Slight OT - why is vintage (pre 1950ish) Basketball so cheap

[Jason19th]

For the last couple of months I have started to collect early basketball cards. I have been struck by just how cheap they are compared to baseball of similar player status and card rarity. While I wouldn’t have expected the basketball to equal baseball, I was surprised just how cheap some very important low pop cards were. Is it just that the game is just too different then the one played in the 40’s and 50’s. Is it that NBA fans are not historically inclined. Is it that stats and hall of fame election have not been as celebrated in basketball. Below are a number of cards I picked up recently. Most of these cards have pops under 100 and the Olympic cards have pops under 20
1933 Sport Kings Ed Wachter- an early HoFer from a famous set
1936. pet Cremer and 1936 Franck cards of the 1936 Olympic Team. Both cards feature Joe Fortenberry who was a pre-nba superstar and is thought to have been the first player to dunk. Both cards are German issued
1948 Kelloggs Pep Rookie of George Mikan- a card much rarer then his 48 Bowman
1952 Kiosmos Olympic card of Clyde Lovelette - who was the first player to win ncaa, Olympics and nba title