Hacka's epic journey of the last 30 years of NBA cards

hackadeandre

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I love the NBA. No other sport in my opinion comes even close. I do enjoy watching most sports, some more than others. The NBA has been ingrained in my make-up ever since I discovered a basketball. Every spare moment as a kid spent either on a court or a makeshift one in my backyard. Always wondered what could have been if I broke the 6 foot barrier, unfortunately for me I didn't even get close.

Started collecting cards with the 1993-94 releases, by then MJ was in his prime leading his Bulls to a 3-peat and cards were approaching their prime. Everyone collected, some didn't even know why, they would even struggle to name a player in the NBA apart from MJ. Kids would bring their cards to school bound together with rubber bands and couldn't understand why you won't trade with them.

Then by the time the 1998-99 season rolls around, cards are a thing of the past. The part-time collectors were gone years ago and the kids are now late teenagers. The plethora of local basketball card stores (or video stores that has a nice array of packs) had all but whittled down to one. It felt like the hobby had gone though something like when the machines had taken over the world on the Terminator. I remember the day walking into the lone remaining store and handing over some folders and Ultra Pro 100 count card containers and saying 'Can you hold these for Tony for when he comes in next and give them to him? I'm done.'

When you're 17 or 18 years old, it wasn't that hard. I don't even remember feeling a loss walking out the door. The love of the game never left but collecting cards did. A 17 or 18 year old has much more bigger fish to fry than chasing the last card of his Scoring Kings set.

Fast forward to 2012-13 season, the kid is now a husband and a dad, and life is consumed with responsibility with every day going quicker than the last. Dad spending his spare time looking on Gumtree for something (probably a fridge to put his beer in as the one in the kitchen is bursting at the seams), stumbles across a collection of 90's cards. 'Man, I remember those days, they were really awesome'.

So long story short I buy every single one of the cards, take them home and commence looking, reading, sorting. It was like they had all come back in one foul swoop and it was bloody fun. Which brings us to today, a few years later. Lucky enough to have some extra to spend on a hobby (as opposed to the early teenage years where it was a milestone to be able to afford the weekly NBA paper which I cannot remember the name of).

Which brings us to the collection. I love the history, the story, the snapshot cards can create of the league at each point in time. So basically I am trying (as close as I can get) to collect 1 card of each base, insert and auto or memorabilia card that has ever been made. It may seem ridiculous but there are many exceptions (simply because I don't have a money tree), and I will explain more as I go through the years and cards.

The journey begins at the 1986-87 releases, I am guessing that it will be 12 months before this thread is complete and realistically it can't end. I hope everyone who decides to look at this thread enjoys looking at the last 30 year heritage of cards and any feedback will be appreciated.

1986-87 Fleer

Base card #32 Patrick Ewing RC
The reason I chose this card... honestly... because it's the only one I have! Nice example and always great to have a RC of an all-time great, although it could be upgraded to 'you know who'. Many of these 'rookie cards' aren't actually rookies in the 1986-87 season, this was Fleer's first release of the '80's.

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Insert Sets

1986-87 Fleer Stickers

As a consolation to not having a Jordan RC was to grab this Jordan Rookie Sticker. A great example again and an iconic card, especially with MJ and his trademark 'stick the tongue out'!

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And that's 1986-87 done! 1 release! The first few years are going to be easy and then it's going to get tough. Slow and steady...
 
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And here we are at the 1987-88 season! Much more of the same, a lone Fleer release with a sticker insert set.

1987-88 Fleer

Base card #80 Akeem Olajuwon
I chose this card because it's the pre-Hakeem days. Not sure if the added 'H' stands for Houston but by looking at the back of this card the numbers this guy put up in his first 3 years (and especially his rookie year) were phenomenal. No surprise that Hakeem has ended up being remembered for being one of the best to ever play the Center position.

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Insert Sets

1987-88 Fleer Stickers


Couldn't go past throwing the Jordan in here (again). He looks really happy here, I wonder if he knows that he'll win 6 championships and be regarded (by most) as the G.O.A.T.?

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1988-89 has arrived! Can't believe how quick we are getting through the years. It's going to get brutal soon but at the moment we are swimming through the 1 product 1 insert set years!

1988-89 Fleer

Base card #114 Karl Malone
The Mailman has arrived for his debut in this thread. One thing I have noticed which I didn't know before today is that all of the Fleer base sets over the last 3 years comprised of 132 cards. What this card also shows is the fantastic emphasis on the quality of centering Fleer had back in the day. Did the Mailman just do to Worthy what Aaron Gordon did to the Orlando Magic mascot last weekend?

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Subsets

Fleer All Star Team

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Insert Sets

1988-89 Fleer Stickers

There is no extensive NBA card thread that can not include Larry Legend. Enough said.

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1989-90 throws a few surprises here. A Fleer subset, but more notably the inaugural 1989-90 NBA Hoops! It's hard to believe we are here 30 years later still opening packets of Hoops!

1989-90 Fleer

Base card #100 Patrick Ewing

OK, we've already had Ewing and bringing him up again this early? Well, it is the only card I have of this set and I really liked watching Ewing play back in the day when ball in the Big Apple was alive and well. Like the Akeem earlier, check out those stats!

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Subset

The first subset of the thread, all I can say is that lucky for Stockton that Eaton is sitting down. Stockton could easily be mistaken for Eaton's child otherwise.

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Insert Set

1989-90 Fleer Stickers

The Round Mound of Rebound. Very appropriate game action pic ready to pounce on the defensive board. Again, the centering on these cards is something to be admired.

