Top 10 Basketball Rookie Cards?

rtimmer · February 24, 2012 6:46AM

Hi there, I'm trying to determine a list of the top 10 Basketball rookie cards from 1961-1989. I am pretty sure most would agree that the:

'61 Chamberlain
'86 Jordan
'81 Bird/Johnson
'72 Dr. J and
'69 Kareem are the top 5 but I am interested in how you would rank 6-10?

ThoseBackPages · February 24, 2012 6:53AM

West is top 5

Probstein123 · February 24, 2012 6:54AM

Lin has to be top 5 , come on !!

gameusedhoop · February 24, 2012 6:55AM

Not even considering anything after 1981 except for the Jordan. I would say 6-10, in any order (doesn't really matter) are:

1961 Fleer Oscar Robertson
1961 Fleer Jerry West
1961 Fleer Elgin Baylor
1970 Topps Pete Maravich
1969 Topps John Havlicek

Just my opinion and you did ask for best cards, not players, that's why everything after 1981 is excluded. So many more in the 1957 Topps set and the 1948 Bowman set would eclipse most of these, but you set the timeframe.

Hallco · February 24, 2012 7:05AM

61 Oscar Robertson
70 Pete Maravich

And then probably some combination of the rest of the 86 so called "rookies" (Barkley,Drexler,Ewing,Malone,Wilkins,Olajuwon,etc..)

Crazylegs · February 24, 2012 7:13AM

Have people forgotten about...
48 Mikan
57 Russell

Just wondering why you would start at 61?

crazylegs

Hallco · February 24, 2012 7:15AM

<< Have people forgotten about...
48 Mikan
57 Russell

crazylegs >>

Those are not within the OP target years. (61-89)

recbball · February 24, 2012 7:24AM

Have to include '48 bowman and '57 Topps or it isn't a top ten list.

Toro · February 24, 2012 7:36AM

You have to also include a 1992 Shaq and the 1989 Hoops Robinson. If it's solely based on monetary value, then no. If it's based on how those cards helped the industry, then yes.

9. 1992 Stadium Club Beam Team Shaquille O'Neal or the Hoops Draft Redemption
10. 1989 Hoops David Robinson

jivan · February 24, 2012 8:33AM

1989 tim hardaway and mitch richmond

TonyC · February 24, 2012 8:46AM

<< You have to also include a 1992 Shaq and the 1989 Hoops Robinson. If it's solely based on monetary value, then no. If it's based on how those cards helped the industry, then yes.

9. 1992 Stadium Club Beam Team Shaquille O'Neal or the Hoops Draft Redemption
10. 1989 Hoops David Robinson >>

Might have to also consider:

1996-97 Topps Chrome Kobe Bryant (first year of Topps Chrome)
2003-04 Exquisite Lebron James (first year of Exquisite, product that really pushed high-end basketball to a new level)

Foo3112 · February 24, 2012 8:51AM

1989 Hoops David Robinson

That was a pretty hot card back then but I think it got thrown in the mix of the late 80's - early 90's card collecting craze. Its definitely cooled down. Top 10 should be cards that have maintained well over time and are even still popular today and for many years to come.

jay0791 · February 24, 2012 9:45AM

hondo is 1969
why not sport kings?

for a clue try the top 100 sportscards list..........

are the top cards considered by demand, scarcity, or what....many ways to consider this.

cardbender · February 24, 2012 9:53AM

'61 West
'61 Robertson
'61 Chamberlain
'61 Baylor
'69 Alcindor
'69 Havlicek
'69 Hayes
'70 Maravich
'71 Barry
'72 Erving

It's tough to leave off '69 Frazier, Reed, Thurmond, Unseld, and a few others but you said top ten.

I hate the trio '80 Bird/Magic card. Pure ugliness. One of Topps worst designs ever.
So that would never make my top ten list.

Also like the '71 Archibald, '74 Gervin, and '76 D. Thompson.

thenavarro · February 24, 2012 9:58AM

For the years that you asked about, I'd go with these:

Plus the 1970 Pistol Pete which I don't have yet in my collection
(honorable mention to the Star Co #101 Jordan which PSA won't grade)

rtimmer · February 24, 2012 10:04AM

<< Have people forgotten about...
48 Mikan
57 Russell

Just wondering why you would start at 61?

crazylegs >>

Two great cards, but when was the last time you saw a '48 or '57 pack for sale? At least there are a few '61 packs still floating around out there. By the way I would love to get a '57 or '48 pack if anyone has them

gameusedhoop · February 24, 2012 10:54AM

<< hondo is 1969 >>

My bad, went back and fixed it.

wallst32 · February 24, 2012 12:43PM

Whether PSA grades them or not, I'd have to put the 84-85 Star Jordan 101 on this list.

Stone193 · February 24, 2012 1:58PM

I don't collect Bkb but do have some favorite RCs - even if they're not well centered.

I don't have the Baylor RC but do have the IA card from the set:

I do have an OC Jerry West but can't find the scan in my laptop - will edit it on when I find it.

Mike - superb group of auto RCs!

thenavarro · February 24, 2012 2:15PM

Stone,

That's a great looking Big O rookie. Looks 3-d ish, very cool.

Mike

Stone193 · February 24, 2012 2:32PM

<< Stone,

That's a great looking Big O rookie. Looks 3-d ish, very cool.

Mike >>

Thanx Mike - I've had it since around 1993 - it was probably graded and sold soon afterwards to me. I think I got it from Greg Manning. I definitely didn't care as much about centering back then!

bigreddog · February 24, 2012 6:49PM

I like these:

69 Frazier
69 hondo
70 Maravich
70 Norm van Lier
71 Rick Barry
72 dr. j
73 Bob McAdoo
74 Bill Walton
74 George Gervin
76 david Thompson

rtimmer · February 25, 2012 4:56AM

I am a bit surprised that most responses are going towards some of the older players than the '86 Olajuwon or Malone rookies. Both put up tremendous stats during their careers with Olajuwon being 1st in blocks, 11th in points and 9th and 6th in Offensive annd defensive rebounds and Malone 2nd in points, 2nd in defensive rebounds, and 1st in free throws.

gameusedhoop · February 25, 2012 5:02AM

But your post was best rookie CARDS, not best players. That's why I excluded anything after 80-81 except for Jordan. The 86 Fleers are a dime a dozen, even pretty affordable in PSA 9. Most of the others listed are very tough and more expensive in high grades. Almost every day you can find 9s and 10s on ebay for the 86s, the earlier cards, not so many are out there.

Stone193 · February 25, 2012 6:44AM

Here's another favorite RC of mine - albeit OC - it was affordable - I picked it up back around 1994.

eagles33 · February 25, 2012 10:53AM

Here is my top 10

1957 Topps Russel (I know it's outside of the original posters date range but I had to include it if I'm making a top ten basketball card list)
1961 Fleer West
1961 Fleer Robertson
1961 Fleer Chamberlain
1969 Topps Alcindor
1969 Topps Havlicek
1970 Topps Maravich
1972 Topps Erving
1980 Topps Bird/Magic (I agree it's an ugly card but I couldnt leave Bird and Magic off the list
1984 Star Jordan (even though psa won't slab these I like the Star cards over the 86 Fleer.)

Top 10 Basketball Rookie Cards?

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