Zion Williamson 1-of-1 Rookie Card to Be Auctioned; Could Fetch $750K
Jan 9, 2021
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) against the Charlotte Hornets in the third quarter of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Friday, Jan. 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Derick Hingle)
A one-of-a-kind basketball rookie card featuring New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson is about to hit the auction block with an estimated sale price of $750,000.
TMZ Sports reported Saturday an Australian NBA fan won the Williamson card, a 2019-20 Panini Flawless Logoman patch card numbered 1-of-1, during a lot draw on Christmas Eve and has quickly reached an agreement with Goldin Auctions to sell it. Bidding begins Monday with a $150,000 minimum.
The card, which received a grade of nine out of 10 from grading company PSA, is described in the official listing as a "unique, prized commemorative of a youthful athlete who is widely projected to achieve NBA superstardom."
In September, a similar Logoman patch card featuring the Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo set themodern-era recordfor a basketball card at $1.81 million.
Williamson won every major honor, including the Naismith and Wooden Awards, during his only season of college basketball at Duke before the Pelicans selected him with the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft.
The 20-year-old North Carolina native missed the start of his rookie season because of a knee injury. He returned last January and looked every bit like the emerging superstar people expected, and that trend has continued during the early stages of the 2020-21 campaign.
He's averaged 22.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists while shooting 57.6 percent from the field across his first 33 NBA games.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbifyDYXi7k
Meanwhile, the sports card industry has enjoyed amassive resurgenceduring the COVID-19 pandemic as people look for new hobbies to pass the time.
Buying the rare Williamson rookie for $750,000, or potentially more, represents an investment and a bet on his future. If he does develop into one of the best players in the world on the level of Antetokounmpo, LeBron James or Stephen Curry, the card's value will soar over the next decade.
For now, the standout forward is focused on trying to help the Pelicans (4-5) keep pace in the loaded Western Conference.
New Orleans next plays Monday night when it kicks off a seven-game road trip against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center.
LaMelo Ball Flirts with Triple-Double in Hornets' Win over Lonzo Ball, Pelicans
Jan 8, 2021
New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball (2) passes the ball as Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (2) defends during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Friday, Jan. 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Derick Hingle)
After ending their three-game losing streak Wednesday, the Charlotte Hornets have won back-to-back games for the second time this season after an 118-110victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night.
Charlotte looked like it was going to be in for a long night after falling behind 54-36 late in the second quarter. The offense came to life in the second half with 71points to steal the win from New Orleans.
This matchup marked the first-ever NBA game between LaMelo Ball and Lonzo Ball. The Hornets rookie is still adjusting to the NBA, but he entered Friday with five straight games scoring at least 10 points.
The Pelicans have lost a season-high three straight games and are under .500 for the first time in 2020-21 (4-5). Their losses to the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder this week were by a combined three points.
Gordon Hayward led the way for the Hornets with 26 points. Ball finished one assist shy of a triple-double in 26 minutes off the bench.
Zion Williamson did his part for the Pelicans with a team-high 26 points. Brandon Ingram was held to 17 points, his second-lowest output of the season.
There's a very clear formula for success in New Orleans, and it starts with Williamson and Ingram playing well on both ends of the floor.
Head coach Stan Van Gundy had done a terrific job of getting his team to buy in on defense so far this season. The Pelicans entered Friday ranked fourth in points allowed per game (105.1) and 11th in rating, perBasketball-Reference.com.
Charlotte isn't an offensive juggernaut, but it has players who are skilled at getting the ball up the floor in transition. That was a weakness for the Pelicans in their loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday.
#Pelicans have gotten their transition defense back under control tonight, allowing only 7 fast-break pts late 2Q vs. Hornets, but Hayward takes advantage of a turnover for a run-out dunk. OKC had 27 fast-break pts Wednesday vs. NOLA
Things looked like they corrected themselves for the Pelicans on Friday, but the second half was a collapse that shows how far this team still has to go in its development.
The offense got off to a quick start with 38 points in the first quarter, and the Pels led by as many as 18 points early in the second quarter.
Pelicans with 38 first-quarter points. That's their most in any first quarter this season and tied for most in any quarter so far this year (38 vs. TOR in 3Q on 12/23).
