Welcome to Rookies Regraded — our series revisiting the draft classes that shaped the hobby. We’re looking back to see which players became stars, how their markets evolved, and whether their wax still holds up. Each installment breaks down the class, the key rookies, and today’s wax landscape to deliver one verdict: buy, rip, or skip.
So how does the 2019 NBA rookie crop stack up today? Let’s dig in.
Snapshot — What We Thought Then
In 2019, the hobby fixated on a draft class many viewed as top-heavy — with one generational prospect leading the way.
Zion Williamson entered the draft with hype we hadn’t seen since LeBron: elite explosiveness, impossible strength, and interior scoring that drew immediate comparisons to young Shaq. He was the easy number one pick.
Ja Morant was an electric point guard out of Murray state who came out of nowhere his sophomore year to become a top-three lock.
RJ Barrett was the “high-volume, high-floor” scoring wing — not flashy, but widely considered the safest bet to be a 20-PPG player.
Every other prospect in this class was considered a significant gamble. None bigger than Darius Garland, who only played five games in college due to injury but showed flashes akin to Kyrie Irving.
The Class in Retrospect
Coming into it’s seventh season, the 2019 class looks far different than its draft-night narrative. Here’s where the major names fall today.
Tier 1: Franchise Cornerstones & Hall of Fame Locks
Ja Morant
22.4 PPG • 4.7 REB • 7.4 AST
Rookie of the Year, 2021-22 Most Improved Player, 2x All Star, 1x All NBA
Silver Prizm RC (PSA 10): $233.80
Despite a down season and off the court issues, he’s still the face in Memphis.
Tier 2: Stars & High-End Contributors
Tyler Herro
19.4 PPG • 5.0 REB • 4.0 AST
2021-22 Sixth Man of the Year, 1x All Star
Silver Prizm RC (PSA 10): $41.60
Coby White
15.3 PPG • 3.6 REB • 3.9 AST
Silver Prizm RC (PSA 10): $40.80
Darius Garland
18.8 PPG • 2.7 REB • 6.7 AST • 1.2 STL
2x All Star
Silver Prizm RC (PSA 10): $39.80
Jordan Poole
16.9 PPG • 2.7 REB • 3.8 AST
1x NBA Champ
Silver Prizm RC (PSA 10): $29.20
RJ Barrett
18.9 PPG • 5.5 REB • 3.3 AST
Silver Prizm RC (PSA 10): $28.20
Tier 3: The Role Players & What Ifs
Zion Williamson
24.6 PPG • 6.6 REB • 4.3 AST • 1 STL
2x All Star
Silver Prizm RC (PSA 10): $282
If Zion were consistently available, we’d be discussing him as the clear Tier 1 player of this class.
Market Check
Here’s a quick breakdown of the main products you can find these players’ rookies with today’s pricing.
2019-20 Prizm Basketball
Hobby Box: $624.95
Mega Box: $89.95
Blaster Box: $54.95
Hanger Box: $48.95
2019-20 Donruss Optic Basketball
Hobby Box: $299.99
Mega Box: $59.95
Blaster Box: $44.95
Cello Pack: $18.75
2019-20 Donruss Basketball
Hobby Box: $364.95
Blaster Box: $69.95
Hanger Box: $49.95
Fat Pack: $12.50
*Prices via Blowout Cards as of 12/03/25
Hobby Report Card
Here’s how we’re feeling about 2019 NBA Cards in a nutshell.
Star Power: C+
The top-end talent is undeniable, but availability (Zion) and off-court concerns (Ja) cap long-term upside.
Depth: C-
Solid players, but minimal hobby excitement. Not a single Tier 2 Silver Prizm breaks $50.
Wax Prices: A
Very affordable from a dollar per card perspective. Especially retail boxes.
Buy, Rip, or Skip
Verdict: Rip — if you believe in Zion or Ja
If you think Zion can stay healthy or Ja can stabilize his career, then this is absolutely the opportunity to rip wax and try for something special.
Personally, we don’t see it happening for Zion. But even with this opinion the prices of the retail wax still look appealing.
Silver Prizms are common enough that a $55 blaster giving you a Zion/Ja shot still feels reasonable. It’s no different than buying a box of Topps Chrome today.
A name we’re watching in this class: Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
His career has been mid thus far, but he’s taken a giant leap to start this season. He’s probably more of a singles play, but we wouldn’t be disappointed right now if we pulled his cards in a break.
Our Takeaway
Generational talent isn’t a term used lightly, or at least it shouldn’t be. When a player doesn’t live up to that level of hype it can really tank the price of the product.
Like most years, the hobby often distills a class down to one player:
2017 NFL is Mahomes,
2018 MLB is Ohtani,
and 2019 NBA became Zion.
Zion’s volatility sunk prices more than the rest of the checklist deserved. But for collectors hunting value, that drop may have created an opportunity — at least for now.
Disclaimer: The content in The Hobby Wire is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Commentary, analysis, and opinions on sports cards, rookies, and the hobby are not financial, investment, or professional advice. Collectors should always do their own research before buying, selling, or trading cards. Market values are volatile and can change rapidly—past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
Unless specified, all pricing references are based on the Prizm/Refractor parallels of an athlete’s Chrome rookie card, with prices from alt.xyz & 130pt.com.
Any odds mentioned were derived from DraftKings Sportsbook.