As Michael Jordan hung it up for the second time, the 1998 Upper Deck basketball set paid homage to the Chicago Bulls icon in a big way.
Jordan appeared on the cover art of Series 1 boxes.
He was also on the box cover art of Series 2, known entirely as "MJ Access."
Upper Deck produced 23 different versions of card #230.
Collectors could find a special retirement card numbered "UDX" inserted at one in eleven packs.
You get the point...
For the second time in the 1990s, there was a monumental shift in the NBA as Michael Jordan retired to pursue other interests.
But with that shift came a new wave of future stars, many of which have rookie cards in this set.
So, with MJ on his way out, the checklist also celebrated new beginnings.
And in this guide, we look at the 15 most valuable.
Let's get started!
1998 Upper Deck #320 Dirk Nowitzki Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $325
Things got started on the wrong foot for Dirk Nowitzki during his rookie season.
It wouldn't get too much easier from there.
When the Dallas Mavericks dealt the rights to Robert "Tractor" Taylor on draft night for the German power forward/center, Dallas fans showered the deal with boos.
It was a different time when tape on international players was pretty limited, especially to the public.
Nowitzki was unknown, and Mavs fans were wary of a potential bust.
Naturally, Nowitzki's confidence dipped.
"One year earlier, I played for Wurzburg in the second German division — now I was there with the best players in the world," he explained. "I wasn't sure I belonged there, if I would make it. The first year was brutal in that regard."
The most glaring indicator of Nowitzki's uncomfortable transition was his defense.
Mavs fans called him Irk Nowitzki, partially because he irritated them during his first year and partially because there was no D to his game.
The offensive numbers were also subpar, with averages of 8.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 47 games (24 starts).
Nowitzki looked nothing like the Hall-of-Famer he'd become, and Mavs fans grew restless with every underwhelming performance.
1998 Upper Deck #23 Michael Jordan
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $175
First, there was the "Last Dance."
Then, there was the breakup.
The Chicago Bulls double three-peat dynasty ripped apart at the seams as soon as the 1999 offseason began.
Scottie Pippen was immovable in his demands for a big-money deal.
Several key Bulls contributors were free agents and seeking raises of their own.
And the relationship between GM Jerry Krause and head coach Phil Jackson was toxic and past salvaging.
Everything was upside down, and Michael Jordan wasn't happy about it.
During the Bulls' final title run, he made it abundantly clear that he wasn't interested in hanging around for a retooled Bulls squad.
"I don't want to start a war around here," Jordan said at the end of his time in Chicago. "The main reason we do so well is Phil Jackson. I'll say it again. I won't play for another coach."
It was all over once negotiations broke down between Jackson and the Bulls during the lockout.
"Physically, I feel great," Jordan said during his retirement announcement. "But I have to make a judgment in terms of the desire, and I can't honestly say that's going to be there every time I step into this building."
He left the door ajar, though, telling reporters that he'd "never say never" to a future comeback.
1998 Upper Deck #316 Vince Carter Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $160
Vince Carter's Rookie-of-the-Year campaign was a slam dunk…literally.
Drafted 5th overall by the Toronto Raptors in the 1998 NBA Draft, Carter's reputation as an elite athlete with explosive driving ability materialized as soon as he touched an NBA court.
The North Carolina swingman wasn't yet a knockdown perimeter shooter (28.8% from three) or an S-tier defender (1.4 win shares).
However, those were just semantics with how vicious Carter was around the rim.
The 22-year-old used an explosive first step and pogo-stick hops to print poster after poster.
As soon as he saw a sliver of daylight, Carter rocketed towards the hoop and proceeded to dunk on anyone's head that got into his path.
The landslide pick for NBA ROTY concluded the year as a down-ballot MVP candidate with averages of 18.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.1 steals in 35.2 minutes per game.
He was also big business for a Raptors franchise in just its fourth year of existence, both in terms of ticket sales and jerseys flying off the shelves.
1998 Upper Deck #169 Michael Jordan
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $150
1998 Upper Deck #26 Michael Jordan
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $100
The "Heart and Soul" subset highlighted two players from every team considered to be the franchise's foundation.
Not surprisingly, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen won the honors of representing the Chicago Bulls in the subset.
