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Hello! If you’re looking for a list of the best Zion Williamson rookie basketball cards, then you’ve come to the right place.
Zion Williamson is one of the best young players in the NBA today and his rookie cards are some of the best in the basketball world.
He's an exciting player to watch as Zion himself is an incredible athlete, and his potential is absolutely off the charts.
As a result, Zion's rookie cards are highly coveted by collectors.
2019-20 was a wild time in the world of sports card collecting and investing as we saw a major resurgence in interest in the hobby.
Because of that, manufactures like Panini printed a lot more rookie card variations which made navigating the space a lot more difficult for new investors.
Lucky for you, the experts here at Sports Card Sharks were kind enough to compile this list of what we feel are the best Zion rookie cards on the market, in hopes of making your life a little easier.
We certainly hope you enjoy our list and if you're lucky enough to own a Zion Williamson rookie card, you have a true treasure on your hands.
FAQs
The rookie cards we select for our lists are judged based on 3 criteria:
- Design / Aesthetics
- Price
- Rarity
At Sports Card Sharks, we tend to go against the grain. We typically aren’t buying what everyone else is buying when everyone else is buying it, so if you’re moving with the masses this may not be the right list for you. Adios!
Our Founder is an 80's baby that grew up in the 90's collecting sports cards during the junk wax era.
While card collecting when on hiatus for a couple of decades, that passion was re-sparked in 2020 and we haven't looked back since.
We spend countless hours researching each player and constructing these posts to help you save time and energy so that you can focus on the fun part which is collecting!
Why We Love Zion Williamson
The expectations of Zion Williamson are immense.
He has more hype surrounding him than any other player since LeBron James and he is undoubtably a force to be reckoned with. Many consider him to be a modern-day Charles Barkley given his bully-ball style of play.
Zion is surprisingly quick for his size and his 2nd jump is unmatched in the NBA.
He shoots an incredibly high percentage from the field (currently 60% during the 2020-21 season) and has a nose for rebounding the ball.
Do we think he'll be the next LeBron? No. But that doesn't mean Zion isn't full of talent and will likely be a face of the league for years to come.
And now...on to the list.
Our List of the Top Zion Williamson Rookie Basketball Cards
1. 2019-20 Zion Williamson Panini One And One Rookie Card #107
In our opinion, the Panini One and One product was far and away the NBA basketball card product of the year.
Nearly every card in this set is a short print so we love the rarity aspect of this product.
The imagery on this card is simply spectacular. You get a great snapshot of Zion’s athleticism and you can’t help but love the way he hangs and floats through the air.
These One and One cards are tough to find and you’ll pay a pretty penny, but if Zion lives up to his potential, these will skyrocket in value and will be highly sought after by any collector.
Also Check Out: Best Michael Jordan Cards of All-Time
2. 2019-20 Zion Williamson Crown Royale KABOOM Rookie Card #18
The Kaboom inserts from the Panini Crown Royale sets have blown up in popularity in recent years and the additions of Zion Williamson and Ja Morant in 2019-20 took it to the next level.
The graphics on these cards are incredible and we love how the Zion card showcases his aggressive style and brute strength..
Also Check Out: Robert Williams III
3. 2019-20 Zion Williamson Panini Court Kings Mount Zion Rookie Card
Zion Williamson has so much hype around him that Panini literally decided to give him his own insert in this year's Court Kings set.
We don't always recommend investing in inserts, but when we do...it's Zion Williamson.
Also Check Out: Kyle Lowry
4. 2019-20 Zion Williamson Clearly Donruss Rookie Special Rookie Card
Look at that chain! Is that not the most baller thing of all time? We want that chain almost as bad as you’re going to want to own this card.
We were actually surprised by how much we liked the Donruss Clearly set and this short print variation sure made it fun to rip and chase.
Be warned, if you're buying raw, these cards are an extremely tough grade.
Also Check Out: Grant Williams
5. 2019-20 Zion Williamson Panini Spectra Color Blast Rookie Card
Color Blast. Color Blast. Color Blast.
These cards are so clean and so beautiful. If minimalism is your thing then we highly recommend that you try to get your hands on this card.
The price on this baby is astronomical, but if you can afford it, the print runs on this gem are so low that you'll be in rare company if you own this Zion card.
Also Check Out: Evan Mobley
6. 2019-20 Zion Williamson Panini One And One Downtown Rookie Card
Another One and One card makes the list. This set is just so killer.
The Downtown series has made an appearance in various sets over the years and has always been highly sought-after.
We believe the price is a bit overinflated as of this writing, but it's a cool card nonetheless.
Also Check Out: Scottie Barnes
7. 2019-20 Zion Williamson Crown Royale Rookie Auto Rookie Card
The Crown Royale set is low key underrated.
There is something about that crown that really suits Zion Williamson and makes every player feel like royalty.
Can Zion take the throne from the likes of MJ, LeBron & Kobe???
Also Check Out: Cade Cunningham
8. 2019-20 Zion Williamson Panini Prizm Silver Rookie Card #248
Alright, alright. We know we said that we don’t collect what everyone else is collecting but Panini’s Silver Prizm is simply undeniable.
Any true Zion Williamson fan and collector needs to own a Silver Prizm before their collection can actually be considered complete.
Also Check Out: Desmond Bane
9. 2019-20 Zion Williamson Panini Noir Sneaker Spotlight Rookie Card
Is it the shoes??? Yes, yes it is.
