With my latest side collection of All Star RCs, I think this is the most exciting part. I get the chance to dig deep into the history of the NBA and learn about some of the greats of the game, as well as many pretty good players who don't get the same amount of attention these days but would have been just as popular as Gilbert Arenas, Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady...
So we will do this thing backwards as we look at the more recent cards, starting from the 1981-82 season:
81-82 Topps Jim Paxson - the older brother of John Paxson who famously hit the game winning shot for the Bulls 1993 championship, was a 2 x All Star (83, 84) playing for the Portland Trailblazers.
81-82 Topps Bill Laimbeer - famous for being part of the Detroit "Bad Boys" that won 2 championships, was a 4 x All Star (83-85, 87)
78-79 Topps Walter Davis - aka the "greyhound", was a prolific scorer for 15 seasons who almost reached the 20000 points plateau, was a 6 x All Star (79-81, 84, 87)
76-77 Topps Alvan Adams - played his best basketball in his rookie year to help the Suns reach the NBA finals, he was named rookie of the year as well as an All Star. His stats were amazing, 19.1/9.1/5.6/1.5/1.5... retired as a Sun in 1988.
76-77 Topps Lionel Hollins - the current coach of Memphis, was a defensively sound point guard, he made his only All Star appearance in 1978 as a member of the Blazers.
76-77 Topps Gus Williams - the "Wizard" led the Sonics to the 1979 champsionship, was then named to 2 x All Star (82, 83)
71-72 Topps Rick Barry - finally, a big name player, Rick was an 8 x All Star (66–67 73–78). He has won championships, numerous awards, held records in both the ABA and NBA. Named to NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, his basketball genes passed on to his sons, three of which played in the NBA (Jon, Brent and Drew).
71-72 Topps Dave Cowens - another big name, Cowens was a 7 x All Star (72-78) who was named to the NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team
70-71 Topps Bob Dandridge - part of the 1971 Bucks championship team alongside Lew Alcindor and Oscar Robertson, won another championship in 1978 with Elvin Hayes. He was a 4 x All Star (73, 75, 76, 79).
70-71 Topps Norm Van Lier - a point guard who had his best years with the Bulls in the 70s, was a 3 x All Star (74, 76, 77). He passed away in 2009 aged 61.
69-70 Topps Walt Hazzard - a point guard who led the Sonics in its inaugural season in 1968 and was named an All Star that year after averaging 24 points and 6.2 assists. He passed away recently aged 69.
69-70 Topps Jack Marin - a little known 2 x All Star (72, 73) for Baltimore and Houston. He led the league in free throw % in 71-72.
69-70 Topps Bob Rule - was named to the 1970 All Star team after averaging 24.6/10.3 for the expansion franchise of the Seattle Super Sonics. Unfortunately, his career was cut short by an achilles injury that eventually forced him out of the league in 1974.
69-70 Topps Elvin Hayes - a big name once again, 12 x All Star (69-80), one of those centres back in the Bill Russell times where rebounds were abundant, he amassed career totals of 27313 points and 16279 rebounds. He was named to the NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.
It is just great to get my hands on these vintage cards that have been in circulation for 40 years. Some of them are not in its ideal condition or maybe off-centred in the eye of a grader but I think it is great for me to just have them at all. I think I have pretty much run out of cards to show for a while, so I guess I will be back in a few months time.
So we will do this thing backwards as we look at the more recent cards, starting from the 1981-82 season:
81-82 Topps Jim Paxson - the older brother of John Paxson who famously hit the game winning shot for the Bulls 1993 championship, was a 2 x All Star (83, 84) playing for the Portland Trailblazers.
81-82 Topps Bill Laimbeer - famous for being part of the Detroit "Bad Boys" that won 2 championships, was a 4 x All Star (83-85, 87)
78-79 Topps Walter Davis - aka the "greyhound", was a prolific scorer for 15 seasons who almost reached the 20000 points plateau, was a 6 x All Star (79-81, 84, 87)
76-77 Topps Alvan Adams - played his best basketball in his rookie year to help the Suns reach the NBA finals, he was named rookie of the year as well as an All Star. His stats were amazing, 19.1/9.1/5.6/1.5/1.5... retired as a Sun in 1988.
76-77 Topps Lionel Hollins - the current coach of Memphis, was a defensively sound point guard, he made his only All Star appearance in 1978 as a member of the Blazers.
76-77 Topps Gus Williams - the "Wizard" led the Sonics to the 1979 champsionship, was then named to 2 x All Star (82, 83)
71-72 Topps Rick Barry - finally, a big name player, Rick was an 8 x All Star (66–67 73–78). He has won championships, numerous awards, held records in both the ABA and NBA. Named to NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, his basketball genes passed on to his sons, three of which played in the NBA (Jon, Brent and Drew).
71-72 Topps Dave Cowens - another big name, Cowens was a 7 x All Star (72-78) who was named to the NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team
70-71 Topps Bob Dandridge - part of the 1971 Bucks championship team alongside Lew Alcindor and Oscar Robertson, won another championship in 1978 with Elvin Hayes. He was a 4 x All Star (73, 75, 76, 79).
70-71 Topps Norm Van Lier - a point guard who had his best years with the Bulls in the 70s, was a 3 x All Star (74, 76, 77). He passed away in 2009 aged 61.
69-70 Topps Walt Hazzard - a point guard who led the Sonics in its inaugural season in 1968 and was named an All Star that year after averaging 24 points and 6.2 assists. He passed away recently aged 69.
69-70 Topps Jack Marin - a little known 2 x All Star (72, 73) for Baltimore and Houston. He led the league in free throw % in 71-72.
69-70 Topps Bob Rule - was named to the 1970 All Star team after averaging 24.6/10.3 for the expansion franchise of the Seattle Super Sonics. Unfortunately, his career was cut short by an achilles injury that eventually forced him out of the league in 1974.
69-70 Topps Elvin Hayes - a big name once again, 12 x All Star (69-80), one of those centres back in the Bill Russell times where rebounds were abundant, he amassed career totals of 27313 points and 16279 rebounds. He was named to the NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.
It is just great to get my hands on these vintage cards that have been in circulation for 40 years. Some of them are not in its ideal condition or maybe off-centred in the eye of a grader but I think it is great for me to just have them at all. I think I have pretty much run out of cards to show for a while, so I guess I will be back in a few months time.
