Donovan Mitchell is 26 years old and put up 28.3 points per game last year. Undoubtedly, the 4-time All-Star is no one of the elite scorers in the league. One thing we all love about the Cavs star is the ease with which he buries the ball in the net. It never seems forced. There is a vivacious natural quality to every move.
But we cannot ignore the doubts surrounding Mitchell. What fans are asking now is, what kind of superstar is Donovan Mitchell? The type that you can build a championship team around? Or is he a kind of new Carmelo Anthony? As in, a remarkable points generator who hogs the ball without improving the players around him? At this point, it could go either way.
If you believe Mitchell, also known as "Spida, " will develop into a title-winning MVP player, now is the time to invest in his basketball cards. Do it while there is still doubt on his development because once Donovan takes that next step, card value may be too high to make any real profits. There are certainly reasons to believe this is the more likely outcome. Donovan scores an incredible number of points, and the guard is also consistently among the top ten in assists. We have also seen his intensity on defense increase in 2022/23.
But then, in the playoffs, there was a great disappointment. The Knicks defeated the Cavs in the first round. And doubters placed the blame at the feet of Cleveland's biggest star. We believe he will reach greatness, but before you invest, ask yourself if you agree.
Collecting Donovan Mitchell Cards
Today we consider Mitchell, a superstar, and if we redrafted the 2017 NBA Draft, he would probably get picked second behind Jayson Tatum. But it was a pretty strong incoming class, and Mitchell was selected 13th behind Lauri Markkanen but just in front of Bam Adebayo. So, he wasn't the golden boy of the draft, and there wasn't a significant focus on Donovan Mitchell's cards in the releases of the time.
Nonetheless, there are some great items to be had if you want to collect Donovan Mitchell Rookie cards. We have compiled the top 13 for your edification. So, let's do this.
2017 Court Kings Donovan Mitchell RC #103
A BGS 10 sold for $202.
You will not get rich with a base Court Kings Donovan Mitchell rookie card. But when it comes to design, few cards on the Cavs star have this much eye appeal. Hard to fault the swirling cascade of color making up the backdrop to the rookie's impressive dribbling visage on 2017 Court Kings Donovan Mitchell RC #103. My one quibbles with this card is the lettering. It's almost impossible to make out the player's name. I know he is called Donovan Mitchell, but that isn't the point, ok?
2017 Panini Kaboom! Donovan Mitchell Rookie Card #DM
A PSA 10 sold for $450.
The price for the 2017 Panini Kaboom! Donovan Mitchell Rookie Card #DM last sold is a bit underwhelming. But it does not reflect the actual value of this wonderful Donovan Mitchell Rookie Card since it was sold back in January 2021. The market has gone up since then, and Donovan’s reputation has done the same. It should be noted that there is another Donovan Mitchell Kaboom! card distributed through Panini’s reward program. So, that may also somewhat lower this card's value. But I like this picture better, as it showcases the kind of jam dunk that Mitchell can inflict on unsuspecting rim protectors. That kind of action shot best suits the cartoonish aesthetics of the Kaboom! series. The population count is as low as you expect from a case hit. There are only 14 graded items, of which 6 are PSA 10s. Therefore, you can expect a nice upside if you can get it at a low price.
2017 Panini Prizm Mosaic Donovan Mitchell Rookie Card Mosaic Purple #5
A PSA 10 sold for $800.
There is a wide variety of Prizm cards to choose from, as they gave Donovan his due with a nice smattering of parallels. They are all attractive, with a well-selected action shot and a well-placed RC icon. However, we particularly like the 2017 Panini Prizm Mosaic Donovan Mitchell Rookie Card Mosaic Purple #5 for a couple of reasons. First, the majestic shimmering purple borders on this card are magnificent and pop in this Mosaic format. Trust me; it looks even better in person than in these scanned photos. Second, the prices are very reasonable, considering how attractive the card is and how low the population count is. Only 16 of these items are graded at PSA, and only six are PSA 10s. Therefore, it's a good bet that the value of the Mosaic Purple will increase over time.
2017 Panini Flawless Donovan Mitchell Rookie Card Auto Ruby /15 #RA-DM
A PSA 10 sold for $910.
Is this the most beautiful Donovan Mitchell rookie card on the market? I think so, and that ends the argument right there. I don’t make the rules. The deep ruby color is what does it for me. But the shot of Mitchell in point guard mode complements it beautifully. Because this basketball card is low-numbered, gorgeous, and comes from a highly prestigious release, the 2017 Panini Flawless Donovan Mitchell Rookie Card Auto Ruby /15 #RA-DM will almost certainly increase in value. Indeed, there are only 4 of these on the PSA registers, 2 of which are gem mints.
2017 Panini Select Silver Prizm Donovan Mitchell Rookie Card Gold Prizm #11
A PSA 9 sold for $949.
Today Select is a ubiquitous retail product. That has lowered the value of many of its more recent rookie cards. However, back in 2017, Panini Select Basketball was a hobby-only release. Additionally, since the line was relatively recent, it wasn’t overprinted like it is today. Therefore, the outstanding rookie cards in this class, like Donovan and Tatum, are good candidates for investment in Select Basketball cards. The 2017 Panini Select Silver Prizm Donovan Mitchell Rookie Card Gold Prizm #11 is an excellent choice because of its classy design and low population count. And it’s made of gold, so it will keep its value when society collapses. That’s how it works, right?
2017 Hoops Donovan Mitchell Gold Rookie Card #263
A PSA 10 went for $1,025.