Hot start for @PelicansNBA on @FOXSportsNOLA! The Pels getting into their offense quickly. Threes are finally falling: 7 of 10! Nola also stepping up Transition D - which SVG has been preaching non stop. End of the 1st: Pelicans up 38-22. Held the Hornets to 5 fast break points
Williamson was the standout performer and go-to guy for New Orleans' offense. The 20-year-old hit the 20-point mark for the fifth time in the past six games. He completely overmatched a Charlotte defense that lacks size in the paint to disrupt his ability to get to the basket.
New Orleans' defense fell apart in the second half. The Hornets dropped 35 points and shot 6-of-14 from three-point range in 12 minutes coming out of the intermission to close the deficit to five heading into the fourth.
Friday was an indication of how reliant the Pelicans are on Williamson and Ingram. Williamson played well enough to win Friday, but Ingram had his worst shooting game of the season. It wound up playing a significant role in the team falling apart down the stretch.
Ball Shines Off the Bench for Charlotte
Hornets head coach James Borrego has understandably tried to take things slow with Ball early in his rookie year. The 19-year-old has yet to start a game and was averaging 24 minutes per game coming into Friday.
But there's no doubt Ball should be starting ahead of Devonte' Graham before too long. He nearly had his first career triple-double against the Pelicans, setting a career high with 10 rebounds and finishing with a team-high nine assists.
There are certainly limitations to Ball's game at this early stage of his development. He made just fourof 12attempts from the field. This was expected as he made the transition to the NBA. Scouting reports noted shooting wasn't going to be a strength right away.
Fortunately for the Hornets, Ball is so skilled in other areas that he doesn't need to be a dominant scorer at this stage of his career to make an impact.
LaMelo Ball now has 5+ assists in 7 straight games, the longest streak by a rookie off the bench since Muggsy Bogues in 1987-88 (14 straight games). pic.twitter.com/xhhb2NlaqB
— Hornets On FanDuel Sports Network (@FDSN_Hornets) January 9, 2021
Graham remains the starting point guard right now because he led the team in scoring and shot a respectable 37.3 percent from three-point range in 2019-20. The 25-year-old has been terrible to start this season. He was shooting 26 percent from the field coming into Friday. That number will actually go up, even though he made just five of 15 attempts against the Pelicans.
A deeper dive shows just how much more valuable Ball is than Graham at this point.
The Hornets operated this offseason like a team trying to make the playoffs, but the most important thing they can do in 2020-21 is get Ball reps as their starting point guard.
What's Next?
The Hornets will return home for a Saturdaymatchup with Atlanta. The Pelicans will be off until Monday when they will play the Dallas Mavericks in the first game of a seven-game road trip.
Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Suns Crush Lonzo Ball, Zion Williamson, Pelicans
Dec 30, 2020
New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball (2) drives on Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
It may be too early to focus on the playoffs, but the New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns could be competing for seeding at season's end.
That means the Suns' commanding 111-86 head-to-head win Tuesday at Phoenix Suns Arena could prove to be important. Jae Crowder was one of six players who scored in double figures for the victors, who improved to 3-1 on the campaign.
New Orleans dropped to 2-2 despite a solid showing from Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram.
The beauty of having Chris Paul for any team is his ability to dissect opposing defenses and always make the right play, resulting in a number of players being involved in the scoring seemingly every game.
It is no wonder, then, that Phoenix entered play with five players averaging at least 11.0 points a night.
CP3 wasted no time getting others involved with four assists in the first quarter as Crowder immediately found his stroke from deep and carried the initial offense while New Orleans was focused on stopping Paul and Devin Booker. Deandre Ayton also demonstrated his soft touch around the basket while anchoring the rebounding efforts.
That the Suns built a 22-point halftime lead with Booker and Paul combining for just seven points was a testament to the ball movement and developing depth along the roster. Dario Saric, Cameron Payne and Cameron Johnson provided a spark off the bench, while Mikal Bridges worked into openings and helped turn defense into offense with multiple steals.
The depth had a chance to continue shining through into the second half as both teams played out the string in a blowout contest.
While star players often determine the outcomes of playoff games in crunch time, the only way the Suns are going to take the next step and battle the top teams in the daunting Western Conference is with a number of contributors taking advantage of Paul's facilitating and the defensive attention Booker consistently draws.
