A highly coveted Victor Wembanyama 1-of-1 numbered 2023-24 Panini Prizm Black parallel trading card has been sold for a staggering $5.11 million in a private transaction facilitated by Fanatics Collect, as confirmed by Fanatics to ESPN. This monumental sale significantly surpasses all previous records for a Wembanyama card, making it the most expensive known non-autographed NBA card ever sold. Furthermore, it ranks as the fourth most expensive basketball card and the eleventh most expensive sports card overall, securing its place among a select few sports cards known to have commanded a price of $5 million or more.

Previously, the highest amount spent on a Wembanyama card was $860,100, achieved in a February 2025 Goldin auction for a different 1-of-1 numbered parallel from the same Prizm set. A notable aspect of Wembanyama's rookie cards is the absence of licensed autographed versions. This is due to an exclusive deal Wembanyama holds with Fanatics, which assumed the exclusive NBA trading card license in October, while Panini was the exclusive licensee during his rookie season.

The card in question, which received a perfect 10 grade from Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), was originally pulled from a box by collector Cavelle McDonald at NorCal Sports Cards. Its journey to a top grade, however, is not without controversy. A 2024 video captured McDonald and shop owner Thomas Lindenthal at Collector's headquarters, PSA's parent company, where Lindenthal notably thanked Kurt's Card Care upon the reveal of the PSA 10 grade.

Kurt's Card Care is known for manufacturing products designed to 'safely clean collectible cards, restore and treat edges,' and 'remove minor issues that affect the cards surface,' aiming to return them 'to a factory like finish when possible.' Within the card collecting community, the practice of cleaning and altering cards is widely condemned, and PSA's stringent grading standards explicitly prohibit such modifications. Any card found to be altered will not receive a grade.

PSA's comprehensive grading standards list several reasons for a 'no grade' designation, including evidence of trimming, restoration, recoloration, questionable authenticity, altered stock, not meeting minimum factory size requirements, evidence of cleaning, or miscutting. Specifically, their 'N5 Altered Stock' and 'N7 Evidence of Cleaning' classifications cover instances where 'any foreign substance is applied to the surface of a card such as cleaning spray or wax.'

Beyond his burgeoning trading card value, Victor Wembanyama has also achieved significant accolades on the court. He recently made history as the NBA's first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, was the sole unanimous selection for the NBA's All-Defensive First Team, and finished an impressive third in the NBA MVP voting this season, further cementing his status as a generational talent.