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

Insert Sets

1992-93 Topps Beam Team

The only 'insert' set out of this release features a different version of the Stadium Club Beam Team inserts. Always nice getting 1 card with 3 superstars on it, I wonder who actually chooses the Topps Beam Team?



1992-93 Topps Beam Team Gold

Exactly the same as the above, like the base cards the Beam Team inserts came in the gold foil highlighted version.

 
1992-93 Topps Archives

I've been hanging to get to this release. Buying a box of these is probably a worse investment than throwing $50 in the bin however I love how they've mixed the old with the new here in a glossy version of the old cards with the new players. They are all base cards with gold parallel versions of each and also 1 redemption insert set for a larger version of the card featured on the front.

This is the gold parallel version of the base card with the Topps Archives logo and player name in gold foil. Didn't realise Reggie Miller lasted all the way to pick 11! Pacers score!



Notice that the stats on the back reflect how this card would have read if it was his first release. As explained when we were back in the 80's, players rookie cards were made after they had completed their first full season hence the rookie year stats on the back.



Gotta love the facsimile auto on the front, closest thing to a real auto bar a few impossible to pull cards at that stage.



The West Coast Jordan



My question is, how can you be enrolled at a college but be academically ineligible to play basketball???

 
Rodman certainly knew how to put the ball in the basket in college!



The guy in the green in the crowd didn't get the letter in the mail regarding wearing a white or light grey shirt.



Where's Tim?



Love this design, simple with the old school running writing team name.



Really like this design as well, a bit different to the others. Also helps having an awesome full court shot of the Reignman at his preferred part of the court.

 
Instant starter, Dikembe averaged 38.3 MPG in his rookie year.



Insert Sets

1992-93 Topps Archives Master Photo

The only insert set in this release, these redemption cards were redeemable for a larger 5 x 7 uncut version of the same card that you would see through the 'photographer's lens'. Which brings me to the next exclusion from this 30 year chase; any card larger than a standard card is not included in the chase which is why I only have the redemption card version. It's amusing how Topps have stated to please allow 45 days for processing, I'd be happy if Panini guaranteed 45 weeks processing at the rate they are sending my redeemed cards out!

 
I think the story goes, Karl Malone didn't have the grades to get a scholarship to play for Louisiana Tech and his first year of enrollment was him catching up or something. Once he got the grades, he then got the scholarship.
 
wjrwebber said:
I think the story goes, Karl Malone didn't have the grades to get a scholarship to play for Louisiana Tech and his first year of enrollment was him catching up or something. Once he got the grades, he then got the scholarship.
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Aaah, you certainly know your stuff man! Thanks for the input, much appreciated I'm sure Karl received some 'help' to get his grades up haha
timboston17 said:
Killer thread mate. Really does bring back the memories. The rubber bands around the cards is spot on.
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Cheers mate, the other 'treatment' issue I've found with cards (that still happens) is people store their folders stacked on each other and the cards move over the rings and they get indentations.
 
hackadeandre said:
1991-92 Fleer

Pro-Visions

The 'Art Cards' are coming thick and fast and this one was a part of a 6 card insert set. Love how MJ has a jet pack instead of legs!
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I remember collecting with a mate and he was way into Jordan for more than me and there was a vending machine with packs in it near his house with this year in it, I saw them told him the Jordan was in there and I'd get it.... first pack out Boom Jordan, I was so happy and he was so pissed
 
Hahaha that's too funny. Reminds me of the time buying 93-94 Fleer packs with a mate, I get Jordan Sharpshooters first pack, he gets nothing and not happy about it. At the time it was a very desirable card, now it's worth about 5 bucks LOL.
 
I think we must have started collecting at the same time, I carried 2 folders of cards everywhere I moved 1 had about 90 Jordan's and the other was random inserts and stuff, I'd only ever open it once every few years and reminisce and then in 2013 I bought a box of Brilliance and found Cherry breaks and I was hooked again..... Hooked like heroine!!!!!
 
OK, let's smash out the rest of 1992-93 tonight!

1992-93 Ultra

Base card #27
I really like the design of this inaugural Ultra release base card, I honestly think it's the best one of the 16-odd years this release was made. Here's MJ showing the blueprint for a young 13 y.o. Kobe.



Subsets

1992-93 Ultra Jam Session

Much the same on the front except for the NBA Jam Session logo, here's Scottie 'doing everything his team mate can do'.



1992-93 Ultra RC

Only difference between the rookies and the non-rookies in this release is the gold foil rookie banner under the Ultra logo. Here's Googs off the bench and taking it to the rack with Doc trying to draw the offensive foul.



Insert Sets

Whilst I like the base cards from this release the best out of any year, the insert sets did go crazy good in the late 90's. Although the ones in this release are still nice and simple with a good design.

1992-93 Ultra All-NBA

Nothing epitomises Ewing better than this pic of him about to post up with his trademark knee pads on.



1992-93 Ultra All Rookie Series

Again, another nice simple effective design. Sort of looks like Spree's in the ESPN TV studios with all the different screens.

 
1992-93 Ultra Award Winners

Thought I would add Pervis here, don't hear much about him these days but to increase your average points and rebounds per game by 10 and 5 in one season is very impressive and worthy of the Most Improved Award.



1992-93 Ultra Playmaker

It's easy to forget just how good Tim Hardaway was in the era of superstars, but 6th in the league in scoring and 3rd in the league in assists shows you just how important Timmy was in nearly every play they made whilst he was on the court.



1992-93 Ultra Rejector

Easily my favourite design of the 92-93 Ultra inserts with the comic-like 'swat', is there anyone more fitting to be in this set than Dikembe? Something tells me Lionel's shot is going anywhere but in the basket.



