Jamal Murray grew up in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, aspiring to be one of the most established Canadian-born professional basketball players of all time. Murray competed at Grand River Collegiate Institute in his freshman and sophomore year of high school, later transferring to Orangeville Prep for his junior and senior seasons, one of Canada's most prestigious high school basketball programs.
Throughout his high school basketball career, Murray competed as a member of the CIA Bounce AAU Team, Canada men's national basketball team at the 2013 FIBA Americas U-16 Championship, BioSteel All-Canadian Basketball Game, 2015 Nike Hoop Summit, and the 2015 Pan American Games. Murray established himself as one of the most reputable shooting guards in the country, ultimately enrolling at the University of Kentucky for the coach John Calipari-led Wildcats.
Murray's lone season at Kentucky was sensational, tallying the most points for a freshman in program history with 20.0 points per game. Murray forgoed his final three years of eligibility while declaring himself eligible for the 2016 NBA Draft. On June 23, 2016, Jamal Murray was the 7th player off the board during the 2016 NBA Draft, selected by the Denver Nuggets. Since making his NBA debut on October 26, 2016, Jamal Murray has played a considerable part in the Denver Nuggets' success, averaging 16.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.0 steals per game.
At just 25 years old, Jamal Murray will be a focal point for the Denver Nuggets through the 2024-25 season before he becomes an unrestricted free agent before the 2025-26 season. On a related note, Jamal Murray's rookie cards have been one of the most desirable since he entered the league in the 2016-17 season. Having said that, let's reveal the top 10 best Jamal Murray rookie cards.
#10
2016 Panini Spectra Jamal Murray Spectacular Swatches Autographs Neon Blue RC #37 #'d/75
Recent sale: $275
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2016-17 Panini Spectra hit the shelves on June 28, 2017, allocating one pack of 10 cards in each hobby box. One of the most premium checklists of the set is the Spectacular Swatches Autographs set, showcasing 49 of the top NBA players and promising rookies. Jamal Murray's Spectacular Swatches Autographed rookie card is a Neon Blue parallel, serial-numbered to 75 copies. Murray's Spectacular Swatches Autographed rookie card is graded a BGS 8, the lowest awarded grade on the list. Murray's rookie card has a total PSA and BGS population of five, none of which were deserving of a PSA or BGS 10, and the highest card received a BGS 9.5.
Murray began his high school basketball career at Grand River Collegiate Institute in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. After his sophomore year, Murray transferred to Orangeville Prep, Canada's most prominent basketball academy. Murray competed at the 2013 International Jordan brand classic, showcasing the top U-16 international players. Jamal Murray recorded a game-high 24 points en route to capturing the game's MVP Award.
Jamal Murray's high school basketball career at Grand River Collegiate Institute and Orangeville Prep put him on the map, where he set the stage at the 2013 International Jordan Brand classic. Murray's Spectacular Swatches Autographed rookie card is his most affordable rookie card yet makes a solid foundation for any basketball card collection.
#9
2016 Panini Select Jamal Murray Die Cut Rookie Autographs RC #10 #'d/199
Recent sale: $344
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Printed on March 17, 2017, in 12 packs of five cards, 2016-17 Panini Select offers three autographed or relic cards in each hobby box. Jamal Murray's second most valuable rookie card from 2016-17 Panini Select is his Die-Cut Rookie Autographs card, limited to 199 copies. Murray's Die-Cut rookie card is graded a PSA 10, one of seven cards to merit PSA's loftiest grade. Overall, Murray's Die-Cut Rookie Autographs card warranted a PSA or BGS 10 at a 37% clip.
Jamal Murray represented the Canada men's national basketball team at the 2013 FIBA Americas U-16 Championship, held in Punta del Este, Uruguay, that took place from June 11-15 in 2013. Murray led Team Canada to a 4-1 record to finish 3rd in the tournament. Across five games,
Murray averaged a remarkable 17.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. For the tournament, Murray ranked 3rd in points scored, first in assists, third in rebounds, and first in three-pointers made, averaging 2.4 per game.
Before falling to Argentina in the Semifinals, Jamal Murray guided the Canada men's national basketball team to a 4-0 record. Murray's ability to lead Team Canada to success at the 2013 FIBA Americas U-16 Championship proved his basketball prowess at a young age. As such, his PSA 10 graded Die-Cut Rookie Autographs card is one of the best Jamal Murray rookie cards to collect.
