As you glance through the 510-card checklist from the 1993 Upper Deck basketball set, one thing quickly becomes clear:
Michael Jordan is everywhere in this set...
Including his base card variations, a couple of inserts, and all of the different subsets, Jordan easily appears over a dozen times.
And you'll see that as you go through this article.
But considering the Chicago Bulls were coming off their third consecutive NBA Championship, Jordan's popularity was through the roof.
The only problem was that he had also recently announced plans to retire, sending a shockwave throughout the basketball world.
So, collectors scrambled to secure as many Jordan cards as possible and Upper Deck wisely seized the moment.
At the time, this set almost seemed like a farewell tribute to Jordan in some ways.
Today, it's a reminder of an incredible era in NBA history.
And in this guide, we'll take a look at the 15 most valuable.
Let's get started!
1993 Upper Deck #SP4 Bulls Third Straight
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $400
Technically, this card is an insert, not part of the base set.
And that partly explains why it carries such a high price tag in top condition.
The other reason it's so desirable is the iconic moment in NBA history it commemorates.
Not since the Boston Celtics won eight championships in a row from 1959 to 1966 had an NBA team won more than two in a row.
However, the Chicago Bulls changed that when they won three in a row from 1991 to 1993, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers and the Phoenix Suns.
The front of the card captures the moment perfectly.
Images of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, B.J. Armstrong and others celebrating, smiling broadly, and fist-pumping give the card incredible eye appeal.
The reverse of the card details the Bulls' historic accomplishment.
It also mentions that it would be the last time Jordan would wear a Chicago Bulls uniform.
Or so we thought...
1993 Upper Deck #SP3 Jordan & Chamberlain Seven Straight
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $300
Wilt Chamberlain won seven consecutive NBA scoring titles during his Hall-of-Fame career, beginning with his rookie 1959-60 season through the 1965-66 season.
In one of those seasons, the 1961-62 campaign, Chamberlain averaged an otherwordly 50.4 points per game.
Nobody imagined anyone would match that streak, given how dominant Chamberlain was.
But then Michael Jordan came along.
During his breakout 1986-87 season, Jordan paced the NBA with a career-best 37.1 points per game.
The league was officially on notice that Jordan could light up the scoreboard.
But that didn't mean they could stop him.
Over the next six seasons, Jordan continued to outscore everyone in the league, culminating in his 1992-93 season when he poured in 32.6 points per game.
And then, suddenly, he retired.
Had he continued playing, he likely would've snapped Chamberlain's streak of seven consecutive scoring titles.
During his second stint with the Bulls, Jordan again led the NBA in scoring three straight times from the 1995-96 season to his last with the Bulls in 1997-98.
Nobody could score like Jordan.
To this day, his 30.1 points-per-game career scoring average remains the highest in NBA history.
1993 Upper Deck #466 Michael Jordan Skylights
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $275
The "Skylights" subset featured fifteen of the biggest superstars superimposed against the city skylines of their home team.
As you can see, the imagery is outstanding.
And it's safe to say that this subset was one of the most iconic of any sports card set of the early 90s.
Upper Deck did a fantastic job of blending big-name players and the cities they represented.
In Jordan's case, the legendary Hall-of-Famer is shown sailing across the sky with the iconic Sears Tower (as it was known then) in the background.
It's impossible to stress how important Michael Jordan was to the city of Chicago at that time.
He was everywhere.
Newspapers.
Billboards.
WGN broadcasts and commercials.
Chicagoans adored their hardwood hero.
And this card brilliantly captures that relationship.
The reverse of the card mentions how Jordan was so well-known for his acrobatic, high-flying moves that led the Chicago Bulls to so much success.
It was a remarkable era in NBA history.
And collectors often look to this card as a way to reflect on it.
1993 Upper Deck #23 Michael Jordan
Light In Corner Estimated PSA 10 Value: $150
No Light In Corner Estimated PSA 10 Value: $100
The particulars of Michael Jordan's shocking 1993 retirement remain a hot source of debate.
On October 6th, Jordan dropped the bomb on a packed house of reporters.
