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Collector Nation

The Smartest Cards to Buy During the NBA Finals

6/12/202640 min

Ryan Alford, Brian Ludden, and Bella Shafer are back with a fast-moving Collector Nation episode focused on what is actually happening in the hobby right now. They talk through Brunson’s Finals-fueled card surge, why Wemby and Castle still matter long term, and how playoff narratives are shaping collector behavior in real time. They also get into the Fanatics lawsuit news, what Topps Chrome VeeFriends is showing about brand power, and why Pokémon demand is still outpacing what many sports-first collectors expect. Brian adds the data angle through Ludex, Ryan brings what he is seeing inside Collector Station, and Bella helps keep the episode centered on the headlines collectors are actually reacting to. The result is a strong snapshot of a market that feels more blended than ever, where sports, TCG, sealed wax, search behavior, and technology are all shaping value at the same time. If you want a grounded look at what is hot now and what might matter next, this one delivers. Topics Covered Brunson’s playoff card spike Why Wemby and Castle still matter Fanatics legal developments Topps Chrome VeeFriends demand Pokémon vs. sports card demand Scan trends and what Ludex is seeing Search behavior inside Collector Station What collectors should actually be paying attention to Links Collector Nation https://www.collectibles.show/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/collector-nation/id1832831782 Ryan Alford https://www.ryanalford.com/ https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/ Brian Ludden / Ludex https://www.ludex.com/ https://app.ludex.com/ https://www.instagram.com/ludexapp/ Bella Shafer https://www.instagram.com/isabellashafer/

Clips

Largest Finals Comeback Ever
Why Soccer Annoys Brian
Will Cassell Cards Rise?
Couples Logoman Idea
Brunson Card Prices Explode

Transcript preview

First 90 seconds

  1. Ryan Alford· Host0:00

    The one thing that matters as it relates to trading cards is no matter what, there's one player you should buy, and if you bought, you would have probably 10 extra money, and that would be Mr. Jalen Brunson. His cards have gone through the roof.

  2. Bella Shafer· Host0:11

    March, his PSA 10s were selling for, like, 100 bucks, and at the end of May they were selling for 350, 360, and up through July.

  3. Ryan Alford· Host0:18

    They're over 1,000.

  4. Bella Shafer· Host0:19

    Yeah.

  5. Ryan Alford· Host0:19

    They're over 1,000 now.

  6. Bella Shafer· Host0:20

    I even saw today on Facebook people are trying to get them on the secondary market already just to have them.

  7. Brian Ludden· Host0:26

    These playoffs have to be seven games for excitement. It has to be seven. And the NBA does it well, NHL does it well, baseball does not do it well.

  8. Bella Shafer· Host0:33

    Logo Man Redemption sold for over $1 million. Crazy.

  9. Brian Ludden· Host0:39

    Headline news is great for the industry. It's great for all of us.

  10. Bella Shafer· Host0:42

    We're all helping each other build the hobby. It won't build itself, so gotta lift everyone.

  11. Speaker 40:46

    Welcome to the Collector Nation Podcast, here on the Collector Nation Network. Whether you're chasing grails or calling bluffs, we take you inside the hobby. Here are your hosts, Ryan Alford and Brian Lutten.

  12. Ryan Alford· Host1:04

    What's up, guys? Welcome to Collector Nation here on the Collector Nation Network. Joined by Bella, Brian, and you've always got Ryan here. We got the BRB all in the house. Brian's got... Hey, he looks powerful today. He looks like a CEO. Like, I don't know if he's... If you're at the desk, Brian, but it, it's like, ooh, Ludex and

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