#8
2016 Panini Donruss Optic Jamal Murray Rookie Signatures RC #6
Recent sale: $400
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The release of 2016-17 Donruss Optic on April 5, 2017, marks the debut of the product in the basketball landscape. Hobby and retail boxes were both released in 20 packs of four cards, Blaster boxes contained six packs of four cards, and Gravity Feed boxes comprised 36 packs of four cards. Jamal Murray's Rookie Signatures rookie card is his second most valuable card of the set. Murray's on-card autographed rookie card from 2016-17 Donruss Optic isn't serial-numbered, though it retains its value from being one of the 11 cards that graded a PSA 10.
In the Summer of 2014, Jamal Murray competed for the CIA Bounce in the Amateur Athletic Union, the most coveted AAU team in Canada. Through 16 games, Murray guided the team to a 10-6 record, behind 11.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.5 and assists per game. Murray recorded the teams' third-most points, second-most rebounds, and most assists for the CIA Bounce.
Jamal Murray's ability to steer the CIA Bounce through the highly competitive Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) demonstrated his ability to be a team leader. As a result, Murray's Rookie Signatures on-card autographed rookie card from 2016-17 Donruss Optic remains one of his most prestigious basketball cards.
#7
2016 Panini Donruss Optic Jamal Murray Red RC #157 #'d/99
Recent sale: $400
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Jamal Murray's most coveted rookie card from 2016-17 Donruss Optic is his illustrious Red parallel rookie card featuring an elevated Murray soaring through the air for a monster two-handed slam, serial-numbered to only 99 copies. Murray's Red parallel rookie card from 2016-17 Donruss Optic is his second-most populous rookie card on the list, 53% of which merited a PSA or BGS 10. Murray's Red parallel card is graded a PSA 10, along with 18 other copies.
Murray's 2015 season was jam-packed, competing in the BioSteel All-Canadian Basketball Game, 2015 Nike Hoop Summit, and the 2015 Pan American Games. In the inaugural BioSteel All-Canadian Basketball Game, Murray recorded 29 points, eight rebounds, 10 assists, and two steals to capture the game's Most Valuable Player. At the 2015 Nike Hoop Summit, Murray guided the World Team to victory over Team USA, recording 30 points on 12 of 23 shooting. Murray's 23 shot attempts and seven three-point attempts set a record for the annual game. Murray added two rebounds and five assists and registered 10 points in the 4th quarter to sink Team USA, 103-101. Murray then competed for Team Canada at the 2015 Pan American Games, guiding the team with 16.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. Murray and Team Canada performed well, reaching the finals, before succumbing to the Brazil national team.
Jamal Murray excelled on the national stage throughout his high school basketball career, officially classified as the 7th best shooting guard in the country and 30th best overall prospect in the 2015 class. Considering Murray's triumphs, his Red parallel rookie card from 2016-17 Donruss Optic has become one of his finest rookie cards in existence.
#6
2016 Panini Donruss Jamal Murray Rookie Materials Signatures Prime RC #6 #'d/10
Recent sale: $420
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Configured in 24 packs of 12 cards, Panini's 2016-17 Donruss basketball set offers one autographed card, one relic card, and 24 inserts in each hobby box. Released in November 2016, Panini's 2016-17 Donruss basketball release offers a 100-card checklist, none more sought-after than the cards from the Rookie Materials Signatures checklist. Jamal Murray's rookie card is a Prime parallel card from the Rookie Materials Signatures checklist, featuring a print run of only 10 cards. Graded a BGS 8.5, this is the only copy of Murray's Rookie Materials Signatures Prime rookie cards that have ever surfaced.
After reclassifying from the 2016 class to the 2015 class, Jamal Murray committed to the University of Kentucky, solidifying the Wildcats with the number one recruiting class. Jamal Murray led the Wildcats to a 27-9 record, including 13-5 in the Southeastern Conference. After capturing the SEC regular season and SEC tournament title, the Kentucky Wildcats earned the number four seed in the 2016 NCAA Tournament. Murray led the Wildcats in scoring (20.0) and added 5.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.0 steals, and 3.1 three-pointers per game. Murray's 20.0 points per game in the 2015-16 NCAA season were the most points scored for a freshman in the rich history of the Kentucky Wildcats.
