15 Most Valuable 1992 SkyBox Basketball Cards

1992 SkyBox #31 Michael Jordan

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $150

Coming fresh off a 1992 Olympic gold medal and two straight NBA championships, Michael Jordan had already established himself as the best basketball player in the world.

So what did he do in the 1992 - 1993 NBA season?

He simply kept his foot on the gas...

The three-time MVP posted 32.6 points (earning his 7th straight scoring title,) 6.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and a notable league-high 2.8 steals, demonstrating his incredible skill on both sides of the ball.

In the playoffs, the Bulls swept the Atlanta Hawks 3-0 and then steamrolled through the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0 in the Conference Semifinals.

However, the Conference Finals would be much more difficult, as the Bulls found themselves down 0-2 in the series against Patrick Ewing and the hard-nosed New York Knicks.

Unrattled and unshaken, Jordan and the Bulls regrouped to win the next four games to advance to an NBA Finals showdown against Charles Barkley and the Phoenix Suns.

With each of the six games being decided by ten points or less, the Bulls would three-peat as champs in one of the closest Finals in league history.

Jordan also became the first player in NBA history to three-peat as Finals MVP, punctuating his first stint in the league with a historical exclamation point.

1992 SkyBox #382 Shaq Rookie Card

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $125

After a standout career at LSU, where he earned a reputation as one of the most overpowering players in NCAA history, Shaquille O'Neal was an easy choice for the number one pick of the 1992 NBA Draft.

The Orlando Magic fan base, and the rest of the NBA for that matter, could hardly wait to see what Shaq could do at the NBA level.

Not since Michael Jordan took the league by storm in 1984 had a rookie been as hyped as Shaquille O'Neal.

And he quickly showed why, becoming the first player in NBA history to win Player of the Week honors after his first week as a professional.

But he didn't stop there.

Shaq was a nightmare for opposing teams all season long, averaging 23.4 points per game on 56% shooting with a career-high 13.9 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game.

Since their inception as an NBA franchise in 1989, the Orlando Magic had failed to turn in a single winning season.

And while he didn't change that overnight, Shaq did help them to their first non-losing season, finishing 20 games better than the year before at 41-41.

He was an easy choice for 1992-93 Rookie of the Year honors, winning 98% of the vote over Alonzo Mourning's 2%.

1992 SkyBox #314 Michael Jordan NBA Finals

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $100

The imagery on this card of Clyde Drexler and Jerome Kersey looking up at Michael Jordan pretty much sums up how the 1992 NBA Finals went for the Portland Trail Blazers.

Though they put up a decent fight, all Portland could do in the series was watch as Michael Jordan dropped 35.8 points per game on them.

Right from the start, Jordan got to work.

During the first half of Game 1 alone, Jordan buried six three-pointers before throwing up his hands and shrugging in disbelief in one of the most memorable scenes of his career.

Not even he could believe how on fire he was.

After the Bulls went on to lock up Game 1 in a 122-89 blowout, Portland admirably evened things at 2-2 with a 93-88 win at home in Game 4.

However, the Bulls soon deflated any hopes the Blazers had when Chicago took Game 5, riding Jordan's eye-popping 46-point performance to a 119-106 victory.

Back in Chicago, Jordan and crew captured their second straight NBA crown with a close 97-93 victory in front of the home crowd at Chicago Stadium.

Fortunately for Drexler, he'd eventually win a ring in the 1995 NBA Finals after leaving Portland to team up with his old college teammate, Hakeem Olajuwon, in Houston.

1992 SkyBox #10 Larry Bird

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $75

For thirteen NBA seasons from 1979 to 1991, Larry Bird built a legacy as one of the all-time Boston Celtics greats and one of the best forwards ever to play the game.

The 6'9" native of French Lick, Indiana could score, rebound, pass, and make tough defensive plays right when his team needed him the most.

Yet perhaps Bird's most crucial asset was his will to win, so much so that he would often toss caution to the wind and risk bodily injury to dive on a loose ball or make another critical play.

Over time, that aggressive style took a toll on his body.

Back issues that required surgery would force Bird to miss 22 games in 1991 and 37 games in 1992.

The fragility of his back became even more apparent when Bird would frequently lay down on the sideline during Team USA's run to gold in the 1992 Summer Olympics rather than sit.

So, shortly after returning from Barcelona, Bird decided to bring his career to an official close when he announced he would no longer play in the NBA on August 18, 1992.

