Who says trading cards today no longer have value? According to Matias Grez of CNN on Monday, LeBron James’ rookie card sold for $1.845 million through the New Jersey auction company, Goldin Auctions.
The initial bid for the rookie card was $150,000. The card is recognized for its strong quality, as it was given a grade of 9.5 for its mint gem condition grading. There were 34 bids for the card in a span of 26 days. The card has a picture of LeBron James wearing a headband, and wearing the Cavaliers’ home jersey with number 23. He is also holding the basketball with his right hand. It should also be pointed out that there are only 23 of these cards in existence.
James had his rookie season with the Cleveland Cavailers in 2003-04. In 79 games, he averaged 20.9 points per game, 5.9 assists per game, 5.5 rebounds per game, and 1.6 steals per game. He had a shooting percentage of .417, free throw percentage of .754, and three-point percentage of .290.
James became only the third rookie ever to average 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists per game. The first two were Oscar Robertson of the Cincinnati Royals in 1960, Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls in 1984. The accomplishments have since been achieved by Tyreke Evans of the Sacramento Kings in 2009, and Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks in 2018.
James’s best game in his rookie season came on March 27, 2004, as he had a season-high in points (41), and assists (13). The Cavaliers defeated the New Jersey Nets 107-104. Also that season James had 12 double doubles. At the end of the 2003-04 season, James became the first Cavaliers player in franchise history to be named NBA Rookie of the Year.
It should be noted that James entered the NBA with an unbelievable amount of hype. He was selected first overall by the Cavaliers in the 2003 NBA Draft out of St. Vincent-St. Mary’s High School in Akron, Ohio. Even though the Cavaliers missed the playoffs that season with a record of 35 wins and 47 losses, James went on to play 152 postseason games for Cleveland and help the Cavaliers win their only NBA Finals championship in franchise history in 2016.
