There are loads of cards going up in value. Perhaps some are going up more which I think is natural but all one must do is look online and it is pretty easy to see.
I focus on wrestling, a few boxers, and cards of wrestlers from other sports and this list has been scorching hot. In wrestling Hogan, Andre, Flair, The Rock, Steve Austin, Undertaker, and some others have gone up the most. I think you are seeing a lot of collectors focus on the biggest stars. A few nights ago a 1982 Wrestling All Stars Dick The Bruiser PSA 8 went for $62. Is that up from a year ago? Yes. This was a $40 card so up over 50%. I think that is great. In the same auction a PSA 7 82 Hogan went for $2,025. This is up over 600%. Obviously a huge divergence but still both are up.
A BGS 8 1986 Panini Tyson went for $7,300. This is up over 1,700% in the past year. In the same auction a PSA 9 1991 Ringlords went for $270 and that is up 800% and so you are also seeing lots of variance within the same athlete by card. Even PSA 6's of Tyson are in high demand. A board member here just sold a UK back for over 2k and he had offers even higher after the auction closed so you are seeing high demand for star cards even in more modest grades.
The 1994 Miami Hurricanes Dwayne Johnson has exploded. A PSA 10 went for over 6k the other night and this was a $725 card. There are plenty of Rock cards from older wrestling sets that have probably barely moved in valued because of lack of demand. Collectors are focusing on athletes best cards or their rookie card.
Taking this back to basketball.Check out the price on this Hakeem PSA 10. $8,600 with three days to go.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1986-Fleer-...QAAOSwAnJfRcBk
There is a PSA 8 at over $300.
I honestly don't see how anyone could be watching card listings and not see prices going up.