After nine seasons of unparalleled greatness, His Airness appeared grounded for good.
"I have always stressed that when I lose the sense of motivation and the sense to prove something as a basketball player, it's time to leave," Jordan said. "I never wanted to leave when my skills started to diminish, because that's when I'd feel the foot in my back, pushing me out the door. My skills are still good. I am not on the downside of my career. This is the perfect time for me to walk away."
It wasn't that simple.
Jordan was in deep water with the league over a string of gambling debts and controversies.
He reportedly may have been in line for a suspension if he didn't pull the retirement trigger.
On the emotional side of things, Jordan was still reeling from the July 1993 murder of his father, James.
Jordan's eventual move to baseball was partly a tribute to their shared love of the game.
MJ returned to basketball at the end of the 1994-95 season and picked up where he left off the following campaign.
However, in October 1993, the basketball world was upside down and on fire.
Interestingly, you can find two variations of this card: one that contains a light in the upper-right corner and one that doesn't.
And the variation with the light does seem to carry a premium.
Light In Upper-Right Corner
No Light In Upper-Right Corner
1993 Upper Deck #237 Michael Jordan Signature Moves
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $70
The "Signature Moves" subset highlighted fifteen players and the moves that helped shape their game.
Anything from Isaiah Thomas's ability to penetrate the defense, Dikembe Mutombo's hook shot, and Chris Mullin's sharpshooting, this subset had it.
It was a fun way to highlight multiple superstars and what made them unique.
Michael Jordan had so many ways to beat you that any number of things could've been called out on his card.
Yet, of course, Jordan's "Signature Moves" card showcased his ability to soar through the air and change things up mid-air.
His incredible hangtime made him a nightmare to defend.
It wasn't just because he seemed to float for an extended period, but he did so with so much control and precision.
Jordan was always a joy to watch and seemingly a human highlight reel on any given night.
1993 Upper Deck #438 Michael Jordan Breakaway Threats
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $70
The twenty-card "Breakaway Threat" subset showcased some of the speediest, craftiest players in the NBA who were an absolute nightmare to guard.
These guys could break down an opposing defense at any moment and exploit any weaknesses with quickness and agility.
Some of them, like Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Isaiah Thomas, Tim Hardaway, Gary Payton, and Jock Stockton, utilized their skills to carve a path to the Hall of Fame.
Others, like Mark Price, Rod Strickland, Kenny Anderson, and Mookie Blaylock, were great but not quite good enough for Springfield enshrinement.
In Jordan's case, the reverse of his card states, "Over his nine-year NBA career, Jordan developed more moves than any other NBA player thought possible. Able to start the break with a quick swipe or fill the lane to convert the bucket, Jordan always had a role in the transition game. Whatever role he took on, the most memorable were always his finishes."
Well said...
You can see one of those finishes materializing right on this card.
1993 Upper Deck #166 Michael Jordan Scoring Leader
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $60
The twelve-card "Season Leaders" highlighted the top players in different categories and multiple award winners for the 1992-1993 NBA season.
From scoring, rebounding, assists, blocks, and percentages, multiple big-name players are showcased with a full-color image on a cartoonish black-and-white background.
The design of these cards is excellent.
And based on those categories alone, you can probably guess who some of the other guys are.
That's right, Dennis Rodman, John Stockton, and Hakeem Olajuwon are just a few of the other guys in the subset.
Jordan is the only player to appear twice, holding down the card for top scorer and the leader in steals.
Look no further than this subset to understand just how big of a deal Jordan was: he was more than just an offensive powerhouse.
He could play lockdown defense, too.
1993 Upper Deck #171 Michael Jordan Steals Leader
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $60
Imagine playing against the Chicago Bulls in the 1992-93 season and dealing with Michael Jordan slicing and dicing his way to 32.6 points per game.
And then you had to see him waiting for you on defense.
The image on this card perfectly captured his defensive intensity.
If you were going to score on him, he would make you earn it.
And if you look closely, you can see Scottie Pippen in the background on this card, too.