The twelve-time All-Star, three-time MVP, two-time NBA Finals MVP, and three-time NBA champion had finally had enough.

1992 SkyBox #358 Magic Johnson

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $75

Before the 1991-92 NBA season began, Magic Johnson stunned and saddened the basketball world when he announced he would retire after testing positive for HIV.

Johnson was only 32 years old and coming off a 1990-91 season that saw him average 21.8 points and 12.6 assists per game while helping lead the Lakers to his ninth NBA Finals appearance.

With so much still left in his tank, seeing the superstar's career derailed so suddenly was shocking.

And then, in an incredible turn of events, Magic Johnson was back on the court for the 1992 NBA All-Star Game in Orlando after fans had voted him onto the Western Conference roster.

Johnson answered the call and led the West to a 153-113 blowout against the East while earning MVP honors.

Later that summer, Johnson would make another return to the court, this time as a member of the USA Men's team in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.

Upon returning stateside and riding the emotional high of competing again, Johnson reconsidered his retirement from the NBA.

Though he initially planned to be back with the Lakers for the 1992-93 season, he formally retired again on November 2, 1992.

1992 SkyBox #310 Magic Johnson All-Star MVP

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $60

When the 1991-92 NBA season kicked off, few could have predicted seeing Magic Johnson playing again later that season.

After announcing his retirement on November 7, 1991, due to contracting HIV, the basketball world understandably thought they'd seen the last of Magic on the court.

Yet, despite not playing in a single regular season game, NBA fans showed their love for Magic by voting him onto the Western Conference All-Star team.

And in front of 14,272 fans at Orlando Arena and millions more watching at home, Johnson turned in one of the most memorable All-Star Game performances on record.

Not only did the West blowout the East 153-113, but Magic would earn MVP honors after scoring 25 points, grabbing five rebounds and dishing out nine assists.

It was an incredible performance.

And after Johnson took the last shot of the game to end it prematurely with 14.5 seconds left, players met Johnson on the court to congratulate him.

To commemorate the incredible moment, SkyBox included this card of Magic proudly hoisting the MVP trophy after the game.

Though everyone thought that was the last they'd see of Magic in uniform, it didn't quite turn out that way, as he had a few more tricks up his sleeve.

1992 SkyBox #90 Hakeem Olajuwon

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $50

With seven All-Star nominations under his belt, Hakeem Olajuwon headed into the 1992-93 season, having already established himself as one of the best big men of all time.

Yet, he still didn't have a championship ring and hadn't been to the NBA Finals since 1986 when the Boston Celtics defeated the Houston Rockets 4-2.

Needless to say, Olajuwon entered the year hungrier than ever.

Hakeem was his usual dominant self under the glass, grabbing 13 rebounds and blocking an NBA-best 4.2 shots per game.

But perhaps most impressive was Olajuwon's uptick on the offensive side of the ball.

Utilizing his infamous "Dream Shake" move, the big man poured in an incredible 26.1 points per game on 53% shooting from the field.

With Olajuwon leading the way and the rest of the Rockets roster firing on all cylinders, Houston would outclass the rest of the Midwest Division with a 55-27 record.

After a closer-than-expected First Round dismissal of the Los Angeles Clippers in five games, Houston would square off against Shawn Kemp and the Seattle SuperSonics in the Semifinals.

However, a disheartening Game 7 loss would slam the brakes on Olajuwon's championship hopes again.

Yet, he wouldn't have to wait long, as a couple of rings were just over the horizon.

1992 SkyBox #179 Charles Barkley

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $50

After eight seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers from 1984 to 1991, six of them as an All-Star, Charles Barkley had grown frustrated with the team's lack of playoff success.

During his first two seasons in Philly, Barkley teamed up with Moses Malone and Dr. J to take the Sixers as far as the Eastern Conference Finals.

And that's as far as he'd get with Philadelphia.

But it wasn't like he and the 76ers had necessarily been expected to put up any NBA championship banners in The Spectrum during that time.

For much of the 1980s, the road to the NBA Finals ran through Boston and Detroit in the Eastern Conference.

And by the early 1990s, the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks were also becoming huge roadblocks.

Still, Barkley was unquestionably one of the top players in the league and very much deserving of better playoff success.