1992-93 Ultra Scottie Pippen

Fleer continuing on the theme of the 1 player insert sets in their premium brand, this time showcasing Scottie Pippen. Pretty flattering to Pip that he has a Career Highlights set dedicated to him before he had even completed his 6th year in the league. Like their predecessors, these cards also came signed.

 
rhysjsolomon said:
Awesome thread!!! Bring on 92/93 Upper Deck!! My favourite of all card releases ever!!
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@rhysjsolomon we've finally made it! And, only 22 more years of cards to go after this

1992-93 Upper Deck

Base card #26 Charles Barkley
Rhys is right, these Upper Deck (any most of the other releases on that note) are a great design. The white border is fantastic for making these base cards look in great condition as well. A classy team name in gold foil at the top and a bonus game action photo on the back. Also on this particular card is the 'traded to' design.



Subsets

1992-93 Upper Deck RC

Not all the rookies looked like this one, many of them had pics of the draft picks posing in a non-basketball environment - boring! Maybe Shaq was the only one to turn up to the pre-season photo shoot in uniform.



1992-93 Upper Deck Checklist

Another awesome piece of artwork on the Upper Deck checklist cards, wish I could draw like Alan Studt!



1992-93 Upper Deck Scoring Threats

Air and Pip, the old school Steph and Klay!



1992-93 Upper Deck All-Star Weekend

There's only that certain 'special' player that can make the All-Star team in their rookie season, Shaqtus being one of them.

 
1992-93 Upper Deck In Your Face

This is the energy Aaron and Zach were channeling in this year's contest.



1992-93 Upper Deck Top Prospects

Shaq bent the rim and stopped the game for half an hour.



1992-93 Upper Deck Game Faces



1992-93 Upper Deck FaniMation

OK, this card rivals (in coolness) the Hoops Jordan card shown earlier with him in the playground. The original 'Birdman' and Agent 23 ready to take on evil at a court near you!



Insert Sets

1992-93 Upper Deck SP

Not sure if these really qualify as 'insert sets' but they are numbered SP1 and SP2 so for this exercise they will be! First one (SP1) is a Magic/Bird dual retirement card. Pretty cool how they have the little papers on the bottom of the card with their actual retirement dates. SP2 is in the next post!

 
1992-93 Upper Deck SP (continued)

Another one for @OutlawNinja this is the SP2 card showcasing 2 of the most prolific scorers of the late 80's to 90's. Very unique full game action photo card front and back.



1992-93 Upper Deck 15,000 Point Club

Just like Tim Hardaway, Isiash was equally as important to Deeetroit Basketball having lead the Pistons up to that point in scoring and assists in a single year 5 times. This insert set was re-created as an autographed version in the late 2000's in the Upper Deck Lineage release.



1992-93 All-Division Team

Pretty impressive that The Glide ranked 2nd in the franchise's career blocked shots as a guard!



1992-93 Upper Deck All-NBA

Anyone questioning Scottie's importance in the Bull's success only needs to refer to him averaging 21, 7 and 7 during the 1991-92 season and then leading the Bulls in rebounds AND assists in the playoffs.



1992-93 Upper Deck All Rookie Team

An absolute sitter for the All Rookie First Team, I wonder if Dikembe didn't get injured late in the season that the ROY voting would have been a bit closer?

 
1992-93 Upper Deck Award Winners

Back for the second and final year of the full hologram Award Winners set, is Detlef with his second consecutive 6th Man Award.



1992-93 Upper Deck Foreign Legion

I wonder if they had any more or still have Jamaica night's at MSG?



1992-93 Upper Deck Jerry West Selects

'You just expect him to make whatever play is necessary for his team to win'. Remind you of anyone?



1992-93 Upper Deck Larry Bird Basketball Heroes

Following the same theme and continuous numbering from the previous year's Jerry West set (and the Wilt one from Series 1), this 9 card set showcases Larry Legend and this particular card shows he is the original '3 point king'. Being the only forward to win the 3 point contest at the time, I wonder if there has been any since?



1992-93 Upper Deck McDonald's

This card brings me to one of my exclusions in this 30 year chase. Any cards made for a particular 'brand' are excluded from the chase, however I'm throwing this one in here anyway mainly because it's there in the folder anyway! Very similar to the standard base card (a bit of a different design down the bottom), you will notice the Upper Deck hologram on the back has morphed into the golden arches.

 
1992-93 Upper Deck MVP

These were my favourite insert design from this year's Upper Deck, taking the hologram theme from the Award Winners set and adding a nice simple but effective card design around it. I suppose most people at the time thought of Laettner as a future MVP, didn't really pan out that way though.



1992-93 Upper Deck Rookie Standouts

I wonder why releases with a Series 1 and a Series 2 slowly died. I really like how these Series 2 cards have stats up to mid-season, will have to jump on google and find out how Zo's second half of his rookie season compared to his 19.5 and 10 start.



1992-93 Upper Deck Team MVP

Don't mind this insert set either, with the full colour feature player and the black and white background. I wonder if this image of The Dream has appeared in Pervis Ellison's nightmares?



1992-93 Upper Deck Wilt Chamberlain Basketball Heroes

The Series 1 release that fits in between the 1991-92 Jerry West and the Series 2 Larry Bird, this part celebrates the career of Wilt Chamberlain. What I find most amazing about Wilt and his accomplishments is that he won the NBA MVP award in his rookie season, unbelievable.



And that concludes 1992-93 and the first 8 years of this basketball card chase! Stay tuned for the start of the 1993-94 season!
 
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