Rising Again: Kevin Durant Rookie Cards Heat Up as His Legacy Grows

For nearly twenty years the league has revolved around megastars like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant. With mileage piling up and retirement chatter always nearby, Durant quieted the noise by signing a two year extension with the Houston Rockets as he entered his 18th season. That vote of confidence sparked another run on his cards, and the top tier of his rookies continues to sell in the tens of thousands.

Durant arrived with expectations and has met them at every turn. He went second in the 2007 NBA Draft, won Rookie of the Year with the Seattle SuperSonics, then stacked hardware in Oklahoma City and beyond. Two titles with two Finals MVPs in 2017 and 2018, the 2014 league MVP, and 15 All Star selections headline the resume. He led the league in scoring four times, peaking at 32.0 points per game in 2013 to 2014. He opened the 2025 to 26 season eighth on the all time scoring list with 30,571 points, 1,721 behind Michael Jordan at number five and 3,072 behind Kobe Bryant at number four, with Wilt Chamberlain and Dirk Nowitzki still in range.

Collectors have treated almost every Durant rookie as worth keeping, yet there are still friendly entry points. Raw cards that often land at 20 dollars or less include:

2007 08 SP Rookie Edition 61 Kevin Durant RC
2007 08 SP Authentic Retail 152 Kevin Durant RC
2007 08 Topps 112 Kevin Durant RC
2007 08 Ultra SE Retail Parallel 232 Kevin Durant L13 RC
2007 08 Fleer 212 Kevin Durant RC
2007 08 Bowman Sterling KD Kevin Durant RC

Beckett’s Online Price Guide lists 35 true Durant rookies not counting inserts or parallels. A good chunk from Upper Deck and Topps stays approachable, commonly starting around 25 to 100 dollars depending on condition:

2007 08 Upper Deck First Edition 202 Kevin Durant RC
2007 08 Upper Deck 234 Kevin Durant SP RC
2007 08 Ultra SE 232 Kevin Durant L13 RC
2007 08 Topps Trademark Moves 61 Kevin Durant RC
2007 08 Stadium Club 102 Kevin Durant RC
2007 08 Topps Co Signers 88 Kevin Durant RC
2007 08 Topps Chrome 131 Kevin Durant RC
2007 08 Topps Luxury Box 75 Kevin Durant RC
2007 08 Topps Echelon 74 Kevin Durant RC
2007 08 Topps Letterman 56 Kevin Durant RC
2007 08 Topps Triple Threads 135 Kevin Durant RC

Mid tier choices usually start north of 100 dollars and can climb toward 1,000 for strong copies:

2007 08 Bowman 111 Kevin Durant RC
2007 08 Fleer Hot Prospects 123 Kevin Durant JSY AU RC
2007 08 SP Rookie Threads 49 Kevin Durant JSY AU RC
2007 08 SPx 101 Kevin Durant JSY AU RC
2007 08 Sweet Shot 101 Kevin Durant AU RC
2007 08 Upper Deck Premier 101 Kevin Durant JSY AU RC

The very top of the market is dominated by Upper Deck, which had Durant’s exclusive autograph and memorabilia deal during his rookie year. Raw examples in this lane often begin around 1,500 dollars, with the most attainable being the 2007 08 SP Authentic 152 Kevin Durant JSY AU out of 299. Other heavy hitters include:

2007 08 Chronology 135 Kevin Durant AU RC
2007 08 Chronology 159 Kevin Durant AU RC
2007 08 Chronology 215 Kevin Durant AU RC
2007 08 UD Black 106 Kevin Durant JSY AU RC
2007 08 Ultimate Collection 115 Kevin Durant AU out of 150 RC

The crown jewel is the 2007 08 Exquisite Collection 94 Kevin Durant JSY AU out of 99. Near mint raw examples have been valued around 30,000 and can reach 75,000 in mint shape. A graded 9 sold for 108,000 with buyer’s premium at Goldin in July 2021, while a graded 8 with an NBA Logoman patch reached 125,000 in a March 2021 eBay auction.