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1989-90 Hoops

Base card #310 David Robinson

Not actually The Admiral's recognised RC of the set, but you have to give the guys at Hoops credit for calling him potentially 'Franchise Player'. Wasn't he ever!

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Subset

All-Star Weekend. Look how MJ filled the box score in 1988!

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Subset

Champions! BAD BOYS!!! Love these subset cards celebrating the previous year's winners, great moments to capture. The back is such a school photo!

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That will more than likely be all for the evening, stay tuned soon for 1990-91!

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I am loving this so far. Looking forward to rolling into 92/93. I really love the old cards. Collecting was so much simpler and the value of an auto card was almost something you couldn't imagine. Yes, we are lucky that an auto of almost anyone is affordable and all that..but i still regard the mid 80's to mid-late 90's the golden era of cardboard. Great thread Liam
 
I am loving this so far. Looking forward to rolling into 92/93. I really love the old cards. Collecting was so much simpler and the value of an auto card was almost something you couldn't imagine. Yes, we are lucky that an auto of almost anyone is affordable and all that..but i still regard the mid 80's to mid-late 90's the golden era of cardboard. Great thread Liam
Thanks mate, appreciate the feedback. Makes it worthwhile spending the time (although my photography skills are questionable).
 
I recently started a small side pc of Star Co cards of a certain player which will please 1 person in particular @OutlawNinja as I have always loved that short burst of cards they produced.
BONUS CARD TIME. This is my only card from the company you are referring to. Funnily enough I bought it from a large US card seller years ago and it was advertised as a Topps Reprint. Naturally there were no complaints for the mix-up from my end.

1986 Star Court Kings

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1990-91 season has arrived! Don't worry @shawnkemp40 I'm hoping to be at 1992-93 over the weekend! You're right, it gets a bit more interesting from then. So, first up Fleer has canned the stickers and gone with a base card and 2 insert sets.

1990-91 Fleer

Base card #178 Shawn Kemp

Shawn Kemp just being Shawn Kemp. I wonder if he got all 10's and if Shaq was there would he have given him a 9?

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Insert Sets

1990-91 Fleer All-Stars

Same deal as with Larry. No extensive card thread excludes Magic. Obviously made in the days where 'Magic' was not regarded as his actual name. How ridiculous!

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1990-91 Fleer Rookie Sensations

Oh, the beginning of the Rookie Sensations inserts. These lasted many years and what a way to begin with a young Admiral! From what I understand it's the earliest insert set to be reproduced twenty-something years later in Upper Deck's Fleer Retro releases!

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I think we all can share a similar story to your introduction. Very worthy chase you have going on. Btw, the name of the weekly magazine was Pro Basketball Today (PBT) I have a truckload of them sitting at home. Great nostalgic reading if you're interested...
 
Time to finish off 1990-91. The second year of Hoops delivers multiple subsets and no insert sets.

1990-91 Hoops

Base card #279 Shawn Kemp RC
The rookie cards were the same as the non-rookie cards in this set except for the obvious 'rookie' logo on the top right corner. The rookie cards are still coming out in the sophomore year releases at this stage. you'll notice they have the player's rookie year stats on the back. Not like today when you can get rookie cards of the current class before they step on the court.

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Subsets

All-Star Weekend

Very similar to the base card on the front with a gold colour. I apologise in advance about the number of Jordan's that will come up, I'm going to mix it up the best I can. Probably the most interesting part of this card is the fact that (at the time) MJ's All-Star scoring average was second to Tom Chambers!

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Art Card Checklist

I believe this is the first release with an 'art card' included. Whilst it's not to the quality of 'Court Kings', it's certainly better than a lot of those crappy 'Leaf' art cards!

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NBA Inside Stuff

I can't believe how cool this card is. From the 'graf' on the side of the building, the obviously well-loved backboard and barely hanging net, MJ and his rolled-up short sleeve tee and matching wristbands, nothing epitomises the 90's more than this!

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1990 Lottery Pick

This is actually the first rookie card I have noticed so far that was actually released in the rookie year. There's no game action shot but man, I want that phone!

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I think we all can share a similar story to your introduction. Very worthy chase you have going on. Btw, the name of the weekly magazine was Pro Basketball Today (PBT) I have a truckload of them sitting at home. Great nostalgic reading if you're interested...
That's the one! I loved that paper...
 
To round out 1990-91 we have the Inaugural Skybox release. Pretty boring really, no inserts or subsets but they pick up their game in a big way later in the 90's.

1990-91 Skybox

Base card #362 Derrick Coleman RC
Again, the rookies were the same as the non-rookies in this set excluding the 'NBA Draft' logo. I wonder if DC is actually happy that he's going to play for the Nets?

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Welcome to 1991-92. Upper Deck joins the ranks and plenty more inserts and subsets around, which means this is really going to take a long time.

1991-92 Fleer

Base card #29 Michael Jordan
I'm a big fan of this design, especially the full colour back with both a close-up and action shot and the 'wood' colour background. Those stats on the back are mind-boggling!

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Subsets

All-Star Team

The subsets from this release were very similar and had the same basis for the design. Funny how Phil Jackson was 'saving' MJ by only playing him an average of 37 minutes per game. That seems like a lot these days!

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League Leaders

Surprise, surprise. The G.O.A.T. led the league in scoring... again.

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All-Star Game

It looks like Chuck, Magic and Mullin were expecting him to miss. They all seem to be preparing for the defensive board.

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Team Leader

Only thing I can say about this is that it looks like the 'Air Jordan' logo has already been created by this time looking at the soles of his shoes!

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