The 2026 NBA Finals are set: San Antonio Spurs vs. New York Knicks. Victor Wembanyama has dragged the Spurs through a brutal Western Conference — past the defending champion Thunder in a Game 7 classic — and now faces a Knicks team that has bulldozed the East with the league's most physical brand of basketball. For the hobby, this is the biggest Finals in years for card values.

The Matchup

The Spurs earned their Finals berth the hard way. After falling behind 3-1 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals, San Antonio rattled off three straight wins, capped by a dominant Game 7 performance on the road. Wembanyama averaged 28 points, 14 rebounds, and 4 blocks in the series, cementing his status as the league's most impactful playoff performer.

The Knicks took a cleaner path, dispatching the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games in the Eastern Conference Finals. Jalen Brunson has been unstoppable in the postseason, averaging 31 points per game, while the Knicks' defense has suffocated every opponent they've faced.

Card Market Implications

Wembanyama's rookie card market has been on a tear throughout the 2026 playoffs. Data from eBay sold listings shows his Panini Prizm base PSA 10 has climbed from approximately $800 in April to over $1,400 in late May, as the Spurs' playoff run gained momentum. His Select Concourse level PSA 10s have seen similar movement.

The Finals matchup against the Knicks is a best-case scenario for card values. New York represents the largest media market in the country, and a Knicks Finals run generates national attention that drives casual interest — and casual buying — in the card market. A Wembanyama Finals victory would almost certainly push his key rookie cards to new highs.

  • Wembanyama 2023-24 Panini Prizm Base PSA 10: Current range $1,200-$1,600, with upside to $2,000+ if he wins Finals MVP
  • Wembanyama 2023-24 Select Silver PSA 10: Currently $800-$1,000, tracking the Prizm market closely
  • Stephon Castle RC (Spurs teammate): 2024-25 rookie cards seeing spillover attention — Select base PSA 10 around $150-$200
  • Jalen Brunson Knicks cards: Playoff surge has lifted his 2018-19 Prizm base PSA 10 from $200 to $350

Series Outlook

The Knicks present a unique challenge for Wembanyama and the Spurs. New York's physical defense and rim pressure will test San Antonio's depth, but the Spurs have home-court advantage and the best player in the series. If Wembanyama delivers a signature Finals performance, his card market could reach territory that rivals the modern greats.

The verdict: The 2026 NBA Finals are a card market supernova waiting to happen. Wembanyama's rookie cards are the headline, but the ripple effects will lift Spurs and Knicks cards across the board.