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Top 5 Most Valuable Oklahoma City Thunder Basketball Cards of All Time

November 8, 2023
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The Oklahoma City Thunder exploded onto the NBA scene in 2008 after relocating from Seattle. With superstars like Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden, the Thunder quickly became one of the most exciting teams in basketball. Their rookie cards are highly coveted by collectors looking to invest in the NBA's future legends. Let's count down the top 5 most valuable Oklahoma City Thunder basketball cards of all time.

#5 - 2009 James Harden Rookie Card

"The Beard"James Harden was drafted 3rd overall by the Thunder in 2009. His RC from that year's Topps Chrome Basketball set has grabbed collector's attention. Graded mint copies of his refractor parallel routinely sell for $150-$300.

  • 2009-10 Topps Chrome James Harden RC #101
  • Also available in Refractor, X-Fractor, Orange Refractor, and other parallels
  • Raw mint copies sell for around $20
  • PSA 10 Gem Mint copies top $300

Harden showed flashes of brilliance in OKC before being traded to Houston in 2012. He's since become an MVP and one of the NBA's most unstoppable scorers. Collectors hope Harden's rookie will continue to climb as his feats keep piling up.

#4 - 2008 Russell Westbrook Rookie Card

Russell Westbrook, the #4 overall pick in 2008, is the Thunder's fiery leader. He'll go down as one of the most athletic point guards ever. Westbrook's top rookie comes from 2008-09 Exquisite Collection Basketball.

  • 2008-09 Exquisite Collection Russell Westbrook RC #64 (jersey #/199)
  • On-card autograph versions also available
  • Very tough to find raw copies in clean condition
  • PSA 10s auction for $400+

Buying Westbrook's Exquisite rookie is the basketball card equivalent of investing in blue chip stocks. There's extremely limited supply and massive long-term upside. This is a premier basketball card that collectors are stashing away in droves.

#3 - 2009 James Harden National Treasures Rookie Patch Auto

The #3 slot goes to a super-rare James Harden RPAM rookie card limited to just 99 copies. It's from 2009-10 National Treasures Basketball, one of the most prestigious NBA sets ever made.

  • 2009-10 National Treasures James Harden RC #206 (patch/auto #/99)
  • Extremely limited print run of only 99 cards
  • One sold for $5,200 at auction in January 2022
  • Raw NM copies tend to sell for $2,000-$3,000

With Harden's rise to superstardom, these limited rookie patch autographs have become blue chip investments. Finding one for sale is the real challenge, as most collectors refuse to part with their copies.

#2 - 2009 Blake Griffin Exquisite Collection Rookie Auto Patch

Before injuries derailed his career, Blake Griffin was set to become the Thunder's next star big man. Blake's top rookie is found in 2009-10 Exquisite Basketball.

  • 2009-10 Exquisite Collection Blake Griffin RC #31 (patch/auto #/99)
  • Very tough to find, especially in top condition
  • Auctions for $2,500-$3,500 or more if graded PSA 10
  • Blake's dunking ability led to massive hype

After being selected #1 in 2009, Blake missed his entire rookie season with the Los Angeles Clippers due to a knee injury. That kept print runs very low on his key early cards. Today, pristine copies of Griffin's Exquisite rookie patch auto remain in huge demand.

#1 - 2009 Kevin Durant Exquisite Collection Rookie Patch Auto #/99

The undisputed most valuable Oklahoma City Thunder card is Kevin Durant's true rookie patch autograph from 2009-10 Exquisite Collection basketball.

  • 2009-10 Exquisite Kevin Durant RC #21 (patch/auto #/99)
  • KD's ultra rare, low-numbered rookie card
  • Pop 1 in PSA 10, last sold for $14,100
  • Raw mint copies trade for $5,000+

Kevin Durant is the greatest player in Thunder franchise history. After winning four scoring titles in OKC, he bounced to Golden State and won two more rings. KD's Exquisite RPA is the basketball card equivalent of a Honus Wagner T206. There's hardly any on Earth in pristine condition. This card is a must-own for any diehard Thunder fan or basketball card investor.

And that does it - our picks for the top 5 most valuable Oklahoma City Thunder basketball rookie cards of all-time. Kevin Durant and James Harden highlights most of the list, as expected. Let's see if any current young Thunder players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Josh Giddey emerge in the coming years to join the ranks of elite Thunder cards!