The 4G Strategy: GUESS, GOOD, GREAT, GOAT!

With so many players, brands, and styles of sports cards, it helps when you have a common language when building your collection. Here at HoopsandCards.com, we've invented the "4G" categories to at least attempt to diversify, strategize, and describe which players we might target for a card collector or investor. It's simple, memorable, attainable, reasonable, and time-sensitive - like SMART goals, Marcus!

Here are the G's: Guesses, Goods, Greats, and GOATS.

Guesses - players we have no idea what kind of career they'll have, but we are willing to prospect them, spend a few bucks on a cheap RPA, or pull their silver Prizms out of that dollar box. This is a total crapshoot, with names like Dalano Banton, Christian Braun, Jaden Hardy, Jalen Duren, Malaki Branham, and Isaiah Mobley. Your guess is as good as mine. Well, actually, I like my guess better. And that's the point.

Goods - these are the players we already know, but they aren't great yet. Performance on the court may (or may not) lead to profits on the card. Some of the "Goods" aren't all-stars yet, and some of them have been all-stars but simply aren't building "greatness" in their careers. This group includes guys like Darius Garland, Anfernee Simons, Fred VanVleet, Julius Randle, Paolo Banchero, and Lauri Markkanen. Like those guys, some "Goods" are on their way up, and others not so much.

Greats - Everybody knows these names. Some "Greats" are established like Luka, Embiid, Kyrie, and Anthony Davis. Others are "Greats" in merely name or talent, but they've shown that potential and become that popular. Think Zion, Lamelo, Ja, Cade, Wemby, Scoot, and Evan Mobley - none of these players are actually great yet. But the NBA and Sports Card Investors believe they could head that way. Stay healthy, guys!

GOATS - This means what you think it means. Players who will be remembered 25 years from now. By definition, GOATS should be mentioned among the all-time best to ever play their positions. As I write this, we only see FOUR obvious, actively-playing, names for this list - Lebron, Steph, Giannis, Jokic. That's it. Several players are on the "bubble," like KD, Kawhi, Joel, CP3, Harden, Russ, and Dame.

But, for our card investors and long-term impact, Lebron and Steph rule the day.

For our upcoming podcast episodes, we'll walk through each of the 4Gs and give you our picks for those guys who are ready to make the jump to the next levels and some cards to pick up early in this season!

Who are your personal "GOATS"? Shoot me an email with your takes at gary@hoopsandcards.com!