The best thing about this Zion card is that it can be enjoyed by card collectors and sneaker-heads alike.
We're always into cards that cross different genres as it tends to increase the demand.
Also Check Out: Bam Adebayo
10. 2019-20 Zion Williamson Revolution Sunburst Rookie Card #101
Another underrated card in the Zion rookie collection.
The under-the-leg dunk shot is a top-notch use of photography by Panini
We personally like the Sunburst but this Revolution card comes in a variety of parallel patterns so go ahead and pick your favorite.
Also Check Out: Tyrese Maxey
11. 2019-20 Zion Williamson Court Kings Blank Slate Rookie Card
Another minimalist card makes our list with the Panini Court Kings Blank Slate.
We don't own this Zion at the moment but my god do we want it???
Also Check Out: Jaylen Brown
12. 2019-20 Zion Williamson Panini Impeccable Auto Rookie Card #108
We always seem to love cards that use double imagery of players and this Zion rookie from the Impeccable set is no different.
This card also features an on-card autograph making it superior to many of the other Zion stick autos out there.
Also Check Out: Jalen Brunson
13. 2019-20 Zion Williamson NBA Hoops Art Signatures Zion & Ja Morant Rookie Card
The cream of the crop from the 2019-20 draft class together on one card.
This card is incredibly rare and you’ll be hard-pressed to find one for yourself.
Also Check Out: Tyler Herro
14. 2019-20 Zion Williamson Select Silver Prizm Courtside Rookie Card #297
We don’t think many new collectors realize just how short the print runs are on the Select Courtside cards.
It is much more difficult to find these than say the Prizm Silver we listed above.
Click the link below and find out for yourself.
Also Check Out: Deandre Ayton
15. 2019-20 Zion Williamson Chronicles Basketball Gala Rookie Card
The Gala inserts are ultra rare with a print run of only /8.
This card features the same windmill style dunk image that we saw on the Panini One and One rookie card but it is also coupled by a second smiling headshot of Zion.
This Zion card is a winner in our book.
Also Check Out: Jaren Jackson Jr
16. 2019-20 Zion Williamson Panini Mosaic Genesis Prizm Rookie Card #209
The Mosaic set release was one of the biggest surprises of the 2019-20 NBA season. For the first time in a while, the Optic series was given a run for its money.
The Genesis parallels were some of the most rare cards in the series and we love the design from Panini.
Also Check Out: Klay Thompson
17. 2019-20 Zion Williamson Panini Donruss Optic Holo Rookie Card
If you’re a real collector then you know that the Optic Holo’s are a classic.
Panini kinda did Zion dirty with some of the poses they decided to go with on his cards this year but a Holo is a Holo and a must-have for any Zion investor.
Also Check Out: DeMar DeRozan
18. 2019-20 Zion Williamson Panini Donruss Net Marvels Rookie Card
We love how the Donruss Net Marvels series mixes the comic book world with the sports card world.
Much like the Sneaker Spotlight from above, we love how this card appeals to both comic book collectors and sports card collectors alike.
The POP reports for PSA 10's are incredibly low. Panini really had trouble with the centering on these, so if you can find one, definitely scoop it up!
Also Check Out: Jordan Poole
19. 2019-20 Zion Williamson Crown Royale Rookie Royalty Die-Cut Rookie Card
Zion sitting on the throne. It just looks right, doesn't it?
The Die Cut really gives this card a unique look and feel and we're all about that.
Also Check Out: Chris Paul
20. 2019-20 Zion Williamson Panini Chronicles Luminance Rookie Card
Finally...a Zion card that won't break the bank.
While it's a low-end Zion rookie for certain, the 2019-20 Chronicles Luminance set has made a few of our lists so far this year.
This one is definitely a no-brainer.
Also Check Out: Nikola Jokic
21. 2019-20 Zion Williamson Panini Court Kings Level 3 Rookie Card
Show them the city you represent Zion! We’re obsessed with the jersey-pop image on this card.
Another word to the wise... we've submitted a few of these for grading and they've all come back 9's.
Maybe it's us? Maybe PSA are just being jerks? Either way, it's a tough one to grade.
Also Check Out: James Harden
22. 2019-20 Zion Williamson Spectra Silver Rookie Card
The Spectra set was another one of our favorites of the season.
While this Zion isn't flashy, the card stock is super high quality and there was far less issues with bubbling and dimples, unlike the Mosaic set.
Also Check Out: Jimmy Butler
23. 2019-20 Zion Williamson Panini Court Kings Aurora Rookie Card
Honestly, this card really shouldn't be buried this deep on the list but it is and if you made it this far, thank you so much for reading.
These Aurora inserts are SUPER rare and totally badass.
The only downside to the Court Kings Aurora inserts are that the corners and edges often have issues so pay close attention when seeking this card out.
Also Check Out: Jayson Tatum
Affiliate Disclaimer: The links in the article contain affiliate links and we receive a small commission for any purchase made on eBay. We appreciate your support!
Financial Disclaimer: If you're investing in sports cards as an alternative investment, please do your own research and do so at your own risk. We are not financial advisors and this is not financial advice.
About the Author:
Trevor Weitzel is the founder of Sports Card Sharks. His pro sports teams are the Timberwolves, Vikings and Twins (which is rough). If we’re talking college then we’re only talking the University of Arizona Wildcats – BEAR DOWN! He is also an avid reseller, crypto enthusiast, and digital marketer.