Tuesday's showing suggests Phoenix can do just that, and the fact that it came against a fellow Western Conference contender provides even more reason for optimism.
Turnovers, Poor Shooting Doom Pelicans
Williamson is always under the spotlight when the Pelicans take the court, but that was especially the case Tuesday.
After all, the second-year playmaker notched a double-double in each of his team's first three games but showed his first signs of struggle this season when he shot an ugly 7-of-22 (31.8 percent) from the field during Sunday's contest against the San Antonio Spurs.
He bounced back from that shooting performance right out of the gates.
Williamson overpowered Phoenix's defenders on the blocks and connected on six of seven shots in the first half alone. The Suns didn't have an answer for his combination of size and athleticism, and the Duke product was the only reason New Orleans was even somewhat within striking distance at intermission.
That was about the only bright spot for the visitors, who dealt with turnover issues against the Suns' perimeter defenders and an abysmal performance from three-point range.
New Orleans went just 3-of-24 (12.5 percent) from deep to go with those 16 turnovers, which is a formula for a blowout loss in just about any NBA game. Not even impressive play in the lane from a talent like Williamson was going to rescue the Pelicans with shooting like that, and it didn't help that they struggled to register a defensive stop until the game was out of hand.
The Pelicans can at least take solace in Williamson's bounce-back showing from the field and Ingram's ability to stuff the stat sheet with a handful of assists and rebounds to go with his scoring, but Tuesday felt like a burn-the-tape-type showing from Stan Van Gundy's team.
What's Next?
Both teams are on the road Thursday when the Pelicans face the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Suns play the Utah Jazz.
Zion Williamson 1-of-1 Rookie Card Expected to Auction for 'At Least' $750K
Dec 28, 2020
FILE - In this March 6, 2020, file photo, New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson walks onto the court during the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat in New Orleans. A Florida appeals court has granted Williamson’s motion to block his former marketing agent’s effort to have the ex-Duke star answer questions about whether he received improper benefits before playing for the Blue Devils. The order Wednesday shifts the focus to separate but related case between the same litigants in federal court in North Carolina. (AP Photo/Rusty Costanza, File)
The latest addition to the hot market for rare Zion Williamson rookie cards is expected to fetch nearly seven figures when it heads to auction in January,perDarren Rovellof The Action Network.
A one-of-a-kind Logoman card for the 2019-20 breakout star, the only one produced in the latest drop of Panini's Flawless collection, was picked from a pack that sold for $6,700 and is expected to sell for at least $750,000 next month.
The Zion 1/1 Flawless Logoman picked out a $6,700 pack on Dec. 23 has been graded by PSA and it is headed to the @GoldinAuctions sale in January.
This isn't the first six-figure sale for a Williamson card. In June, when he had played just 19 games in the NBA, one rare Williamson card sold for $99,800.
If the rest of his career is anything like what he's managed to produce in the first 27 games, where he's averaged 22.4 points on 57.2 percent shooting with 6.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 28.7 minutes per contest, the price of his rare cards will likely only continue to grow.
Zion Williamson Says He 'Wasn't Too Gassed' by End of Pelicans' Loss to Heat
Dec 25, 2020
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) goest the basket past Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 25, 2020, in Miami. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
"We didn't feel too gassed," Williamson said. "Coach really, when he gives us a break he gives it to us at the right point, and we always come in fresh. ... I know that I wasn't too gassed at the end."
The second-year player was impressive with 32 points and 14 rebounds:
Brandon Ingram added 28 points in 37 minutes while all five starters played at least 33 minutes in the 111-98 loss.
The playing time is a major story for Williamson, who was brought along slowly during his rookie season while overcoming a knee injury.
He averaged 27.8 minutes per game in 2019-20 with a high of 35 minutes, which came in an overtime loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
With a limited preseason, it wouldn't be surprising to see players across the NBA ease into the season with smaller workloads. The Pelicans and new head coach Stan Van Gundy don't seem to be worried about the playing time early in the season.
It could lead to big numbers for Williamson, who averaged 29.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per 36 minutes last season.
If he can handle the added playing time and remain efficient on both ends, the 20-year-old could be one of the most productive players in the NBA this season.