So even if you got the best of Jordan, you had another top defender like Pippen collapsing on you.
The Bulls were just a powerhouse on both side of the ball in the early 1990s.
To commemorate Jordan's achievement on defense that season, the reverse of the card states, "Coupled with his NBA-leading 32.6 points-per-game scoring average, megastar Michael Jordan's league-high 2.3 steals per game made him the only player to lead the NBA in two major categories in 1992-93. Jordan matched Alvin Robertson's NBA record with his sixth 200-steal season and has now led the league in steals three times, tying the mark shared by Robertson and Michael Ray Richardson."
1993 Upper Deck #198 Michael Jordan Finals Game 1
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $60
1993 Upper Deck #201 Michael Jordan Finals Game 4
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $60
1993 Upper Deck #204 Michael Jordan Finals MVP
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $60
1993 Upper Deck #469 Shaquille O'Neal Skylights
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $50
The city of Orlando, Florida, isn't likely one of the cities that comes to mind when you think of famous skylines in the United States.
New York City.
Chicago.
Los Angeles.
Most people likely think of those three and then move on to cities like Philadelphia, Boston and others.
But not many people think of Orlando.
And that always made this card stick out even more to me.
Clearly, this card is all about Shaq.
It didn't matter where he played; he was going to be showcased in this subset, given how much hype there was surrounding him at the time.
Don't get me wrong, it's a great card.
But, it doesn't have the same pop to it as Jordan's "Skylights" card, for example.
1993 Upper Deck #180 Michael Jordan Playoffs Highlights
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $40
The 1992-93 Atlanta Hawks were a decent basketball team.
Finishing 4th in the Central Division at 43-39, their roster featured big names like Dominique Wilkins, Mookie Blaylock, Kevin Willis and Stacey Augmon.
They were good.
But they weren't great.
And, unfortunately for Hawks fans, they never stood a chance against the Chicago Bulls in the First Round of the 1993 Eastern Conference Playoffs.
After blowing out the Hawks at home by 24 and 15 in Games 1 and 2, respectively, the Bulls cruised to a ten-point victory in Game 3 in Atlanta.
No one expected the Hawks to win the series.
But most fans expected a tougher fight.
The Chicago Bulls were simply locked in and focused on a third ring in a row.
And nobody was going to stop them.
Over the three-game series, Jordan did what Jordan did best: averaging 34.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.7 blocks as a one-man wrecking crew on both sides of the ball.
1993 Upper Deck #187 Michael Jordan Playoffs Highlights
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $40
Nobody particularly enjoyed playing against Michael Jordan and those early 1990s Chicago Bulls teams.
But arguably no team dreaded those matchups more than the Cleveland Cavaliers.
No matter what they did, Jordan and crew always seemed to slam the playoff door in their faces.
The 1993 Eastern Conference Semifinals were just another example.
After taking a 3-0 series lead during a Saturday road match in Cleveland, the Bulls crushed the Cavs' dreams in heart-breaking fashion the following Monday.
The game went down to the wire.
But, with ice in his veins, Jordan hit a game-winning jumper over Gerald Wilkins to devastate the hometown Cleveland crowd.
With a 103-101 victory, Chicago headed to the Eastern Conference Finals and Cleveland went home.
That made it the second year in a row that Jordan and the Bulls ended Cleveland's playoff run.
Despite having multiple solid teams at that time, the Bulls always seemed to have Cleveland's number.
1993 Upper Deck #193 Michael Jordan Playoffs Highlights
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $40
1993 Upper Deck #300 Shaquille O'Neal
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $40
There is no big in NBA history that dominated the two-man game like Shaquille O'Neal.
O'Neal won four trophies as one-half of partnerships with Dwyane Wade and the late Kobe Bryant.
He made them better scorers and more dangerous playmakers, thanks to the space he created and his dominant arsenal of finishing moves in the post.
However, Shaq's early relationship with Penny Hardaway got the ball rolling.
Hardaway and O'Neal became friends on the set of the film Blue Chips, setting the stage for a blockbuster draft-day acquisition.