Murray competed at the University of Kentucky for a single season before declaring for the 2016 NBA Draft, but not before being named to the SEC All-Freshman team, 2015-16 All-SEC team, and the 2016 All-SEC Tournament teams. Murray's Rookie Materials Signatures Prime rookie card is tied for his most limited with only 10 copies. As a result of being Jamal Murray’s only Rookie Materials Signatures Prime rookie card to ever surface, it holds tremendous value.
#5
2016 Panini Prizm Jamal Murray Silver Prizms RC #175
Recent sale: $799
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2016-17 Panini Prizm allocated 12 packs of 12 cards to basketball card collectors on November 9, 2016. Jamal Murray's Silver Prizms rookie card is his most valuable card from the set. With a total PSA and BGS population of 598, Jamal Murray's Silver Prizms rookie card is by far his most populated on the list. Still, only 30% of which merited a PSA or BGS 10, this card included.
With the 7th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, the Denver Nuggets selected Jamal Murray, the star shooting guard from the University of Kentucky. Murray played for the Nuggets in all 82 games in his 2016-17 rookie season, though he started in just 10 games. Murray recorded 9.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.4 three-pointers per game in only 21.5 minutes of action. Arguably the finest game of his rookie season came on April 7, 2017, versus the New Orleans Pelicans, where Murray amassed 30 points on 10 of 14 shooting, including 8-8 from the free-throw line.
Murray finished tied for 5th in the 2016-17 NBA Rookie of the Year voting and was nominated to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Despite only starting in 10 contests and playing just over 21 minutes per game, Murray showed glimpses of greatness in his rookie season. Although Murray's Silver Prizms rookie card has the highest population on the list, it's often challenging for collectors to find in mint condition, cementing its significance.
#4
2016 Panini Noir Jamal Murray Rookie Patch Autographs Black and White RC #107 #'d/99
Recent sale: $900
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2016-17 Panini Noir was a highly anticipated release, issued to collectors on August 16, 2017, in one pack of 10 cards in each hobby box. Collectors can expect seven autographed or memorabilia cards of the 10 cards. The most coveted Jamal Murray rookie card from the set is his Rookie Patch Autographs Black and White card highlighting Murray's blue on-card autograph, which is serial-numbered 99 copies. To date, only three of Murray's Black and White RPA have surfaced, one earning a PSA 8 and two meriting a BGS 8.5. Murray's Black and White RPA is one of four cards from the list that hasn't achieved a PSA or BGS 10.
In his sophomore campaign, Jamal Murray was a focal point for the Denver Nuggets, starting in all but one game for the franchise. The Denver Nuggets posted a 46-36 record in the 2017-18 season, finishing 9th in the Western Conference, just outside of playoff contention. Though the Nuggets remained hopeful for the future as Murray improved his statistics across the board, averaging 16.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.0 steals.
On January 22, 2018, Jamal Murray illustrated his presence and efficiency for the Nuggets, shooting 14 of 19 from the field, including four of six beyond the arc, six of six from the free-throw line, and added five rebounds and six assists in a three-point victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. The value of Jamal Murray's Black and White RPA rookie card will endure the test of time as one of his least graded cards on the list.
#3
2016 Panini Flawless Jamal Murray Vertical Patch Autographs RC #V-JM #'d/25
Recent sale: $1,000
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2016-17 Panini Flawless contains one Encased autograph, one Encased Diamond card, one autograph, memorabilia, or Diamond card, one memorabilia card, and six other autographed cards in each 10-card hobby box. Jamal Murray's second most valuable rookie card from 2016 Panini Flawless and third most valuable overall is his Vertical Patch Autographs rookie card, featuring a print run of just 25 copies. Since being released, only six of Murray's RPA rookie cards from the set have surfaced. Murray's RPA from 2016-17 Panini Flawless is graded a BGS 9.5, and his first card to attain four figures.
