No Michael Jordan, No Problem: Another Look at 1990s Basketball Inserts

When it comes to 1990s basketball cards, Michael Jordan will forever remain number one in the hearts of collectors. Jordan’s amazing on court performance combined with his inclusion in many revolutionary insert sets guarantees his rule over the ‘90s basketball card market. Even collectors who do not pursue MJ cards directly feel the influence of the omnipresent Air Jordan. As the cliché goes, a rising tide lifts all boats. Many 1990s Jordan cards have dramatically increased in value over the past few years. Other cards in sets that feature Jordan, in turn, have increased in value as well. Can’t afford a 1997/98 E-X2001 Jambalaya Michael Jordan? Why not, the thinking often goes, instead attempt to acquire a Pippen, Duncan, etc.? In short, when they become priced out of the MJ card market, it is common for collectors to focus on other players in sets headlined by Jordan.

And then there is another category of 1990s insert sets that do not contain Michael Jordan at all. Many of these sets were produced after Jordan’s first retirement from the Bulls in 1993. However, even after Jordan returned to the hardwood in 1995, numerous insert sets were produced that show no sign of MJ. Without Jordan serving as a ballast, some of these MJ-less insert sets can easily be overlooked by collectors. For this reason, I created a list (which I will share momentarily) of ten of the best 1990s basketball insert sets that do not contain Michael Jordan.

The Ground Rules

Before I present the list itself, here are the general ground rules that I gave myself:

— I only considered insert sets that were created between (and including) 1990/91 and 1998/99. Jordan was well into his second retirement by 1999/00, so sets from that season were deemed ineligible.
— Only true insert sets were considered. No base set parallels were allowed.
— Only sets that could be pack pulled from fully licensed and mainstream NBA releases were eligible.
— I did not consider autographed and memorabilia sets. While auto and relic cards were scattered throughout 1990s card releases and became important by the end of the decade, 1990s inserts cards in general are best known for their combination of artistic design, printing technologies, and thematic concepts.

Rating Criteria

The ground rules described above limited the scope of my search, but there were still scores of inserts sets to review before I could produce a final list. To assist my selection process, I rated each set under consideration on the following criteria:

— Strong checklist. As a general rule, at least half of the players in the set should be Hall-of-Famers.

— Relatively rare. For an insert to feel particularly special, it should be difficult to pull out of a pack. For the purposes of this list, I included only those inserts that fall at most one per box on average.

— Aesthetically pleasing. 1990s inserts are known for their amazing designs and themes. My final list contains sets that possess great eye-appeal and/or innovative printing techniques.

The List

I list the sets below in chronological order, not necessarily how I would rank them from one to ten. The purpose of this exercise is to create awareness and appreciation for cards that may be overlooked by portions of the collecting community, not to compare sets against one another.

1993/94 Upper Deck SE Die-Cut All-Stars
30 card set; Seeded 1:30 Hobby packs*
This set actually arrived in the hobby marketplace as two separate 15 card sets. One set featured star players from the Eastern Conference, and the other featured star players from the Western Conference. Because of Jordan’s retirement during the 1993/94 season, he was not included. This die-cut set contains a great mix of established veterans and up-and-coming stars. It is interesting to note, however, that not all players depicted actually played in an all-star game during their career. The gold foil top border works well — it is a nice highlight but does not overwhelm and clutter the design. This set would later be reintroduced to collectors in 2003/04 Upper Deck. Michael Jordan is found in the 2003/04 version.

1994/95 Flair Center Spotlight
6 card set; Seeded 1:25 Series 1 packs
Many insert sets from the 1990s focus on dominant NBA big men. These sets are time capsules that take us back to the days when many teams revolved around their Center. I wanted to include one of these “Center position themed” sets in this list because they do a great job depicting 1990s style NBA basketball. I ultimately chose Flair Center Spotlight for a few reasons. First of all, the checklist is awesome: Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal, David Robinson, and Chris Webber. That’s five Hall-of-Famers, and the sixth (Webber) has a good shot at joining the others in Springfield someday. In addition to the player selection, I am a big fan of the set’s design. The fronts feature etched foiling, and the colorful backgrounds immediately demand attention. Finally, 1994/95 marked Flair’s entry into the NBA card market. The Flair brand remains a staple in many 1990s card collections. While the Legacy parallels that would come later may be Flair’s greatest contribution to the basketball card market, the brand’s roots should not be overlooked. Flair Center Spotlight is a perfect tribute to a different era of the NBA, and a different era of collecting.

