Top 15 National Treasures Basketball Rookie Patch Autos
National Treasures Basketball Rookie Patch Autos are some of the most coveted rookie cards in the industry.
Collectors love them for their oversized (and often multi-color) patches, hard-signed signatures, and limited production. Therefore, a player’s National Treasures RPA often becomes their most sought-after rookie card.
So, as the 2024-25 edition of National Treasures becomes the 15th edition of the high-end offering, collectors will once again be on the lookout for the newest wave of RPAs.
The Best National Treasures Basketball Rookie Patch Autos
As NT Basketball turns 15 today, we are taking a look back at the 15 best National Treasures Rookie Patch Autos released since the product’s debut in 2009.
2009-10 National Treasures #206 Stephen Curry
When Playoff National Treasures debuted, collectors were excited about pulling Curry’s RPA, but the card did not carry the same prestige as it does today.
Curry developed into a championship-winning, record-breaking shooter over time, and each time he checked off another accomplishment, this card became more and more important to collectors. Now, some collectors would argue it is the most important National Treasures in existence, and the flurry of activity that surrounds any public auction for this card gives credence to anyone trying to make the case.
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2009-10 National Treasures #201 Blake Griffin
As the top overall selection in the 2009 NBA Draft, Griffin’s National Treasures RPA was the card to have when the product first hit hobby shops.
Injury robbed him of his first season, but Griffin came out firing the next year as Rookie of the Year. As he electrified fans with exciting dunks, this RPA maintained its place as a popular pick, and a look at it today fills many collectors with feelings of nostalgia.
- Search for 2009-10 National Treasures Blake Griffin rookies on eBay
2009-10 National Treasures #203 James Harden
Harden’s RPA is another card from the inaugural National Treasures set that took time to take off in popularity.
Despite his standing as the third overall draft pick, Harden ultimately filled the sixth man role on the Oklahoma City Thunder as Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook stole the headlines. After joining Houston for his fourth season, Harden became a perennial All-Star and later won three straight scoring titles to send this RPA to new heights.
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2012-13 National Treasures #114 Kawhi Leonard
Due to the 2011 NBA lockout, there were not many products released for the 2011-12 season, and rookies from the 2011 Draft – like Leonard – are prominently featured in 2012 products instead.
Even though it’s not from his rookie year, collectors look past the technicality and treat this as Leonard’s top rookie. Three years into his career, Leonard earned the NBA Finals MVP trophy, and he’s been a mainstay with collectors ever since.
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2012-13 National Treasures #151 Anthony Davis
The top overall pick in the 2012 Draft highlights the new rookie class in Panini’s first edition of National Treasures.
Some of the RPAs on the checklist – including Davis’ – have /199 examples instead of the traditional /99, but considering “The Brow’s” popularity, the expanded production might be a good thing.
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2013-14 National Treasures #130 Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Milwaukee Bucks banked on an unknown commodity when they selected “The Greek Freak” with the 15th pick of the 2013 Draft, and the franchise has been handsomely rewarded for their risk.
It took a few seasons, but ever since Antetokounmpo found his groove at age 22, he has been a MVP contender every year. Few players with more stature in the basketball card industry have a National Treasures RPA, making this issue arguably one of the three most important NT RPAs ever produced.
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2015-16 National Treasures #113 Devin Booker
Booker has been a consistent star since his rookie year, but his cards took off in popularity after he led the Suns into the 2021 NBA Finals.
He’s added two All-Star appearances and two All-NBA selections since, while also averaging better than 25 points per game. Unless he loses a step, his RPA will likely remain coveted by collectors.
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2017-18 Playoff National Treasures #103 Jayson Tatum
As a perennial All-Star, MVP contender, and first-team All-NBA selection, Tatum’s all-around game makes him popular with collectors.
Playing for a legacy franchise like the Celtics doesn’t hurt either. The classic Celtics green pops off his NT RPA, and his elegant, sweeping signature simply adds to the aesthetic.
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2018-19 National Treasures #127 Luka Dončić
Dončić’s 2018 National Treasures rookie is one of the most recognizable RPAs in the industry, as multiple parallel versions of his card have sold for more than $500,000 in the past. Some examples of the base RPA have also crept well into six-figure territory.
At age 26, there is reason to believe Dončić could have plenty of big years ahead, especially since he will be front and center with the Lakers. Even without a championship, Dončić remains one of the most dynamic players on the court and one of the most popular away from it.
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2018-19 National Treasures #121 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Another RPA that blasted off in value several years into a player’s career belongs to Gilgeous-Alexander.
SGA became an elite scorer in his fifth season, and now, he is the reigning scoring champion and regular-season and NBA Finals MVP. All of these accolades have come with the Oklahoma City Thunder, but his RPA features him with the Los Angeles Clippers, who traded him away after his rookie season.
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2018-19 National Treasures #132 Jalen Brunson
A second Mavericks player from the 2018 set is Brunson, who was a reliable player in Dallas but couldn’t reach his full potential.
As evidence, after moving to the New York Knicks in 2022, the former second-round pick garnered MVP votes. Two years later, he nearly drove New York into the NBA Finals. With that success and the prestige of leading the Knicks has come an increase of interest in his NT RPA.
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2019-20 National Treasures #108 Zion Williamson
If a single card could capture the attitude of basketball card collectors during the COVID-19 pandemic, Williamson’s National Treasures RPA would have to be a contender.
As the top pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, collectors gushed over Williamson’s generational talent, and as sports cards picked up steam during the pandemic, his NT RPA became a card every high-end collector wanted in their portfolio. Injuries have limited Williamson throughout his career, but when he is healthy, his electrifying play has shown the hype is justified.
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2019-20 National Treasures #118 Ja Morant
Another card boosted by the pandemic boom is Morant’s NT RPA.
Morant, taken one pick after Williamson, came into the league with big bursts of energy. His highlight-reel dunks are all the more impressive coming from a 6-foot-2 guard, and he quickly gained favor with collectors by winning Rookie of the Year honors. Many of the patches on his NT RPA features multiple shades of blue, which combines well with Panini’s design accents.
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2020-21 National Treasures #103 Tyrese Haliburton
Haliburton is another player who found success and renewed industry popularity after being cast off by his original team.
Now the face of the Indiana Pacers, Haliburton came into the league with the Sacramento Kings, who traded him away during his sophomore season. A solid scorer and expert passer, Haliburton doesn’t post the flashiest statistics, but after leading the Pacers into last year’s NBA Finals, it’s clear how much his presence matters.
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2020-21 National Treasures #111 Anthony Edwards
As the first overall pick in 2020, Edwards brought a gleaming smile and a penchant for scoring to the NBA.
In each of his first five seasons, Edwards has improved his scoring average, so the best may still be on the way. Like many other players, the colors of the patches found in most examples of his NT RPA bring together the design, especially considering his signature is also struck in blue ink.
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Bonus Pick: 2018-19 National Treasures #103 Trae Young
Young’s card also gained tons of popularity during the pandemic as the young guard rounded into All-Star form.
The bright colors of the Hawks uniform also help this card’s eye appeal, especially when examples have a multi-color patch.
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Bonus Pick: 2022-23 National Treasures #110 Paolo Banchero
Banchero only has three seasons to his credit, but the first overall pick from 2022 seems like he may be the real deal.
With a balanced game and a bright future, collectors have made his 2022 NT RPA the card to have from that set.
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