The rookie guard's arrival in Orlando couldn't have come at a better time.
The Magic were trending way up, and O'Neal was coming off one of the most dominant and athletic Rookie of the Year campaigns ever.
With Hardaway running the offense, O'Neal reached near-unstoppable status.
The 21-year-old center led the NBA in field-goal percentage (.599) and narrowly fell short of his first scoring title (29.3 PPG).
Finishing fourth in the league's MVP race, the two-time All-Star was now mentioned in the same breath as Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson.
It wasn't all Hardaway's doing.
Yet, it was proof positive of just how brilliant O'Neal was with the right guy feeding him the ball.
1993 Upper Deck #299 Toni Kukoc Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $35
The Chicago Bulls courted Toni Kukoc for three long years.
When they finally inked the three-time European Player of the Year before the 1993-94 season, it appeared the Bulls had the master plan to turn a three-peat into four, five, or more.
"I think we can run more with Toni, look to generate more offense, feature an up-tempo game a little more," Bulls coach Phil Jackson said.
With Kukoc pushing the pace, Pippen doing the dirty work, and Michael Jordan being Michael Jordan, Chicago had the potential to be virtually unbeatable.
It ended up the case, yet it took longer than expected.
When Jordan retired abruptly days before the season, the Bulls were forced to remix everything on the fly.
Pippen took the lead, and Phil Jackson had to cut and paste everything else around him.
One thing that likely didn't change was Kukoc's first-year role.
Jackson predicted that the 25-year-old swingman was behind the curve on defense, so he worked him in slowly but surely off the bench.
The results were solid. Kukoc averaged 10.3 points per game on 43.1% shooting, his worst field-goal percentage until the 1998-99 campaign.
1993 Upper Deck #177 Shaquille O'Neal
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $30
Not only did the "Season Leaders" subset highlight leaders of multiple statistical categories, it also featured some of the top award winners.
Charles Barkley's card commemorates his MVP Award for the 1992-93 season.
Cliff Robinson snagged the NBA Sixth Man Award.
Hakeem Olajuwon was the Defensive Player of the Year.
And, last but not least, Shaquille O'Neal was honored as the 1992-93 NBA Rookie of the Year, easily beating out Alonzo Mourning with 98 of a possible 100 votes.
The Diesel was dominant for his debut with the Orlando Magic, scoring 23.4 points per game while grabbing 13.9 rebounds and blocking 3.5 shots per game.
If you look at Mourning's stats, he wasn't far behind.
But Shaq's overwhelming size and larger-than-life personality won the hearts of fans nationwide.
And his popularity soared.
1993 Upper Deck #280 Charles Barkley
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $30
Charles Barkley's title window was wide open in 1992-93.
It appeared to slam shut after a six-game NBA Finals loss to Jordan's Bulls.
It's not that the Phoenix Suns power forward and reigning NBA MVP couldn't hack it anymore.
He remained an All-Star and an All-NBA caliber force during the 1993-94 campaign, averaging a 20/10 double-double for the ninth straight season (21.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG).
It's just that Barkley was in ungodly amounts of pain.
The 10-year veteran missed 17 regular-season games due to recurring back problems, which only worsened as the season progressed.
His 8.8 win shares were his worst since his rookie season, and it was only because he couldn't stay on the court.
By the time the 56-win Suns got to the seventh game of the Western Conference Semifinals against Houston, it was just too much.
"I was just in the way," Barkley said. "I couldn't run and I couldn't jump. A couple of times I wanted to make something happen, but I just couldn't do it physically."
The Suns lost 104-94 to the eventual NBA champs, a gutting defeat punctuated by Barkley's final-second ejection for shoving Hakeem Olajuwon.
Another chance at a championship was gone just like that.
1993 Upper Deck #287 Hakeem Olajuwon
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $30
When Michael Jordan retired, the baton for the World's Best Basketball Player was handed to Hakeem Olajuwon.
The seven-time All-Star and reigning Defensive Player of the Year was already a favorite for NBA MVP before Jordan's departure.