So, frustrated and looking for a fresh start, Barkley packed his bags for Phoenix when the Sixers traded him to the Suns for Jeff Hornacek, Tim Perry and Andrew Lang in July 1992.

And after helping Team USA win gold at the Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona a month later, Barkley would soon get a shot at an NBA title with Phoenix.

1992 SkyBox #332 Alonzo Mourning Rookie Card

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $50

With Shaquille O'Neal already off the board with the first pick of the 1992 NBA Draft, Alonzo Mourning was the next no-brainer selection for a young Charlotte Hornets franchise looking to boost its interior game.

Since the team's inception into the NBA in 1988, they had yet to experience a winning season.

And in his first year, Mourning helped to change that.

After finishing seventh in the Central Division at 31-51 during the 1991-92 season, the Hornets improved to 44-38, good enough for third in the division and their first playoff birth.

Mourning and crew sailed past the Boston Celtics in four games in the Eastern Conference First Round before Patrick Ewing and the New York Knicks dismantled them in five in the Semifinals.

Still, playoff disappointment aside, the Charlotte Hornets' future looked incredibly bright with Mourning at the helm.

While he secured only 2% of the Rookie of the Year vote compared to Shaq's 98%, Mourning's first season was spectacular.

At just age 22, the rookie big man established himself as a force down low, averaging a double-double with 21 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game.

By next season, Mourning would be an All-Star and on a path toward the Hall of Fame.

1992 SkyBox #389 Charles Barkley

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $50

Though he wasn't at his statistical finest during the 1992-1993 NBA season, Charles Barkley turned in the most impressive and successful seasons of his storied career.

During his first season in Phoenix, with fresh surroundings and new teammates, Barkley settled in splendidly to lead the Suns to an NBA-best 62-20 record.

Barkley's incredible performance earned him the NBA MVP award, his first and only MVP award, and a spot on the All-NBA First Team and the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.

Yet, as great as Barkley's regular season performance was, he set his eyes squarely on the playoffs, searching for that NBA title that had eluded him for years in Philadelphia.

But the rest of the Western Conference wouldn't make things easy on the Suns.

Phoenix edged the Los Angeles Lakers 3-2 in the First Round before dismissing the San Antonio Spurs in six in the Semifinals and the Seattle SuperSonics in seven in the Western Conference Finals.

And who else but Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls would meet them in the 1993 NBA Finals?

Unfortunately for Barkley and Phoenix, the Bulls weren't willing to give an inch, winning a hard-fought series 4-2.

1992 SkyBox #35 Scottie Pippen

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $40

While Michael Jordan spearheaded the Chicago Bulls attack, Scottie Pippen was always right beside him as a key cog in the team's menacing dominance.

Pippen could score with the best of them and established himself as a lockdown defender who created nightmares for opposing offenses.

During the 1992-93 season, Pippen's statistical line of 18.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2.1 steals per game was as solid as ever.

By season's end, Pippen had earned a third All-Star selection, second All-Defensive First Team and All-NBA Third Team honors.

In short, Pippen was a luxury for the Chicago Bulls to have on their 1992-93 roster.

After a 57-25 finish in the regular season, Pippen and the Bulls quickly set their sights on the postseason, looking for their third consecutive NBA Championship.

The Bulls steamrolled past the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers before a tough battle with the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Yet, the Bulls soon found themselves in a familiar spot, looking to defend their NBA title.

And how did Pippen respond?

The Hall of Famer stepped up in a big way, averaging 21.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 7.7 assists and two steals per game to help bring a third-straight championship to Chicago.

1992 SkyBox #342 Latrell Sprewell Rookie Card

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $40

After spending a few years at Three Rivers Community College, Milwaukee native Latrell Sprewell transferred to the University of Alabama, where he played from 1990 to 1992.

And after a solid college career, the Golden State Warriors would use the 24th pick of the 1992 NBA Draft on Sprewell, looking to boost their lineup on offense.

A shooting guard who could hurt opposing teams from pretty much anywhere, Sprewell immediately got to work, averaging 15.4 points, 3.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds during his rookie season.

His instant impact for the Warriors landed him a spot on the All-Rookie Second Team and put the rest of the league on notice.

As electrifying as Sprewell was, it wasn't enough to get the Warriors over the .500 mark as they finished 34-48.

However, injuries to their leading scorers, Chris Mullin and Tim Hardaway, certainly didn't help the cause.

