With the first pick in the 2019 NBA draft, the New Orleans Pelicans made the obvious choice in the form of Zion Williamson. 

However, it was Ja Morant who went on to claim Rookie of the Year honors when all was said and done. He made his first playoff appearance 12 months after, and 2021-22 saw his first All-Star selection.

Morant claimed to be one of the top five point guards, but he’s arguably now a top-five player. 

Here’s a roundup with a trio of the very best Ja Morant rookie cards, along with a guide if you’re interested in picking up a copy anytime soon. 

The Best Ja Morant Cards

The best Ja Morant cards were released during the 2019-20 season, coinciding with his NBA Rookie of the Year win. 

3. 2019-20 National Treasures Rookie Patch Autographs Ja Morant RC #118 (eBay)

Morant is included in the base Rookie Patch Autographs set found in the premium 2019-20 Panini National Treasures Basketball collection. 

However, we’re looking at the rare horizontal version, serial numbered to only 75 copies. You’ll also be able to find a sole Bronze parallel, limited to 49. The lack of parallels makes for a rarer piece, while the design allows for a bit more breathing space. 

Expect to pay a premium price if you manage to locate a graded copy. 

Parallels: Bronze #/49

2. 2019-20 Contenders Rookie Ticket Ja Morant RC #118 (eBay)

Panini Contenders is always a great collection to look out for the best Morant RCs, with few as popular as the Rookie Ticket contained within. 

The 2019-20 collection is no different, with a traditional design and an auto found at the bottom. 

As always, the Cracked Ice parallel is one of our top picks to look out for, offering a mix of rarity and affordability when compared to the normal tickets. 

• Ticket Parallels: Playoff #/99, The Finals #/49, Cracked Ice #/25, Championship 1/1, Printing Plates 1/1
• Premium Tickets: Base, Green Shimmer, Blue Shimmer FOTL #/20, Gold #/10, Gold Vinyl 1/1

1. 2019-20 Panini Prizm Ja Morant RC #249 (eBay)

Despite multiple high-end NBA releases over the course of the year, hardly any match up to the flagship 2019-20 Panini Prizm Basketball collection if you’re looking for the best RCs. 

One explanation is the strength of the brand, as well as a vast selection of Prizm parallels in every color imaginable. Some of the rarer copies match up to signed patches in terms of value and renown with collectors. 

It features a simple image of Morant as he dribbles with a basketball in hand. The parallels correspond with the border color. 

• Prizms Parallels: Silver, Green, Hyper, Red/White/Blue, White Sparkle, Red #/299, Blue #/199, Purple #/75, Orange #/49, Mojo #/25, Gold #/10, Black Gold #/5, Black 1/1
• Choice Parallels: Blue/Yellow/Green, Tiger Stripe, Red #/88, Green #/8, Nebula 1/1.
• Fast Break Parallels: Base, Blue #/175, Red #/125, Purple #/75, Pink #/50, Bronze #/20, Neon Green #/5
• Ice Parallels: Green, Orange, Pink, Red, Purple #/149, Blue #/99
• Puslar Parallels: Pink #/42, Purple #/35, Green #/25
• Wave Parallels: Purple, Ruby
• FOTL Shimmer Parallels: Blue, Green #/25, Gold #/10, Black 1/1

Ja Morant Cards: Buyers Guide 

Expect to enter a bidding war if you’re aiming to grab a rare copy of one of Morant’s rookie cards at auction. 

The ‘best’ basketball cards are often expensive. You should be able to pick up graded base parallels of the 2019-20 Panini Prizm RC at a more affordable price point. In any case, we’d stick with rookie cards, even if more recent options are cheaper. 

Unless you’re looking at the rarest one of one Prizm parallels, we’d probably look at the horizontal 2019-20 Panini National Treasures Basketball card. Then there are inserts like Color Blast, which have also proved to be popular with collectors and investors.   

Ja Morant Cards: Buying/Selling Advice

Anyone who focused on picking up Morant cards rather than Williamson RCs during their rookie season is likely to be reaping the benefits in the here and now. At the current time of writing, he has jumped his way up all the way to an average of 27.8 points a night. 

Morant has led the Grizzlies to a record of 43-21. The youngster has also come up as an MVP candidate with his dazzling displays this season.

In other words, it’s clear to see why Morant is regarded as one of the best investment options from the current crop of NBA players. Of course, they tend to be riskier than a tried and tested Hall of Famer like Michel Jordan. 

Check out more basketball card reviews!