out.
4. 2018 Contenders Rookie Ticket Auto RC #122
This Contenders Luka Doncic Rookie card features an image of Luka from the torso up on the right side of the card. Luka is looking up, getting ready to take what appears to be a free throw.
The ball is held firmly in both hands, and he is wearing his blue Mavericks uniform.
A diagonal white background cuts off the image of Luka with a faded Mavericks logo in the background. On the white background is a blue autograph from Luka.
You can see a rookie ticket in the top right. It features the Mavericks logo and seat. Here it is for section 220, row 66, seat 18. The ticket is blue.
Finally, the bottom of the card features the Contenders logo in the bottom left corner, and Luka’s name in the bottom right.
3. 2018 National Treasures RPA /99 RC #127
National Treasures cards always have elegant designs. In this Luka Doncic card, the picture of Luka is on the right side. He is wearing his Blue Mavericks uniform and white basketball shoes.
In the image, Luka is getting ready to take a jump shot. His left leg is lifted up, and you can see the ball is just about to leave the fingertips of his right hand.
The left side of the card has a large jersey patch. The patch varies in design from card to card, but here we can see a section of the word Dallas. Below it, you can see Luka’s autograph in blue ink.
Above the patch, it says National Treasures. Below it, you can see Luka’s name and team. Adjacent to that is the RC logo.
Total Population:
- 220 at PSA 10
- 362 at PSA 9
- 205 at PSA 8
Recent Sales:
- 3/7/2021 | $584,250 | PSA 10 | Goldin Auctions
- 7/24/2020 | $72,100 | PSA 9 | eBay
- 3/7/2021 | $44,600 | PSA 9 | eBay
2. 2018 Opulence RPA Holo Gold /10 RC #145
Unsurprisingly, this 2018 Panini Opulence Luka Doncic rookie card is near the top of our list. It is one of the rarest Luka Doncic rookie cards, as only 10 were ever printed.
Only a few copies were printed because it comes with an autograph and game-worn jersey patch. The autograph is in black ink adjacent to Luka’s feet.
Above the autograph, you will see the jersey patch. The patch looks different in each iteration as it comes from different sections of the jersey. This patch features three blue stripes and two white stripes.
The left side of the card features an image of Luka in his white Mavericks uniform. He is taking a jump shop with both his feet off the ground. Additionally, you can see Luka is wearing white leg warmers.
1. 2018 Prizm RC #280
Regarding Luka Doncic’s rookie cards, ignoring Prizm’s from Panini is hard. You can see Luka in the center of the card as he prepares to take a jump shot.
Luka’s right leg is lifted high in the image to get his shot over the defender. The ball rests in his dominant right hand and is balanced by his left. He is wearing his bright blue Mavericks uniform. The card’s background is black, with grey and dark blue detailing around the edges. Additionally, there are two logos up top, the RC logo on the top left and the Prizm logo on the right.
Finally, Doncic’s name and team are written across the bottom of the card.
Checklist
- 2018-19 Panini Prizm #280
- 2018-19 Contenders Rookie Ticket RC #122
- 2018-19 Chronicles Origins Auto SSP
- 2018-19 Panini Chronicles Momentous #6
- 2018-19 Immaculate Luka Doncic Dirk Nowitzki Dual Auto /25 #DA-DL
- 2018-19 Panini Dominion
- 2018-19 Donruss Optic Fast Break Prizm #177
- 2018-19 Panini Noir Gold RC
- 2018-19 NBA Hoops #268
- 2018-19 Prizm Emergent #3
- 2018-19 Panini Court Kings Level 1 #117
- 2018-19 Immaculate Collection #124
- 2018-19 Certified Rookie Card #153
- 2018-19 Panini Encased Auto /75 #108
- 2018-19 Panini Dominion /199 #126
- 2018-19 Panini Contenders Draft Picks Autograph #126
- 2018-19 Panini Noir Luka Doncic RC /85 #169
- 2018-19 Crown Royale #63
- 2018-19 Panini Cornerstones Auto Quad Mem /199 Luka Doncic RC #153
Long-Term Forecast
When looking at basketball rookie cards to purchase, it is best to get in on cards before they spike in value. Unfortunately, Luka Doncic rookie cards will not be available for cheap.
Luka quickly established himself as a superstar and MVP candidate three years into his young career. As a result, his cards have risen in value quickly with him.
However, that does not mean you should avoid his rookie cards. Several factors lead us to expect his cards to continue to rise in value.
Firstly, while Luka is already great, he is still very young and could get even better. Winning an MVP or championship would increase the value of his cards.
Additionally, since Luka is European, there is a massive market for his cards outside the United States. So, if you can get your hands on his rookie cards, you can sell them to more people.
So, it will take more money to purchase Luka Doncic rookie cards right now than other options. However, there is potential for his cards to rise in value more than any other young player in the NBA.