So when Jordan left, "The Dream" became a reality.
Leading the Rockets to a Midwest Division title and the #2 seed in the West, Olajuwon averaged 27.3 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 3.7 blocks, and 1.6 assists.
The 31-year-old was on the shortlist of the best offensive centers of a true big-man era.
What made Olajuwon something else was his defensive mastery.
No other player of his or any generation altered shots and changed games as he did.
Named both NBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, Olajuwon set out to add more hardware to his shelf.
It took 23 games and do-or-die wins over Phoenix and New York, but he did it.
Olajuwon led all playoff scorers with 28.9 points per game, tacking on averages of 11.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 4.0 blocks, and 1.7 steals.
In the Finals, the Nigerian native dropped averages of 26.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 3.9 blocks, and 1.6 steals to edge the Rockets past the Knicks in a classic seven-game showdown.
Olajuwon took home series MVP honors to become the first player in NBA history to win league MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP in the same season.
1993 Upper Deck #310 Scottie Pippen
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $30
Doomsayers wrote Pippen off after Michael Jordan's shock retirement.
In their eyes, his strengths as a scorer, rebounder, and defender wouldn't mean much to the Bulls without Jordan running the show.
Pippen wasn't buying it.
And what followed was one of the most impressive forgotten seasons for a player in NBA history.
With his usage rate up to a career-high 27.1%, the 28-year-old small forward transformed into a human Swiss Army knife.
Pippen became just the second player in NBA history to lead a team in every major statistical category with averages of 22.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.9 steals, and 0.8 blocks in 72 games played.
Pippen may not have been the best overall player in the league, but he was the most essential to his team.
The league's third-place MVP finisher glued the 55-win Bulls together and kept them in position as a Finals contender.
They may have returned to the big stage if not for a brutal foul call in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Late in the contest, Pippen was whistled for a shooting foul against the Knicks' Hubert Davis.
Subsequent replays showed that the contact came after the shot, but the call stood regardless.
Davis nailed the free throws to secure an 87-86 win and a 3-2 series lead.
In a world where that call goes differently, Pippen's reputation as a first option could have gotten a trophy boost.
1993 Upper Deck #311 Chris Webber Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $30
The 1993 NBA Draft will forever link the NBA careers of Penny Hardaway and Chris Webber.
The media went bonkers when the Magic shipped Webber, the #1 overall pick, to Golden State for Hardaway and draft picks.
Webber's Fab Five pedigree and All-American talent appeared tailor-made for the NBA game.
Hardaway was also a celebrated prospect but came in on a much shorter hype train than his draft-day counterpart.
So, who won the trade?
In year one, it was a near-dead heat.
Webber may have sidestepped Hardaway for NBA Rookie of the Year by six votes, but the gap between the two was virtually nonexistent.
Webber averaged 17.5 points (on 55.2% shooting), 9.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.2 blocks, and 1.2 steals in 32.1 minutes per game.
He had better counting stats than Hardaway but was far from the playmaker that Penny was.
At the end of the day, the Warriors held the bag.
Webber and Golden State coach/GM Don Nelson feuded all year long.
After Phoenix bounced the Dubs out of the first round, Webber touted an escape clause in his contract and stated he'd never play for the team again.
Up against a wall, the Warriors completed a sign-and-trade with the Bullets for Tom Gugliotta and three first-round draft picks.
1993 Upper Deck #382 Anfernee Hardaway Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $30
Shaquille O'Neal made the Orlando Magic relevant.
Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway made them a sensation.
O'Neal lifted the franchise to its first non-losing season in 1992-93, but the team still lacked the do-it-all guard necessary to unlock his full potential.
Orlando selected Chris Webber with the first overall pick of the '93 NBA Draft, but only as leverage to get the man they wanted.
The Magic swapped Webber for Hardaway and three future first-round picks, shipping what appeared to be a sure-fire superstar to Golden State to grab the perfect sidekick for O'Neal.
The same critics who blasted the Magic for this deal were forced to eat their words by season's end.
