If you’re looking for top NBA rookie cards to collect, look no further than Nikola Jokic. A four-time NBA All-Star, Jokic has been named to the All-NBA Team on four occasions, and won the Most Valuable Player Award for the 2020–21 and 2021–22 seasons.
Of course, that has led to a significant price increase for his rarest RCs in recent years.
Here’s a rundown with 10 of the best Nikola Jokic rookie cards to collect, factoring in for everything from values to rarity.
The Best Nikola Jokic Rookie Cards
Jokic’s first NBA rookie cards were released in 2015-16 sets, despite being selected by the Nuggets in the second round of the 2014 NBA draft. In total, there are 21 base Jokic RCs to chase. (It’s not the largest number, as Jokic was left out of many sets due to his low draft placement.)
10. 2015-16 Limited Nikola Jokic RC #199 /80 (eBay)
As the name implies, 2015-16 Limited contains a rare Nikola Jokic rookie card which has a print run of only 80 copies. This is instantly going to make it one of the rarer options to make the list, and it can be difficult to locate on sites like eBay. However, the lack of an auto, a patch, or much brand recognition means that it’s still affordable despite the scarce availability.
- Parallels: Silver Spotlight #/49, Gold Spotlight #/25, Platinum Spotlight 1/1
9. 2015-16 Select Nikola Jokic RC #128 (eBay)
2015-16 Panini Select Basketball is up next, specifically the Courtside RC. (The 100-card base set is broken into three subsets, each with a different design and rarity. Concourse comes in at three per pack, with more limited versions in the form of Premier Level (10 per box) and Courtside (1:6 packs).
Featuring Die-Cut parallels, it’s one of the stronger options when looking at Jokic’s unsigned RCs.
- Parallels: Prizms Silver, Prizms Tri Color, Prizms Light Blue Die-Cut (/199), Prizms Purple Die-Cut (/99), Prizms Tie-Dye (/25), Prizms Gold (/10), Prizms Green (/5), Prizms Black (1/1)
8. 2015-16 Panini Noir Nikola Jokic Rookie Card #95 /99 (eBay)
2015-16 Panini Noir contains an eye-catching Jokic rookie card which is limited to only 99 copies. The black background is a given considering the set, but it also leads to difficulties when sending copies off for grading due to the corners and the edges. There’s also a Platinum parallel which has a print run of 10.
- Parallels: Platinum (/10)
7. 2015-16 Panini Spectra Nikola Jokic RC Auto Jersey #122 (eBay)
2025-16 Panini Spectra is where you’ll find one of the few jersey auto RCs featuring Nikola Jokic. It’s a stickered autograph, the patch is small, and the design is busy, but it’s still one of the more impressive Jokic rookie cards overall.
Of course, it’s nowhere near as impressive as the Immaculate Collection RPA seen below, but it’s still likely to sell for at least four figures when graded.
- Parallels: Orange (/25), Gold (/10), Black (1/1)
6. 2015-16 Panini Gala Nikola Jokic Rookie Card #126 /8 (eBay)
Panini Gala makes the list thanks to one of the rarest cards on the list, without accounting for parallels. With a tiny print run of 8, it’s going to be tough to locate on the market. It might lack a signature, but it does benefit from a crisp design that is going to be particularly susceptible to damage.
It features two images of Jokic, with the serial number found on the lower left corner.
5. 2015-16 Panini Prizm Nikola Jokic Rookie Card #335 (eBay)
2015-16 Panini Prizm is up next, with the flagship set packed full of parallels featuring Jokic in a simple action shot. It uses a traditional Prizm design, with a flakey chrome background which is easily damaged.
It might have been released back in 2015-16, but there’s still a rainbow of color parallels to chase. (Perhaps not as many as 2022 sets, but it’s still the place to look for rare Prizms.
- Parallels: Prizms Flash, Prizms Green, Prizms Orange Wave, Prizms Red/White/Blue, Prizms Silver, Prizms White Sparkle, Prizms Ruby Wave (/350), Prizms Light Blue (/199), Prizms Purple (/99), Prizms Orange (/60), Prizms Mojo (/25), Prizms Gold (/10), Prizms Black (1/1)
4. 2015-16 Panini Preferred Nikola Jokic RC Auto Jersey #25 /99 (eBay)
Panini Preferred might not be the best known set, but there’s no denying that it ticks most of the boxes if you’re looking for a premium RC. There’s a patch and an on-card auto, while it uses the Crown Royale insignia at the top.
The outline of Jokic over the patch makes for a memorable design, while it’s limited to 99 copies, along with a sole parallel.
- Parallels: Prime #/25
3. 2015-16 Panini Flawless Nikola Jokic RC #145 /20 (eBay)
2018-19 Panini Flawless contains a range of high-end hits, including this Nikola Jokic rookie card with a print run of just 20.
Flawless is positioned at the peak of the high-end basketball market, so it’s one of the more expensive options to make the list. Parallels change the color of the chrome, and are based on rare minerals. Make no mistake, cards from this set can easily sell for five figures when graded.
- Parallels: Ruby (/15), Sapphire (/10), Emerald (/5), Platinum (1/1)
2. 2015-16 Panini National Treasures Nikola Jokic RC Autograph #152 /99 (eBay)
National Treasures tends to be the best place to look for rookie card releases from a modern NBA season. Narrowly missing out on the top spot on this list, Jokic’s National Treasures RC does lack a patch, but it does have a large on-card auto, as well as strong brand recognition. (Annoyingly, Jokic is included in the Rookie Material subset which does have a patch, but no signature.)
This signed Jokic RC auto is always going to be a popular choice with collectors.
- Parallels: Silver (/25), Gold (/10), Emerald (/5), Platinum (1/1)
Check prices of 2015-16 Panini National Treasures Nikola Jokic RC on eBay
1. 2015-16 Immaculate Collection Nikola Jokic RC Auto Patch #133 /99 (eBay)
The premium 2015-16 Panini Immaculate Basketball collection is where we’re heading next; more specifically the Rookie Patch Autographs subset.
This Nikola Jokic RC is limited to only 99 copies, and includes a trio of rare parallels. If you hadn’t guessed, it tends to be one of the most valuable cards from Jokic’s rookie season, thanks to the combination of a patch and a large on-card auto.
With a lack of serious contenders, this has to be seen as the most important Jokic RC overall. It was also skipped for the parallels from the Rookie Patch Autographs subset, so there’s only one card to chase.
- Parallels: Logoman 1/1
Check prices of 2015-16 Immaculate Collection Nikola Jokic RC on eBay
Nikola Jokic Rookie Cards: Buyers Guide
We’ve put together a buyer’s guide if you’re interested in adding a rare Nikola Jokic RC to your personal collection.
We’d look to the numbered cards higher up on this list if you’d like to stick with more affordable options. There aren’t many RPAs or signed cards, which has driven up values over the past few years.
We’d opt for the Immaculate Collection RC with an unlimited budget. It has the best brand awareness, and comes with a handful of rare parallels which are worth mega money. Then there’s the fact that it comes with a large patch, and an on-card auto.
Check prices of 2015-16 Immaculate Collection Nikola Jokic RC on eBay
Nikola Jokic Rookie Cards: Final Thoughts
With back to back MVP selections, there’s always going to be a lot of attention paid to the best Nikola Jokic rookie cards on the market. They look to be some of the safer NBA investment options, although that’s reflected in the asking price.
Jokic was also boosted by a career-high scoring average of 27.1 points per game last season, and is undoubtedly one of the most fun players in the league to watch. Values for his best RCs are high, but will they be seen as bargains a decade from now?