NBA Hoops is not usually the source of the most valuable rookie cards. The case of Donovan Mitchell is no different. However, the 2017 Hoops Basketball cards release came with some really lovely parallels. Some of them are worth considering, like the 2017 Hoops Donovan Mitchell Gold Rookie Card #263. There are some pretty low-population cards in Hoops that you can get for very little. And there is no shortage of excellent Hoops cards with value. Furthermore, this card has one of the better action shots and designs among Donovan Mitchell's rookie cards.
2017 Panini Cornerstones Downtown Donovan Mitchell Rookie Card #DT10
A PSA 10 sold for $1,025.
Not every rookie is fortunate enough to get a Downtown card in their rookie season. And we must commend Panini for giving him one, despite not being one of the highest picks in the draft. Generally speaking, Downtown inserts are the most coveted and valuable inserts behind the Kaboom! series. We will overlook the fact that the series is called Downtown and instead uses images from the Utah wilderness as the background for Donovan in a shooting pose. But we will take any opportunity to look at the gorgeous Delicate Arch near Moab in Grand County, Utah. The prices for 2017 Panini Cornerstones Downtown Donovan Mitchell Rookie Card #DT10 are still reasonable because people are sleeping on Mitchell’s cards right now. But a rookie year highly beloved insert like this will explode when the time is right.
2017 Panini Cornerstones Donovan Mitchell RC Auto Quad Jersey #163
A PSA 10 sold for $1,100.
The highest value RPA for Donovan Mitchell is, as expected, his National Treasures card. But for our money, the 2017 Panini Cornerstones Donovan Mitchell RC Auto Quad Jersey #163 is more appealing. The action shot is compelling, and the way it is surrounded by four swatches is a great look. Finally, because its numbered to 199 and in a less prestigious release, the Cornerstones is a Mitchell RPA that most people can afford. But if you have more refined taste, consider getting the Crystal /75, Quartz /49, Granite /25, Marble /10, or Onyx 1/1 versions.
2017 Donruss Donovan Mitchell Checkerboard Rookie Card #188
A PSA 10 sold for $2,800.
Any Donovan Mitchell card with the storied "Rated Rookies" logo is sound. But unfortunately, the base cards really aren't worth all that much. That is where the 2017 Donruss Donovan Mitchell Checkerboard Rookie Card #188 comes in. There is a population count of only 23, so it is a reasonably scarce card to put your money into. But the prices are not as unaffordable as some other parallels. And you have to admit, Mitchell looks good on a checkerboard.
2017 Panini Contenders Donovan Mitchell RC Vertical Autograph White Box #113 1/1
A PSA 10 sold for $3,050.
No matter who you collect, you can be sure their Panini Contenders rookie ticket will be one of their best. Any of Mitchell’s tickets in this release is a good investment. So, don’t worry that the 2017 Panini Contenders Donovan Mitchell RC Vertical Autograph White Box #113 1/1 may never be on the market again. Just get any of these, but pay close attention to the population count, because a lower number is the best guarantor of future value. The color scheme is beautiful. But for a card this expensive, couldn’t you find a more elegant solution for Donovan’s protruding left arm than cutting it off?
2017 Panini Revolution Galactic Donovan Mitchell Rookie Card Galactic #125
A PSA 10 sold for $3,778.
The 2017 Panini Revolution included several great Donovan Mitchell cards. We went with the 2017 Panini Revolution Galactic Donovan Mitchell Rookie Card Galactic #125 because it is a relatively rare case hit, and the action shot captures the natural ease of Mitchell’s fine-scoring motion. However, the more common cards in this series also do well on the market. Especially the numbered versions, such as the Cosmic /100), Sunburst /75), and Cubic /50 versions. But I particularly recommend the /10 Lava.
2017 Immaculate Collection Donovan Mitchell Rookie Card Auto Patch Gold /10 #35
A PSA 10 went for $7,200.
2017 was before the RPA became the rookie card standard. But luckily, it was already taking an important place in the hobby. The 2017 Immaculate Collection Donovan Mitchell Rookie Card Auto Patch Gold /10 #35 is already one of the strongest performing of his rookie cards. It is easy to see why because the design is flawless. Sorry, I mean Immaculate. Well, there is one thing that could be better. Mitchell didn't really bother to sign appropriately. But it's a great card anyway.
2017 Panini National Treasures Donovan Mitchell Rookie Card Patch Autograph /99 #113
A PSA 10 sold for $18,236.
You can make a case that Flawless is the best avenue for RPA’s nowadays. But back in 2017, it was clearly National Treasures or bust. Therefore, the 2017 Panini National Treasures Donovan Mitchell Rookie Card Patch Autograph /99 #113 is easily the most valuable Mitchell RPA of all. However, I don’t think it's one of the best designs offered by that story's product line. They find the guard in a weird and somewhat awkward pose. Furthermore, the patch is too big and badly placed. It stands in contrast to the effortless elegance of the best National Treasures design. But none of that has lowered the value of this Donovan Mitchell Rookie card.
Final Word On The Top 13 Donovan Mitchell Rookie Cards
We were taught to believe that the best time to invest in players is when they are rookies or prospects. But that isn’t necessarily true. Rookie cards can be costly when players first come into the league, especially if there is a lot of hype surrounding them. Furthermore, many highly rated rookies turn into busts. Sometimes, it's best to invest mid-career. At that point, the hype is gone, and collectors have moved on to younger players. But the player has done enough for you to know they are worth investing in. Donovan Mitchell is a perfect example of this. He hasn’t fulfilled his potential yet, and the enthusiasm is gone, so the Utah Jazz star has under-valued cards. Get them now, before Donovan starts winning titles and MVP awards.
