Juan Soto emerged as a top young talent in the MLB during the 2018 season showing his power, speed, consistency and ability to produce under the bright lights on the big stage. Coming into the league at only 19 his professionalism was uncanny and great for the game. Going into 2019, at the age of 20, and with the absence of Bryce Harper after he left to Philly, the pressure only increased, and the lights only got brighter for Soto. Juan did not shy away, playing in 150 games this season, hitting .280 with 34 homers, 110 RBI’s, DC quickly forgot that Bryce was gone and was all in on Juan Soto.

As for the 2019 Post-Season, Juan Soto has only improved and stepped up his game to the next level. Hitting above that .280 mark with power and consistency has helped lead the Washington Nationals, a feat that Bryce Harper has yet to do in his career. The Nationals have taken game 1 of the World Series from the Astros against Gerrit Cole with Soto going 3-4 with a 3 run home run to seal the deal. Juan Soto signed white and red Majestic jerseys have been big sellers. Juan Soto Rookie Cards are popular with card collectors.

As for Bryce Harper and his $300 Million to go to Philly, not going as well as planned. Harper hit .260 this season with 35 homers and 114 RBI’s, but the main difference is that the Nationals are in the World Series and the Phillies only played 162 games this season. While the arrow on the Phillies is lateral, the Nationals window is still wide open with stars like 20-year old Juan Soto. All our signed Soto baseballs have been authenticated by Beckett.

The upcoming NBA season should see parity that has been rare throughout the past three decades of NBA history. The reason, the rise of the ‘dynamic duo’ throughout the league. In Los Angeles of course there is Lebron James and the Lakers who have now added a dominant co-star in Anthony Davis, but there is also a new western power in the Los Angeles Clippers who now feature Paul George and 2019 NBA Finals MVP Kawhai Leonard. Down in Houston the Rockets have the ex-teammates turned megastars reunited in James Harden and Russell Westbrook, and as always still very much a factor in the west is the ‘Splash Brothers’ Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.

The Eastern Conference features some new marquee teams as well. The Philadelphia 76ers have become a popular pick to lead the way with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons there still ‘trusting the process’. But the Brooklyn Nets will feature Kyrie Irving (and eventually, though likely not this regular season) past league MVP Kevin Durant. The betting favorite to win the Eastern Conference is still the Milwaukee Bucks who have reigning league MVP ‘The Greek Freak’ Giannis Antetokounmpo and rising star Khris Middleton.

All these top talents teaming up has led to uncommon Vegas odds on who will be crowned the 2020 NBA Champions. There are 5 teams with odds that are 10-1 or better the Los Angeles Clippers lead the way at 3.5 to 1 followed closely by the Lakers at 4:1, then the Milwaukee Bucks at 6:1 and Houston Rockets at 8:1 and not far behind sits the Warriors at 12:1. Looking back before last season it was hard not to ignore the talk of the NBA becoming stale with the same teams meeting in the finals year after year. Flash forward one year and it seems the league is likely to see one of the most competitive and exciting seasons in decades and we for one are eager to see it!

Zion Williams is the most exciting rookie to hit the NBA since LeBron James entered the league back in 2003. And like Lebron James memorabilia did back then Zion Williamson autographed items will take the collectibles market by storm during the 2019-2020 NBA season.

There is already a fair amount of Zion Williamson Duke autographed memorabilia available out on the market right now, but over the next few months Zion Williamson autographed cards and Zion Williamson New Orleans Pelicans memorabilia will start to become available to collectors.

In the offseason and preseason Zion Williamson has already done his part in strengthening the hype and excitement surrounding him. He has signed endorsement deals with Jordan Brand (aka Nike) as well as Gatorade this offseason. During the preseason, while playing a limited number of minutes in the Zion has put up eye popping numbers. He has averaged over 22 points a game on over 70% shooting while also delivering the emphatic rim shaking dunks he has become known for. Zion has already shown he can make highlight reel plays on the professional level in his preseason debut.

While Zion Williamson is receiving unprecedented attention and widely considered a near lock for Rookie of the Year there are other highly touted rookies entering the NBA that will surely excite collectors. There will be plenty of New York Knicks fans searching for RJ Barrett autographed memorabilia as well as Memphis fans searching for signed items by their star rookie guard Ja Morant.

All three of these rookies are likely to increase excitement not only for the NBA but for the entire basketball card and collectibles industry. Last season if you invested in Luka Doncic on draft night, you are in a much better spot a year later. Rookies are perennially the hottest items on the collectible market. Other booms in 2018-2019 include Trae Young, Collin Sexton, Kevin Knox and DeAndre Ayton signed memorabilia. It is never too early to find that next Zion. Many mock drafts predict the top picks next year to be James Wiseman (Memphis), Anthony Edwards (Georgia) and Cole Anthony (North Carolina).

The 2019-2020 NBA season is about to begin on October 22nd starting with the defending NBA Champions Toronto Raptors at home against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Raptors may have lost their star Kawhi Leonard after just one season but young stars Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby look to take another leap forward this season and lead the East once again. Kawhi Leonard heads to the West Coast to team up with Paul George is a star backs Western Conference filled with super teams. How will theirs match up against LeBron and AD or Westbrook and Harden?

EAST PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
1. Bucks
2. Celtics
3. 76ers
4. Heat
5. Nets
6. Pacers
7. Raptors
8. Magic

WEST PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
1. Clippers
2. Rockets
3. Nuggets
4. Lakers
5. Warriors
6. Mavericks
7. Nuggets
8. Pelicans

NBA AWARD PREDICTION
MVP: Paul George
ROY: Zion Williamson
6th Man of the Year: Domantas Sabonis
DPOY: Jimmy Butler
Most Improved Player: Terry Rozier
Coach of the Year : Rick Carlisle (Dallas Mavericks)

With the power of the league spread wider, this should be the most competitive season in over half a decade. Experts have pegged the Bucks and Clippers as the favorite but it is as open as ever. Who do you see hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy in June?