Who is the Next Big Thing in Sports Collectibles? 
March 5, 2005
By Adam McFarland When it comes to Sports Collectibles, everyone is out to find the next big thing. We all want to get our hands on the rookie cards, autographs, and McFarlane figures of the next sports collectibles superstar. In 2004 it was Ben Roethlisberger. In 2003 it was Lebron James. Anyone with half a brain could have seen Lebron coming from miles away, but not many people could have foreseen what big Ben did in 2004. With no clear cut front runner in 2005, here are four prime candidates to explode onto the sports scene in 2005. |
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| 1. David Wright Newly acquired superstars Carlos Beltran and Pedro Martinez may steal the media attention, but the success of the NY Mets will hedge on their young infielders Jose Reyes and David Wright. While the oft injured Reyes has frustrated fans and management alike with his flashes of brilliance followed by months out of the lineup, all David Wright did was play like an All Star in the second half of 2004. After tearing through the minor leagues, management had no choice but accelerate their plans for this young superstar. In 69 games, the 22 year old Wright hit .293 with 14 home runs and 40 RBI's while playing stellar defense at third base. |
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| 2. Ronnie Brown It's hard to believe that Ronnie Brown wasn't the featured back on the undefeated Auburn Tigers. That title went to Carnell "Cadillac" Williams. Despite sharing carries, Brown tallied 913 yards and 8 touchdowns. In 2002, with Williams missing time with injuries, Brown had 1008 yards and 13 touchdowns. A quick look at Mel Kiper Jr's latest draft board will reveal that not only is Brown the #1 Running Back (ahead of Williams and Texas' Cedric Benson), he is the #1 overall player for April's 2005 NFL Draft. Assuming the 49ers take a QB with the first overall pick, Brown could be the cornerstone of a rebuilding effort in Miami, Cleveland, or Chicago. Look for Brown to surpass his 2002 numbers at Auburn as a rookie in 2005. |
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| 3. Josh Smith This 19 year old Atlanta Hawks rookie has come a long way since ESPN's Jay Bilas dubbed Smith the most likely to be a first round bust after Smith was taken with the 17th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft. Smith turned heads with his Slam Dunk Championship in February where he paid homage to Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins by wearing his jersey and recording perfect scores of 50 on three of his four dunks. He began the year on the bench, but in recent months has taken advantage of increased minutes with 19 points against Sacramento and a whopping 10 blocks against Dallas. Look for Smith to leap into superstar status by the end of 2005. |
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| 4. Sidney Crosby If it wasn't for the NHL labor problems, this 17 year old would be the surefire pick for the next great sports superstar. Unfortunately, as it stands, who knows when we will get to see him put on an NHL jersey. When asked if someone may break his records someday, Wayne Gretzky said "Yes, Sidney Crosby. He's the best player I've seen since Mario (Lemieux)". In 2004-2005 he tallied 145 points (58 Goals, 87 Assists) in only 57 games playing for Rimouski Oceanic of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Whenever the next NHL draft is, look for Crosby to be the #1 pick and immediately leap into star status. |
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