Jamal Murray continued to excel as the Denver Nuggets point guard, averaging 18.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. Murray and the Denver Nuggets posted a 54-28 record in the 2018-19 NBA season, good for 2nd in the Western Conference. In Murray's first glimpse of the NBA Playoffs, he guided the Nuggets past the San Antonio Spurs before falling to the Portland Trail Blazers in seven games in the Western Conference Semifinals. Through 14 playoff games, Murray registered 21.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.7 assists.
Murray's 2018-19 NBA season was superb, highlighted by a ridiculous 48-point performance on 19 of 30 shooting, including five three-pointers. With Murray's continued greatness, the worth of his Vertical Patch Autographs rookie card from the memorable 2016-17 Panini Flawless set continues to soar.
#2
2016 Panini Select Jamal Murray Tie-Dye Prizms RC #4 #'d/25
Recent sale: $2,200
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Murray's second most valuable rookie card and the most sought-after from 2016 Panini Select is his Tie-Dye Prizms rookie card from the Concourse Level checklist, limited to 25 copies. Jamal Murray's Tie-Dye Prizms rookie card has been graded on 12 occasions, 11 of which from Beckett, with this distinct card the only PSA graded card which merited a PSA 10.
Before the 2019-20 NBA season, Jamal Murray signed a monumental five-year $170 million contract with the Denver Nuggets. Murray lived up to expectations, averaging 18.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.1 steals to guide the Denver Nuggets to a 46-27 record in the 2019-20 NBA season to finish 3rd in the Western Conference. Murray's performance in the 2020 NBA Playoffs was unparalleled, recording 26.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 6.6 assists to guide the Nuggets to a deep postseason run, defeating the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Clippers, before succumbing to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.
To illustrate Jamal Murray's efficiency, he recorded at least 50% or better from the field in 21 games and posted 16 games where he shot 50% or better from beyond the arc. One of three cards to surpass four figures, Jamal Murray's Tie-Dye Prizms rookie card is one of his finest rookie cards to acquire.
#1
2016 Panini Flawless Jamal Murray Signature Prime Materials Gold RC #69 #'d/10
Recent sale: $3,550
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The most valuable and sought-after Jamal Murray rookie card is none other than his Signature Prime Materials Gold rookie card from 2016-17 Panini Flawless. Murray's Signature Prime Materials Gold rookie card is one of 49 players in the checklist. Murray's Signature Prime Materials Gold rookie card showcases his vivid black on-card autograph, serial-numbered to only 10 copies, tied for Murray's most limited rookie card on the list. Murray's Signature Prime Materials Gold rookie card is graded a PSA 10, one of two cards to achieve a PSA 10. In contrast, both cards graded by Beckett warranted a BGS 9.5.
In the 2020-21 NBA season, Murray continued his scoring prowess, tallying 21.1 points per game while adding 4.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.3 steals. On February 19, 2021, versus the Cleveland Cavaliers, Jamal Murray recorded a career-high 50 points, shooting 21 of 25 from the field, including 8 of 10 beyond the arc, while attempting zero free-throw attempts. In doing so, his performance was the first time an NBA player tallied 50 points while not attempting a shot from the charity stripe. Unfortunately, Murray's 2020-21 NBA season was cut short due to a torn ACL suffered versus the Golden State Warriors on April 12, 2021.
Murray has yet to appear in an NBA game since, as he continues to rehab his torn left ACL from the 2020-21 NBA season. While the Denver Nuggets have no fixed timetable for Murray to return, the franchise has yet to rule Murray out for the 2022 NBA Playoffs, kicking off on April 16. Should Murray return for the postseason and the Nuggets make another deep playoff run, Murray's Signature Prime Materials Gold rookie card will soar in value.
The Presence of Jamal Murray is Unparalleled
Through five NBA seasons, Jamal Murray is arguably one of the most electric young players in the NBA. Murray's ability to score is unprecedented, registering 30 30-point games through his first 345 NBA games. If Jamal Murray returns for the 2022 NBA Playoffs, he will be a significant contributor to the Denver Nuggets and the success of their season. Although Jamal Murray has yet to make an NBA All-Star Game appearance, he's certain to change the status quo if he can remain healthy. Jamal Murray's rookie cards are already highly coveted by basketball collectors, and if he can continue competing at a high level when he returns from his ACL injury, the worth of his top 10 rookie cards will skyrocket.
