Most Valuable Basketball Rookie Cards: Price Guide & Complete List
Discover the best and most expensive vintage basketball rookie cards
This guide reviews the most iconic basketball rookie cards ranging from 1948 to 1986 and with brands such as Bowman, Fleer, Star, and Topps. Included is a description of the player, image of the card, and value based on condition.
1948 Bowman George Mikan #69
George Mikan was the first super star in professional basketball. Standing 6' 10'', he towered over most other players of the time. He dominated the game as the first true "big man", blocking shots, rebounding, and shooting over smaller defenders. His dominance forced multiple rules changes to even the playing field. During his professional career he won 7 championships and 3 scoring titles. His 1948 Bowman rookie card features a fast charging Mikan with a dark blue back ground.
Card Value: low grade $3,000 to $6,000, mid grade $7,000 to $15,000, high grade $50,000+
1957 Topps Bob Cousy #17
Bob Cousy revolutionized the game of basketball. Prior to his arrival, basketball was slow moving and had very little imagination. Cousy brought unpredictability and incredible passing, which led to more fast paced action which fans loved. Part of the famed Celtics dynasty, Cousy won 6 NBA championships. He was a 13 time all-star, named to 10 All-NBA teams, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1971. 1957 was Topps' first year printing basketball cards, and Cousy's rookie card is one of the key cards in the set. The set as a whole is very condition sensitive, as it is known to have many printing and centering issues.
Card Value: low grade $300 to $500, mid grade $750 to $2,000, high grade $5,000+
1957 Topps Bill Russell #77
Bill Russell also changed to game of professional basketball. His defense, rebounding and shot blocking were a huge reason why his Boston Celtics won 11 championships. Russell averaged 22.5 rebounds and 15.1 points per game. He was also a 12 time all-star and won 5 MVP awards. Few players have ever impacted the game as much as Russell did. While he became a solid offensive player, it was his willingness to play defense and rebound which truly led to the Celtics dynasty. Russell's rookie card is the key card from the 1957 Topps set. As mentioned above, the set is plagued by printing and quality control issues. As a result, high grade examples are tough to come by and command a large premium. Even low grade examples will cost you around $3,000.
Card Value: low grade $2,500 to $4,500, mid grade $5,000 to $9,000, high grade $30,000+
1961 Fleer Wilt Chamberlain #8
Wilt Chamberlain is another big man who changed the game. Standing 7'1", his size helped him dominate on offense and defense. He is most known for scoring 100 points is a single game. For his career, he averaged 30.1 points and 22.9 rebounds. His best statistical season was 1961, where he averaged an insane 50.4 points and 25.6 rebounds. Chamberlain won 2 championships and 4 MVP awards. His rookie card is from the 1961 Fleer set and is the most valuable card in the set.
Card Value: low grade $1,000 to $2,500, mid grade $3,000 to $6,000, high grade $10,000+
1961 Fleer Oscar Robertson #36
Oscar Robertson is widely regarded as one of the top point guards of all time. The "Big O" was a 12 time all-star and 1 time MVP winner. He was the first person ever to average a triple double for an entire season. During his 14 year career he averaged 25.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 9.5 assists per game. His rookie card is also found in the 1961 Fleer set.
Card Value: low grade $250 to $500, mid grade $800 to $1,500, high grade $2,500+
1961 Fleer Jerry West #43
Jerry West is icon in the NBA; in fact his silhouette is used in the NBA logo. He was a standout player during his 14 year run with the Lakers. West averaged 27.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game during his career. He was selected to 14 all-star games. While he had great success on the court, he had even more off. He became a coach then GM for the Lakers. He helped build the Lakers Dynasty of the 1990s/2000s by acquiring Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'neil. His rookie card is another one of the key cards from the 1961 Fleer set.