Though he would finish his career as a four-time All-Star, Sprewell's image was eventually tarnished when he choked Warriors' head coach P.J. Carlesimo in 1997 during practice.

The Warriors subsequently traded Sprewell to the Knicks, where he played five seasons before finishing his career with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2005.

1992 SkyBox #369 Christian Laettner Rookie Card

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $40

After winning a couple of NCAA championships while at Duke University, Christian Laettner became one of the most highly-touted prospects of the 1992 NBA Draft.

And the Minnesota Timberwolves were more than happy to take him with the third overall pick.

Laettner settled in nicely at the professional level, averaging 18.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists while starting 80 of the games he played.

Had Shaq and Alonzo Mourning not had such incredible rookie seasons in their own right, Laettner may have had a shot at Rookie of the Year but was happy to earn a spot on the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

Still, even Laettner's impressive rookie performance wasn't enough to help right the ship in Minnesota.

After finishing the 1991-92 season with an abysmal 15-67 record, the Timberwolves barely inched forward to a 19-63 record.

Laettner would go on to have several decent seasons, primarily with the Timberwolves and Atlanta Hawks, earning one trip to the All-Star Game (1997) along the way.

Throughout his 13-year NBA career, Laettner played for six different teams, but his rookie season with the Timberwolves was undoubtedly one of the highlights of his career.

1992 SkyBox #242 Karl Malone

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $30

At this point in his career, "The Mailman" had already solidified himself as one of the best in the NBA and was coming off five straight All-Star seasons.

But like many other big-name stars of his era, he had yet to taste championship success.

And that was despite making the playoffs every season since his 1985-86 rookie campaign, making it even more frustrating to endure.

As expected, Malone was dominant during the 1992-93 regular season, posting 27 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game, culminating in a sixth All-Star appearance and All-NBA First Team nomination.

At the All-Star game in Salt Lake City, Malone and running mate Stockton put on a show for their fans and earned co-MVP of the game.

Still, that lack of an NBA championship ring weighed on him.

Unfortunately for Malone, his playoff run ended in the First Round, with Shawn Kemp and the Seattle Supersonics proving too much for the Jazz to handle.

Malone put up a solid 26 points and 12 rebounds in the win-or-go-home Game 5, but Seattle's team effort of 6 different players scoring in double digits led to an 8-point victory and trip to the Semifinals.

1992 SkyBox #244 John Stockton

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $30

If there was one player who could relate to Malone's lack of playoff success, it was Utah Jazz point guard John Stockton.

The two teammates were like peas in a pod throughout their careers, utilizing the pick and roll to perfection.

Stockton continued his incredible play as the Jazz's court general, averaging 15.1 points while leading the NBA in assists for the sixth consecutive season.

Known for his scrappy play on defense, Stockton also recorded 2.4 steals per game, which would eventually add to his all-time NBA record of 3,265 steals.

As a starter in his fifth All-Star Game, Stockton helped lead the Western Conference squad to a 135-132 victory in front of 19,459 fans at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

With Stockton leading all players with an eye-popping 15 assists, it was no one's surprise that he and Malone, who chipped in 28 points and ten rebounds, earned co-MVP honors.

As great as Stockton and Malone were during the 1992-93 campaign, the Jazz's 47-35 record left them a hefty eight games behind the Houston Rockets for first place in the Midwest Division.

And an early exit in the First Round of the playoffs only furthered the duo's disappointing championship drought.

1992 SkyBox Basketball Cards In Review

The SkyBox brand quickly made a name for itself for its fantastic imagery and innovative design that pushed the envelope in the basketball card market.

And the set design of their 1992 release is a terrific example.

As you look through the 413-card checklist, the action shots and color scheme will leave you flooded with nostalgia for an incredible era in NBA history.

The rookie cards of Shaq and Alonzo Mourning make for a pair of key cardboard debuts, while the many stars and Hall of Famers are also great cards to collect.

There were several different inserts, including:

• David Robinson: The Admiral Comes Prepared
• David Robinson Flagship Series
• Draft Picks
• Magic Johnson: The Magic Never Ends
• Olympic Team
• School Ties
• Thunder and Lightning

It's tough to say which of the early SkyBox sets would be my favorite, as the 1990 and 1991 SkyBox sets are instantly recognizable in their own right.

But with two huge rookie cards, a checklist packed with legends, and an instantly recognizable card design, the 1992 SkyBox basketball set won't leave you disappointed.