Top 12 Redeem Team Basketball Rookie Cards
The “Redeem Team” movie recaps the historical 2008 Beijing Olympics undefeated campaign for the United States Men’s Basketball Team.
Captained by the Late Kobe Bryant, the United States won all 5 Olympic basketball contests and took home the gold medal in a close game Vs Spain.
Sports card investors could build an epic set of all 12 rookie cards featuring each player on the “Redeem Team”. PSA hasn’t currently released an official set but it would be cool if they did.
Here is a breakdown of the top rookie card for each player on the 2008 United States Men’s basketball roster.
Kobe Bryant: 1996-97 Topps Chrome #138
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Kobe Bryant captained the “Redeem Team” and led them to a perfect 5-0 2008 Olympic record. His top rookie card is the 1996-97 Topps Chrome Basketball card. This card comes in two versions: regular base and refractor.
Lebron James: 2003-04 Topps Chrome #111
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This isn’t Lebron James’ most valuable rookie card but the 2003-04 Topps Chrome is considered his top rookie for sports card investors. Lebron James is playing his 20th NBA season this year and wants to play 1 year with his son, Bronny James, before he retires.
Lebron is a guaranteed 1st ballot Hall of Famer and should pass Kareem Abdul-Jabaar as the all-time leading NBA regular season scorer this year. This is a solid investment that could appreciate once Lebron retires in 2025.
Dwyane Wade: 2003-04 Topps Chrome
Dwyane Wade retired from the NBA and is a 1st ballot Hall of Famer after winning 3 NBA championships (2 playing alongside Lebron James).
Carmelo Anthony: 2003-04 Topps Chrome
Carmelo Anthony is currently an NBA free agent after finishing the 2021-22 NBA season with the Los Angeles Lakers. At 38 years old, Carmelo may have played his last NBA game but he is a guaranteed NBA Hall of Famer nonetheless.
Chris Paul: 2005-06 Topps Chrome
Chris Paul is currently playing for the Phoenix Suns and will be a 1st ballot Hall of Famer when he retires.
Dwight Howard: 2004-05 Topps Chrome
Dwight Howard is currently a free agent but makes a strong case for the Hall of Fame based on his longevity. He won an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2020 NBA bubble and deserves a serious vote for his consistency over a long and rocky career.
Chris Bosh: 2003-4 Topps Chrome
Chris Bosh tragically had his NBA career cut short due to blood clots but still remained a consistent scorer, rebounder, and defender during his NBA tenure.
Jason Kidd: 1994-95 Topps Finest
Jason Kidd was the oldest player on the “Redeem Team” roster and entered the NBA Hall of Fame for his incredible NBA career as a point guard. Kidd won an NBA championship with the Dallas Mavericks .
Tayshawn Prince: 2002-03 Topps Chrome
Tayshawn Prince was one of the key bench players that supported the “Redeem Team” during its historic Olympic run.
Carlos Boozer: 2002-03 Topps Chrome #127
Carlos Boozer was one of the key bench players that supported the “Redeem Team” during its historic Olympic run.
Deron Williams: 2005-06 Topps Chrome #200
Deron Williams was one of the key bench players that supported the “Redeem Team” during its historic Olympic run.
Michael Redd: 2000-01 Topps Chrome #192
Michael Redd was one of the key bench players that supported the “Redeem Team” during its historic Olympic run.
