Trae Young Rookie Cards: Best Sets and Parallels to Buy

One of the NBA’s top young stars, Trae Young mixes effortless scoring with highlight passes while leading the Atlanta Hawks. Young, along with Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic, has turned the 2018-2019 NBA Draft class into one of the most sought after in recent years.

With dozens of Trae Young rookie cards from the 2018 season, use the Sports Card Investor guide below to see the key cards we think you should be targeting. The guide is broken into tiers ranging from lower-end value options to high-end and the rarest and most exclusive sets.

VALUE ROOKIES:

The Value Tier Includes cards with high print runs or lower-quality cardstock. A good fit for new collectors or those on a limited budget.

NBA Hoops #250: A classic option for many collectors, the NBA Hoops release features players in their NBA jerseys for the first time. Shop now >

Donruss #198: Similar to the Optic set, Donruss has a clean look that is popular among collectors. Laser parallels are also popular and are sometimes numbered. Shop now >

Status #142: Base cards are in the same tier as Hoops and Donruss, though Status parallels are very popular and die-cuts are fantastic chase cards. Shop now >

Threads #143: Built around its jersey-designed cards, the Association, Icon and Statement image variations are fun to collect while the Dazzle parallel adds some serious pop. Shop now >

MOST POPULAR ROOKIES:

This tier includes cards from the most popular sets across both retail and hobby formats. Typically easy to buy or sell when needed. Parallels like Prizm Silver and Optic Holo are among the most popular variations.

Mosaic #93: Mosaic wasn’t a standard product until 2019-2020, but the 2018 version still featured the Mosaic parallel background that collectors have come to love. Shop now >

Optic #198: An upgraded version of Donruss with better cardstock and a chrome finish, Optic is one of the most popular sets and typically trails only Prizm in popularity. The Optic Holo is one of the more desirable parallels while other color variations are also popular. Shop now >

Prizm #78: The flagship rookie for most players, Prizm often carries a premium over most sets. The Prizm Silver is one of the most popular parallels thanks to a stunning chrome finish and a low print run. Cracked Ice parallels are also extremely popular. Shop now >

Select #45: A hobby-only product, Select is often lumped in with Optic and Prizm, though it should be noted it has lower print runs than both of those sets. Select features three levels of rookie cards as well as low-numbered parallels and die-cuts. Shop now >

MORE UNIQUE ROOKIES:

This tier Includes cards with lower print runs and cards from hobby-only products. Usually higher-quality cards than the Value or Popular Tiers, though not necessarily more popular or easier to buy or sell.

Crown Royale #81: Impressive die-cuts make this set incredibly unique, though some collectors pass on horizontal rookie cards when possible. The Kaboom! insert set is typically one of the most impressive in the hobby and is considered a case hit. Shop now >

Court Kings #127: Built around its stunning artwork, Court Kings features four levels of rookie cards that provide a solid chase for collectors. An impressive lineup of inserts also features the extremely rare Aurora insert. Shop now >

Revolution #150: Arguably the most unique set, Revolution has wacky backgrounds that aren’t for everyone. A strong lineup of parallels like Astro, Groove, and Impact join the ultra-rare Galactic for collectors looking to chase different variations. Shop now >

RAREST AND MOST EXCLUSIVE:

We won’t spend much time here because this category is likely out of reach for most collectors due to price, but they are still fun to look at.

Sets like Flawless, Immaculate, Impeccable and National Treasures typically feature visually stunning artwork and low-numbered cards.

This is also where you’ll find Panini’s most impressive patches paired with high-quality on-card autographs. Don’t worry if this tier is too pricey as there’s plenty of options in other categories that could be perfect for your collection.

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