Hardaway averaged 16.6 points, 6.6 assists, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.3 steals to take home First-Team All-Rookie honors and a runner-up finish for Rookie of the Year.
Most importantly, the 6-foot-7 Memphis point guard had the versatility to tweak his game to O'Neal's benefit.
The big man was unstoppable with Hardaway pulling the strings, and his inflated per-game averages showed it.
The dynamic duo did more than lead the Magic to the franchise's first 50-win season and playoff berth.
They became cultural icons when the NBA needed stars to fill the Jordan void.
1993 Upper Deck #396 Dennis Rodman
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $30
Things soured for Rodman in Detroit when his mentor and coach, Chuck Daly, resigned in May 1992.
He no longer felt safe.
And he no longer felt wanted.
Less than a year later, Rodman was found in the Palace of Auburn Hills parking lot sleeping with a rifle in his lap.
It wasn't just a professional problem.
It was a personal crisis.
After multiple suspensions for insubordination and a trade request, the Pistons eventually cut bait and dealt him to the Spurs.
Now at an existential crossroads, Rodman chose to lean into his flamboyant, self-made persona.
If he couldn't find stability, he'd be the chaos himself.
It was a dangerous formula.
Yet, it worked for San Antonio in year one.
The 31-year-old power forward led the NBA in rebounds (18.3) for the second consecutive year and provided lockdown defense at all three levels.
With Rodman in tow, San Antonio finished second in the NBA with 94.8 points allowed per game, eight points less than what they surrendered in 1992-93.
Rodman was a round peg in a square hole and the joy wouldn't last long.
Yet, he was still a generational talent capable of turning an entire defense into gold.
1993 Upper Deck #496 Toni Kukoc
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $30
In addition to his base rookie card, Kukoc appeared in the "Top Prospects" subset that also featured big names like Chris Webber, Anfernee Hardaway and several others.
Kukoc's importance to the Chicago Bulls would continue to grow over the years, but it's safe to say that his rookie season exceeded expectations.
He appeared in 75 games (eight starts) and functioned quite well as a secondary playmaker (3.4 APG) in 24.1 minutes per contest.
The most impressive part was his defense.
Oddly enough, the defensive "novice," as Jackson called him, had more defensive win shares (2.7) than offensive shares (0.5).
Kukoc remained a reliable hand in Chicago's 10-game playoff run, averaging 9.3 points (on 44.8% shooting), 4.0 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 19.4 minutes per contest.
Without question, Kukoc was one of the early European pioneers who paved the way for many more international players to excel in the NBA.
You could argue that contribution was far more important to the game than his role in the Bulls' success.
1993 Upper Deck Basketball Cards In Review
As you can see, the checklist is loaded with superstars and plenty of subsets to keep things interesting.
And while Toni Kukoc and Chis Webber may have been the only rookies to end up in the Hall of Fame, the rookie class was top-notch, too.
Big names like Sam Cassell, Nick Van Exel, Vin Baker, Jamal Mashburn, Isaiah Rider, Allan Houston and Anfernee Hardaway all made their cadboard debuts in 1993 Upper Deck.
Those guys had solid careers and were some of the most popular of their era.
The design of the cards in the set offered collectors a fantastic experience with bright, full-color imagery that featured plenty of action.
There were several different subsets in the checklist, including:
- Season Leaders (#166 - 177)
- Playoff Highlights (#178 - 197)
- Finals Highlights (#198 - 209)
- Team Schedules (#210 - 236)
- Signature Moves (#237 - 251)
- Checklists (#252 - 255; #508 - 510)
- Executive Board (#421 - 435)
- Breakaway Threats (#436 - 455)
- Game Images (#456 - 465)
- Skylights (#466 - 480)
- Top Prospects (#483 - 497)
- McDonald's Open (#498 - 507)
Some collectors might feel that the amount of subsets is excessive.
But nearly everyone unanimously agrees that the "Skylights" subset was one of the coolest of any sports card set of the era.
Overall, the 1993 Upper Deck is one of the better ones of the early 90s and should always provide a nice way for collectors of that era to get a nice boost of nostalgia.