On February 28, 2020, a rare 1/1 Luka Doncic rookie card (meaning it is the only one in existence) sold on the open market for a whopping $4.6 million. It was the most ever paid for a basketball card. 

Doncic, a two time all-star (Basetball-Reference.com), has proved to be one of the league’s top young talents, with many investors thinking that Doncic could be one of the best players in the NBA in just a few years— if not sooner. 

The tragedy of the card sale, however,  is that Panini’s prices for their most exclusive boxes will go up even more. 

After it has been nearly impossible for many fans of the hobby to get their hands on the newest basketball products, this sale will ensure the impossibility. Many people will need to spend hundreds of dollars in resale price to get their hands on the new basketball card releases.

This means that all of the children who loved opening sports cards, will be unable to continue opening packs, which is the saddest thing of all. 

While one could still purchase cards off of a resale site such as eBay, Mercari, and more, the feeling is not the same as opening up a pack and pulling a cool card yourself. 

After this card of Doncic, a young player only in his third year in the NBA, sold for such a high price tag, one can only imagine what price rare Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Michael Jordan cards will fetch. 

One thing is for certain, that although the sports card business is taking off, the joy of the hobby to young collectors may be long gone.