A Victor Wembanyama non-fungible token (NFT) is worth more than a physical autographed 1/1 superfractor card of his. A 1/1 NBA Top Shot from the San Antonio rookie phenom’s debut against the Dallas Mavericks sold for $145,000. Wemby’s most expensive basketball card? His 2022-23 Bowman University Best of ’22 Autographs SuperFractor fetched over $67,000 at Goldin in August 2023.
The first-ever 1-of-1 Auction on NBA Top Shot has just wrapped up with a winning bid of $145,000 for the Ultimate Rookie Moment from the top pick of the 2023 NBA Draft 👽💎
Congratulations to collector BilloBanked 🎉 pic.twitter.com/OsHdLLpL7n
— NBA Top Shot (@NBATopShot) April 17, 2024
This is the fifth-most expensive NBA Top Shot since its inception in 2020. The top four all belong to LeBron James, with the highest price reaching $230,023. Despite the recent sale, the Wemby NBA Top Shot is now being listed for over $1.1 million.
This isn’t the only Wemby NFT that has reached six figures. An NFT trading card from licensed fantasy basketball game Solare sold for over $110,000 last November.
NBA Top Shot soared in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, total sales reached over $922 million, according to CryptoSlam. However, sales cratered 96 percent in 2023 compared to 2021.
Overall, the NFT market has crashed since its peak. Research published in The Conversation reveals prices for Bored Ape NFTs are down 90 percent, while CyrptoPunk lost 80 percent. Even worse, an estimated 70,000 NFTs are valued at zero.
“This leaves 23 million people holding a worthless ‘asset,'” writes The Conversation.
Another high-priced Wemby item is currently up for auction at PWCC Marketplace. Bidding for the Frenchman’s 2023 Panini Prizm Black Shimmer First Off The Line 1/1 rookie card has reached $110,000. The auction ends Thursday evening.
The collectible frenzy surrounding Wembanyama doesn’t stop with NFTs and cards, either. The Spurs jersey he wore during his NBA debut against the Mavericks sold for $762,000 in a Sotheby’s auction.
The 7-foot-4 superstar-in-the-making is expected to be named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year after averaging 21.4 points and 10.6 rebounds in his first season.