1995/96 Metal Metal Force
15 card set; Seeded 1:54 Series 2 Retail packs
It can be easy for retail only inserts to fall under the radar. Retail products are often seen as entry points for new collectors or for individuals working with a limited budget. During the 1990s, retail products were usually targeted at kids. As such, many cards from 1990s retail products were either not handled with care and/or eventually discarded. Because of that reality, high grade examples of individual cards may be harder to locate than many modern day collectors appreciate. For example, consider the Metal Force Magic Johnson (#6) card. As of this writing, there are only seven PSA 10 graded copies listed in the population report. Due to Magic’s sudden retirement in 1991, collectors have limited options when it comes to finding career-year insert cards of the NBA legend. When Magic suited-up for the Lakers in 1995/96, card companies were presented a chance to sprinkle Johnson cards into their releases. The Metal Force cards themselves are a little busy looking, but sections of clear acetate give this product a distinct look that I appreciate.

1995/96 Stadium Club X-2
10 card set; Seeded 1:24 Series 2 Hobby packs; 1:48 Series 2 Retail packs
What I like about this set is that it is both cool looking and informative. Card backs contain both biographical data and a few player statistics. These details should not be overlooked because they remind us that cards are more than pieces of artwork. Sports cards can be used to learn about players as well. While today’s collectors can lookup information about any player simply by taking out their smartphone and jumping into the internet rabbit hole, that was not possible 25 years ago. Back in the 1990s, with far fewer research tools available, cards often served as a resource that helped collectors learn about player backgrounds and scouting reports. Some cards are all style yet provide little in terms of informative substance and data. One benchmark for a great card should be: can the card be used to learn anything about the player(s) depicted on it? In the case of 1995/96 Stadium Club X-2, the answer is a resounding yes.

1996/97 Metal Metal Edge
15 card set; Seeded 1:36 Series 1 Hobby packs
This is a fun set because it features a nice blend of established All-Stars and rookies. Kobe Bryant (#15) is the key card. While it only takes a quick eBay search to locate raw examples, high-grade copies are much more difficult to come by. True to the Metal brand, these cards feature a metallic foil background. Card backs carry a decent-sized player write-up that is not always present in flashy inserts.

1996/97 Skybox Premium Standouts
9 card set; Seeded 1:180 Series 1 Retail packs
Bright and colorful, this set features action shots of some of the best players of the 1990s. The photos themselves overlay a large basketball net. These design elements make the cards instantaneously recognizable and leave a lasting impression. The most interesting card in this set belongs to Shaquille O’Neal (#SO5). While O’Neal is pictured in an Orlando Magic uniform, the rest of the card references the Big Diesel’s move to the Lakers. A must have card for serious Shaquille O’Neal collectors.

1997/98 Bowman’s Best Cuts Atomic Refractors
10 card set; 1:96 packs
As the 1990s wore on, card manufactures began experimenting by creating multiple layers of parallels for insert sets. This production concept is something that collectors take for granted today, but it is worth remembering that during the beginning of the 1990s, card manufactures created parallels for base sets only. In its 1997/98 Bowman’s Best brand, Topps created a base Best Cuts insert, a Refractor version, and finally the Atomic Refractor version. Atomic Refractors served as a sort of precursor to X-fractors that would become prominent during the 2000s.

1997/98 Metal Universe Gold Universe
10 card set; seeded 1:120 Retail packs

This set is sort of an enigma. Given the widespread desirability of Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems, you would think that an insert set from the same release would be more popular than it is. From a purely aesthetic point of view, Gold Universe inserts belong in the same conversation with PMGs. The planetary references and gold etching produce cards that are true works of art. Perhaps the checklist turns away collectors. Not only is there no Michael Jordan card, Kobe Bryant is also nowhere to be seen. Still, David Robinson, Charles Barkley and others should not be overlooked. I currently own the John Stockton (#3) card, and it is one of my favorite PC items.

1998/99 Finest Centurions Refractors
20 card set; seeded 1:609 Series 1 packs
This set parallels the base Centurions insert and, like its name suggests, focuses on players who were predicted to lead the NBA into the 21st century. Among the sets discussed in this article, Centurions Refractors is the only one which is serial numbered; there are 75 examples of each card. These cards are also notable because they came out of the pack with a protective peel that was designed to keep the surface blemish free.

1998/99 Fleer Brilliants Shining Stars Pulsars
15 card set; seeded 1:400 packs
While 1998/99 Fleer Brilliants is more known for its 24 KT Gold base set parallel, the Shining Stars Pulsars insert set is just as breathtaking. Cards feature a rainbow shine that leaves a lasting impression. While Kobe Bryant (#14) is the most valuable card in the set, the Scottie Pippen (#12; depicted as a member of the Rockets) card is probably the most interesting. Since Pippen is still depicted as a member of the Bulls in several 1998/99 products, there are not that many high quality inserts of Pippen that showcase him in a Rockets uniform. Pippen played for Houston for only one lockout-shortened season before moving on to the Portland Trailblazers.

*All pack odds provided in this article were obtained from Beckett.com

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