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Smith Shows Hand, Defends Hard: Market Says “Meh”
Australian Basketball Cards: Why the Women’s Stars Are Worth Pennies Compared to the Men
The Quick Version
Imagine walking into a giant online flea market (eBay Australia) and searching for trading cards of 10 famous Australian basketball players. You sort by highest price first. What you find is shocking: the women who are winning championships and defensive awards right now are valued at a tiny fraction of the men—even men who haven’t played in years.
How the Survey Worked
The researchers did something simple that anyone could copy:
- Picked 10 Australian basketball stars (mix of NBA and WNBA players, past and present)
- Searched each name on eBay Australia on the morning of August 4, 2026
- Sorted results by "price + postage, highest first"
- Recorded the top asking price for each player
- Total listings checked: About 590 items (57–60 per player)
Important: These are asking prices—what sellers hope to get—not what cards actually sold for. Many listings have "Best Offer" buttons, meaning the real price is lower.
The Ranking: Top to Bottom
| Rank | Player | Highest Asking Price | Key Achievements |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrew Bogut (41) | AU$15,210 | NBA #1 draft pick, NBA champion (2015) |
| 2 | Josh Giddey (23) | AU$15,000 | NBA rising star, triple-double machine |
| 3 | Ben Simmons (30) | AU$12,822 | NBA All-Star, #1 draft pick |
| 4 | Patty Mills (37) | AU$9,711 | NBA champion (2014), Boomers legend |
| 5 | Dyson Daniels (23) | AU$3,918 | NBA Most Improved Player, elite defender |
| 6 | Lauren Jackson (45) | AU$3,604 | Hall of Famer, 3× WNBA MVP, 4× Olympian |
| 7 | Alanna Smith (29) | AU$2,543 | Reigning WNBA Co-Defensive Player of the Year |
| 8 | Andrew Gaze (61) | **AU$2,611*** | NBL legend, 7× MVP, played pre-card era |
| 9 | Ezi Magbegor (26) | AU$570 | WNBA champ (2020), 4× All-Defensive, Olympic bronze |
| 10 | Luc Longley (57) | AU$360 | 3× NBA champion with Jordan’s Bulls |
*Gaze’s top item is a signed ball/shirt, not a card. His market is memorabilia, not cardboard.
The Numbers That Should Bother Everyone
1. The "Cleanest Comparison" in Sports Cards
Dyson Daniels and Ezi Magbegor are the perfect test case:
- Both Australian
- Both in their prime (23 and 26)
- Both elite defenders (Daniels: NBA Most Improved Player + best perimeter defender; Magbegor: 4× WNBA All-Defensive)
- Daniels’ top card: AU$3,918
- Magbegor’s top card: AU$570
- Daniels is worth almost 7× more
Callout: The market is not reading the same box scores we are. A woman named the best defender in her league in September ranks 8th of 10 Australians in October—behind a 23-year-old’s rookie card.
2. Lauren Jackson: "A Relic of a Smaller Era"?
Jackson is one of three Australians in the Naismith Hall of Fame. Her top asking price: AU$3,604.
But the last verified sale of her rookie card was closer to AU$2,400. That gap? That’s what an illiquid market looks like—sellers dream big, buyers stay away.
3. Luc Longley: 3 Rings, AU$360
The man who won three NBA titles with Michael Jordan’s Bulls has a market ceiling of AU$360.42. Every single top-18 listing is a card. No jersey. No ring. No game-worn anything.
4. Patty Mills: Champion, No Championship Gear
Mills won an NBA title in 2014. Not one item from that run is for sale. No ring. No Finals jersey. His most expensive listing? A piece of art by an Australian designer—not an NBA product.
Why Andrew Gaze Is the Exception That Proves the Rule
Gaze played before the modern card economy existed. So his market isn’t cards—it’s things people actually kept:
- Signed And1 ball + shirt: AU$2,611
- Framed K-Mart top: AU$2,080
- Signed NBL basketball: AU$791
- Four Melbourne Tigers jerseys: AU$350–450
Key Insight: Gaze’s market is made of objects with history. The others? Mostly mass-produced cardboard.
The Bigger Picture: The Global Card Market Is… Weird
The most expensive basketball item on eBay Australia this week?
A LeBron James + Tom Brady dual autograph 1-of-1: US$7,000,000 (AU$9.97M)
But look at the top 25:
- 19 of 25 are listed at exactly US$1,000,000 (AU$1.42M)
- Among them: a common 1978 Topps Fred Brown card, a 1977 Gus Williams, a Jack Sikma rookie, and three Topps Now cards printed last year
- One listing: US$1,123,456.78 (someone walked across the number pad)
- Another: US$999,999.99 (one cent under the "shelf")
Callout: These aren’t prices. They’re placeholders. Sellers parking round numbers on cards they don’t actually want to sell.
Not one of the top 25 is an Australian player.
Asking Price ≠ Real Price
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Asking Price | What the seller types in hoping someone pays it |
| Sold Price | What someone actually paid (a fact) |
| Best Offer | A little button meaning "I’ll take less" |
| Illiquid Market | Wide gap between asking and selling = hard to turn cards into cash |
Example: Lauren Jackson’s rookie card asks ~AU$3,600. Last real sale? ~AU$2,400. That 33% gap? The market whispering, "Nobody’s buying at that price."
Summary: What This All Means
- Australian women’s basketball stars are severely undervalued in the trading card market—even current champions and award winners.
- The men’s market rewards hype and rookie potential (Giddey, Daniels) over proven greatness (Longley, Mills’ championship gear missing).
- Asking prices are fantasies. Real value only exists when money changes hands.
- The global card market is inflated with placeholder listings that distort perception.
- Memorabilia > Cards for pre-card-era legends (Gaze). For everyone else? Cardboard rules—but not equally.
Bottom Line: If you think trading cards reflect greatness, look again. Ezi Magbegor has a WNBA ring, four All-Defensive nods, and Olympic medals. Her entire market tops out under AU$600. The market isn’t watching the games.
FAQ
Q: Why are asking prices so different from real value?
A: Sellers can type any number. Without a buyer, it’s just a wish. "Best Offer" buttons and huge gaps between asking/sold prices show the market is thin—few buyers, fewer sales.
Q: Is this just about women’s basketball?
A: No. Luc Longley (3 NBA rings) tops out at AU$360. Patty Mills (NBA champ) has zero championship memorabilia for sale. The market favors certain men—rookies, hype, US-based stars—over all women and many accomplished men.
Q: Can I repeat this survey myself?
A: Yes! Go to eBay Australia, search a player’s name, sort by "Price + Postage: Highest First," and look at the top listing. Do it for 10 players. Compare.
Q: Why are global cards listed in US dollars on eBay Australia?
A: Most high-end sellers list in USD. eBay converts for display. 24 of the top 25 global listings were USD-priced; only 1 was in AUD.
Q: Are any Australian cards good investments?
A: That’s not what this data says. It shows asking prices, not returns. Illiquid markets (wide ask/sold gaps) are risky—hard to sell when you need to. Do your own research before spending.
Data captured August 4, 2026. All figures are seller asking prices, not verified sales. Market conditions change daily.