Heat Beat Zion Williamson, Pelicans as Duncan Robinson Sets Christmas Record
Dec 25, 2020
New Orleans Pelicans guard Eric Bledsoe (5) dribbles against Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic (7) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 25, 2020, in Miami. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
The reigning Eastern Conference champions are in the win column for the 2020-21 season.
The Miami Heat defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 111-98 on Friday at AmericanAirlines Arena and improved to 1-1 on the campaign. Duncan Robinson, Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic led the way for the victors, who bounced back from a season-opening loss to the Orlando Magic.
New Orleans fell to 1-1 despite a solid showing from Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson and was unable to build on its opening win over the Toronto Raptors.
Sometimes an NBA team only goes as far as its superstar will take it.
The Heat are not one of those teams.
Jimmy Butler scored just four points in the first half, but Miami still built a commanding advantage behind red-hot shooting from the supporting cast. The home team drilled 13 three-pointers in the first half alone, while Robinson connected on six by himself. Both were Christmas Day records for a half.
Throw in Meyers Leonard's perimeter shooting, Andre Iguodala and Dragic providing an immediate spark off the bench, and Adebayo serving as a matchup problem for the Pelicans' frontcourt with his versatility, and it was no wonder the Heat expanded their lead to as many as 23 points in the first half.
The @MiamiHEAT made 13 threes in the 1st half, the most 3-pt FG in a half on Christmas Day in NBA history.
Duncan Robinson made 6, most in a half on Christmas, and 1 shy of the Christmas Day record (Brandon Ingram). pic.twitter.com/3cBSxFIubo
Their first real setback came when Butler was ruled out for the second half withankle stiffness.
Suddenly, New Orleans could focus more attention on the supporting cast that saw nothing but open shots in the early going and played its way right back into the game as Miami cooled off some and dealt with turnover issues.
However, there was simply too much firepower all over the floor for Miami, as Dragic, Tyler Herro and even Avery Bradley scored key baskets down the stretch. Sixplayers in all finished in double figures, underscoring just how deep the defending Eastern Conference champions can be on a nightly basis.
Strong Showings from Zion, Ingram Not Enough for Pelicans
While Williamson generates most of the headlines for the Pelicans, Ingram is the one coming off an All-Star season and an opener that saw him fall a rebound shy of a triple-double.
This is his fifth season, and he will be among the league's best talents if he continues on his current path of progression, especially with a player like Williamson drawing defensive attention down low and creating openings on the perimeter and in the lane.
The Pelicans offense quickly turned into a two-man show.
Zion Williamson (24 points and counting) already has the 3rd-most points on Christmas by a player age 20 or younger, behind LeBron James (34 in 2003) and Andrew Bynum (28 in 2007). pic.twitter.com/tv9yLANmW9
Ingram's ability to hit from the outside all while gliding through the defense to get to the free-throw line helped keep the offense afloat. Williamson also overpowered Miami's bigs on multiple occasions, who couldn't do much more than foul the Duke product as they attempted to prevent him from taking over.
That combination alone was enough for the visitors to gradually chip away at Miami's massive advantage, and Ingram's runner in the lane, and-1 finish and contested three-pointer in the final minutes of the third quarter cut the lead to single digits heading into the fourth.
Still, the pair did not have enough help to fully climb out of the hole they fell into, as Josh Hart was the only other Pelican to score more than eight points.
What's Next?
Both teams are home for their next game when the Pelicans host the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday and the Heat face the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday.
We know the main reason we'll all be cemented to our couches on Christmas Day: The NBA is back! Even if the layoff between the conclusion of the 2020 Finals and the start of this ...
Pelicans' Zion Williamson's Unique Traits Make Him a Challenge to Coach, HC Says
Dec 23, 2020
New Orleans Pelican's Zion Williamson warms up for the team's NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP)
Heading into his first season as head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans, Stan Van Gundy opened up about what makes Zion Williamson a unique challenge to coach.
Speaking to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, Van Gundy explained why his star player's diverse skill set makes his job as the coach a little more difficult:
"The only problems actually coaching him is, No. 1, he's a unique player. So a lot of times as coaches, or at least me, I'm not necessarily the most innovative guy, or somebody who is going to come up with some great idea. I'll look at a roster and say, 'All right, let's look at what other teams have done with similar players.' There aren't many guys similar to Zion to look at, and say, 'OK, how do you play Zion with another big, who is not a straight shooter? Let's look at …' Who plays like that? So that's hard with him."