Card Value: low grade $400 to $600, mid grade $800 to $1,500, high grade $3,000+
1969 Topps Lew Alcindor #25
Lew Alcindor, who later changed him name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, was the consistently dominant for 2 decades. As a 7'2" athletic center, Kareem could do it all. His list of accomplishments is long, but the highlights includes 6 championships, 6 MVPs, 19 all-star selections, and 10 time all-NBA first team. During his 20 seasons he scored 38,387 points, which was a record only recently broken by Lebron James. For his career, he averaged 24.6 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. Abdul-Jabbar is probably best known for his sky hook, a move that was highly effective and almost impossible to block. His rookie card is from the 1969 Topps "Tall Boy" set. It is the most expensive and desirable card from that year.
Card Value: low grade $300 to $600, mid grade $800 to $1,500, high grade $4,000+
1970 Topps "Pistol" Pete Maravich #123
Pistol Pete Maravich was a pioneer when it came to creativity with the basketball. Maravich used his offensive talent and ingenuity to make no-look and behind the back passes seem easy. He could also flat out put the ball in the hoop. Maravich averaged 44.2 points per game in college- and this was before the 3 point line was adapted. Sadly injuries only allowed him to play 10 seasons in the NBA and he passed away at age 40. Maravich was one of the youngest players inducted into the Hall of Fame. His rookie card is from the 1970 Topps "Tall Boy" set and is one of the top cards of the decade.
Card Value: low grade $150 to $250, mid grade $300 to $500, high grade $1,000+
1972 Topps "Dr. J" Julius Erving #195
Julius Erving or "Dr. J", was one of the most talented basketball players of all time. Erving could shoot the lights out and drive into the lane and dunk on anyone. He's considered to be one of the top dunkers of all time also. Erving was one of the first players to utilize the dunk and he is credited with making it more mainstream. He played in the ABA, then NBA, and won 3 championships and 4 MVP awards during his 16 year career. He scored the 8th points points ever in a career (30,026). His rookie card features him with the ABA's Squires and shows the Doctor about to shoot a jumper. It is at the key card from the set.
Card Value: low grade $150 to $250, mid grade $300 to $500, high grade $900+
1980 Topps Magic Johnson/Larry Bird/Julius Erving Scoring Leaders
You would be hard pressed to find multiplayer rookie card with more star power than the 1980 Topps Scoring Leaders card. It features Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Julius Erving. Although not a rookie of Dr. J, it is considered to be the rookie card for Magic and Bird. This card is incredibly tough to find in high grade, as the set is notorious for having print lines or roller marks. There are perforations between cards, as they were meant to be pulled apart. Many have not made it intact. Low to mid grade examples can be had for reasonable prices but value goes up exponentially with high grade examples.
Card Value: low grade $200 to $500, mid grade $500 to $800, high grade $1000+
1984 Star Michael Jordan #101
Michael Jordan is a basketball icon. He had immense success on and off the court. Between movies (Space Jam), commercials (Hanes and Gatorade), and his brand (Jordan shoes and apparel), Jordan's popularity shot into the stratosphere. He is still one of the most popular athletes, some 20 years after his retirement. His Star rookie comes with some controversy. It was released during his rookie year (1984), but it was not available via packs. Topps and Fleer did not have a license with the NBA at the time. Star was allowed to produce cards, but they were sold in team bags rather than wax packs. At one point Beckett stated that to be a true rookie card it must come out of a pack. As a result it is sometimes referred to as an XRC, or extended rookie card. This card is much rarer than the Fleer rookie and collector's have started to take notice of that. PSA recently started graded star cards and as a result prices of the Star Jordan #101 have exploded.
Card Value: low grade $10,000 to $15,000, mid grade $20,000 to $30,000, high grade $40,000+
1986 Fleer Michael Jordan #57
The 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan Rookie is one of, if not the most, recognizable basketball card ever produced. It features a classic image of Jordan in mid flight about to dunk the ball. His fleer rookie card is considered by many to be his "true" rookie card (see above). This set is highly condition sensitive, as the red borders clearly show any type of wear or damage on edges and corners. This card is valuable in any grade, but in a PSA regularly sells for over $150,000.
Card Value: Card Value: low grade $1,500 to $2,200, mid grade $2,500 to $4,000, high grade $4,500+