"Offered 300k on the spot": Hornets wing Grant Williams goes nearly 30x on his investment thanks to Luka Doncic collectible
Charlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams has recently taken up basketball card collecting, and he struck gold by pulling a rare Luka Doncic card that could significantly multiply his initial investment of $10,500.
Williams purchased a Panini National Treasures NBA Basketball Hobby Box for $10,500 and opened it at Fanatics Fest in New York. Inside, he found a rare Doncic rookie card featuring a patch from his jersey and an autograph.
Williams revealed that he's already received offers ranging from $250,000 to $500,000 for the card. However, he’s holding out to see if his former teammate, Luka Doncic, might have a better offer before he sells it.
“Offered 300k on the spot. Gotta give my brother LD (Luka Doncic) a chance first tho 🤝🔥,” Williams shared in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
In a video posted by Darren Rovell, Williams explained that he believes Doncic, his former Mavericks teammate, would be highly interested in the card.
"I said I've got to give Luka first right to refusal, just because he would buy this for like a million dollars, I bet," Williams said.
"I FaceTimed him twice, he didn't pick up. He's in Slovenia right now. So he'll call me back, and I'll talk to him about it because this is absurd."
The card is graded nine out of 10 in terms of its condition.
How Grant Williams' Celtics and Mavericks stints ended
Grant Williams was selected 22nd overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2019 NBA Draft. A promising forward, he earned back-to-back SEC Player of the Year honors.
In his first two seasons, Williams played primarily off the bench, averaging less than five points per game each year. By his third season, he increased his scoring average to 7.8 points per game, starting in 21 of 77 games.
In his fourth and final season with the Celtics, he set career highs by averaging 8.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, starting 23 of 79 games.
That offseason, Williams became a restricted free agent and was acquired by the Dallas Mavericks in a three-team trade, signing a four-year, $54 million deal.
He played 47 games for the Mavericks, averaging 8.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists before being traded to the Charlotte Hornets midseason.
However, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon, the Mavericks were dissatisfied with Williams' personality and commitment.
"I would say one of the ways that Grant Williams rubbed people the wrong way, the yap, yap, yapping, obviously, that's kind of part of it with him," MacMahon mentioned on 'The Hoop Collective' podcast.
“Grant Williams has proven throughout the course of his career that when he gets in shape, he can be an impactful defender, but that's not the guy that the Mavericks got."
Since joining the Hornets, Williams has averaged career-highs of 13.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game in 29 appearances.