Williamson entered the NBA with as much pressure as any rookie since LeBron James joined the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003.
He was the most famous college basketball player in the country during his one year at Duke, was an easy choice for the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA draft and had to replace Anthony Davis as the face of Pelicans basketball.
Things didn't work out the way Williamson or the Pelicans hoped last season. The 20-year-old didn't even make his first appearance until Jan. 22 after undergoing knee surgery in October. The 24 games he did play in were often thrilling, as he averaged 22.5 points and 6.3 rebounds.
The Pelicans hired Van Gundy in October to replace Alvin Gentry with the hope that he can fully unlock Williamson's skills in his second season.
New Orleans has a talented roster around Williamson, led by All-Star Brandon Ingram, and could make a playoff push in the Western Conference.
Fans will get their first taste of what the 2020-21 Pelicans look like on Wednesday against the Toronto Raptors.
Pelicans' Zion Williamson: Lonzo Ball 'A Lot More Comfortable' Entering 2020-21
Dec 22, 2020
New Orleans Pelicans' Lonzo Ball (2) makes his way down the court during an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies Monday, Aug. 3, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, Pool)
With a day to go before the New Orleans Pelicans tip off their season against the Toronto Raptors, star Zion Williamson spoke to the improvements his teammate Lonzo Ball made this offseason, his first since joining the Pelicans.
"He's just a lot more comfortable," Williamson said. "He had an offseason to fine tune the things he wanted to work on and I think just him being comfortable, a lot more comfortable, his game really increased from that."
Ball averaged just 5.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists in six games as the Pelicans crash-landed in the NBA restart.
Through 63 games for the Pelicans last season, Ball added 11.8 points on 40.3 percent shooting, with 7.0 assists, 6.1 rebounds, 1.4 steals through 32.1 minutes played.
He showed bright spots of what may come this season—his fourth in the league after spending the first two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, who drafted him out of UCLA with the No. 2 pick in 2017—throughout the preseason.
Against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, Ball added eight of his 19 points in the first quarter, with eight assists, five rebounds and two steals through 34 minutes as New Orleans earned the 127-113 win. He shot 50 percent from three (3-of-6) while going 7-of-11 from the field.
He added 12 points, six assists and four rebounds in 31 minutes against the Miami Heat in the Pelicans' preseason opener.
"This was my first off-season [that] I got to work on some things," Ball said after the game, perJacob Rudeof LonzoWire. "I slowed down and get to my strengths and just worked on my game and I think it’s going to show this year."
Ball will get a chance to highlight more of what he worked on throughout the offseason when the Pelicans travel to face the relocated Toronto Raptors at Tampa Bay's Amalie Arena on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
Windhorst: Zion Williamson Has Lost 'In Excess of 25 Pounds' Since NBA Bubble
Dec 18, 2020
Miami Heat forward Bam Adebayo (13) looks for a teammate past New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game, Monday, Dec. 14, 2020, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
The second-year Duke product dropped 25 pounds since his team was eliminated from the NBA bubble, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported, and that could make for a big development in his game.
"I was told that Zion, and I don't think they really wanted to publicize where he was physically when he came back to the bubble, but I have heard that it's in excess of 25 pounds that he's lost from where he was in the bubble to where he is now,"Windhorst said on his podcast (h/t Real GM). "He is not as svelte by any stretch of the imagination, but he definitely is moving better."
The Pelicans list the forward at 284 pounds, which means he could begin the season as slim as 260 pounds.
New Orleans can hope the weight loss helps keep its franchise player healthy.
Williamson appeared in just 24 games last year after suffering a tear in his meniscus during the preseason. Even when he returned to the court, the Pelicans kept him on a minutes restriction and tried to do what they could to preserve their rookie.
In his second season, they're hoping that plan paid off, and if Monday's preseason opener against the Miami Heat is any indication, that may very well be the case.
Williamson went off for 26 points, 11 rebounds and two assists in 33 minutes against Miami while hitting 8-of-13 field goals.
In his slimmed down form, those nights could become more common than not.