Each card features one player on the "Heart" side of the card, with the other taking up the "Soul" side on the reverse.
Jordan holds down the red-themed "Heart" side while Pippen is on the blue-themed "Soul" reverse side.
The action shots of both NBA legends going up for a score in heavy traffic beautifully highlight the essence of both players.
Arguably the most potent 1-2 punch in NBA history, Jordan and Pippen won six NBA titles together.
Both were threats on offense.
Both were lockdown defenders.
Together, they presented a nightmare for opposing teams.
1998 Upper Deck #174/175/310/311
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $100
Even the checklist cards were reserved for Michael Jordan.
There are four in total, each featuring dual imagery of a smaller action shot of His Airness superimposed atop a full-length background shot.
Each of the cards is well-designed.
Usually, checklist cards in modern products aren't considered to be very desirable.
But most checklist cards aren't meant to commemorate one of the biggest icons in sports history.
While they're obviously not as desirable as the rest of the MJ base cards in this set, they can certainly be far more valuable in top condition than base cards of other stars and Hall of Famers.
That's how big MJ was.
1998 Upper Deck #230 Michael Jordan
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $100
The "Michael Jordan" subset was simply that: a collection of 23 different cards that paid tribute to the legendary Chicago Bulls superstar.
Interestingly, they were all card #230, just with a different "a" through "w" designation to separate them.
Most of the cards featured isolated action shots of Jordan soaring through the air, dribbling, posting up, or shooting, giving collectors multiple chances to view their favorite superstar.
However, some cards give you a glimpse of some of Jordan's biggest rivals in the background, too.
Players like Reggie Miller, Karl Malone, John Stockton and others can be seen desperately trying to stop the relentless scorer.
While all of the cards in the subset are desirable and worth decent money in top condition, the "230a" card, shown below, is considered to be the most popular.
The card features Jordan in his trademark red Bull jersey going up for an easy lay-up.
While the fronts of each card are different, the reverse sides are all the same, showing his career statistics alongside a headshot of him smiling.
I think it would've been great if Upper Deck could have made each of the reverse sides its own unique design, highlighting some of MJ's most memorable achievements.
1998 Upper Deck #321 Paul Pierce Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $100
The 1998-99 Boston Celtics weren't built to compete.
In retrospect, that might have been a good thing.
When the Celtics grabbed Kansas forward Paul Pierce with the 10th overall pick of the 1998 NBA Draft, it was a legit coup in a deep draft.
Pierce's two-way talents and singular confidence proved an instant fit for an inexperienced Boston squad.
From day one, the kid's game and leadership qualities garnered a respect that many first-year players don't receive.
"A lot of guys have really been in my corner, so I really don't feel like a rookie when I'm out there," Pierce said. "They all have treated me well since I've been here. They haven't had me carry the bags yet. It's a young team and everyone gets along."
Boston bowed out of the lockout-shortened playoff race early with an 8-17 start en route to a 19-31 finish.
It was the Celtics' fourth straight postseason miss.
Despite the team's poor record, Pierce's breakout rookie campaign was a noticeable shot in the arm.
The 21-year-old small forward finished third in the NBA Rookie-of-the-Year race, averaging 16.5 points, 6.4 rebounds (2.4 offensive), 2.4 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game.
1998 Upper Deck #290 Michael Jordan
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $90
The "Highway 99" subset featured 20 cards in Series 2 that spanned #290 - 309.
Highlighting some of the biggest stars of the day, each card featured an action shot of a player superimposed on a background that contained a large "Highway 99" road sign.
I assume the subset was meant to serve as some kind of commemoration to the big-name players who would help lead the NBA heading into 1999 with MJ on his way out.
The subset featured a nice mix of younger stars like Tracy McGrady and Ray Allen and established vets like David Robinson, Scottie Pippen, and Patrick Ewing.
And even though he was retired, MJ held the #290 spot.
The reverse of his card states, "One of the greatest performers ever to play in the NBA, Michael Jordan recorded another award-winning campaign in 1997-98. He captured the League MVP Award for the fifth time in his illustrious career. He was the MVP of the NBA All-Star for the third time in his career on February 8, 1998."
1998 Upper Deck #318 Jason Williams Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $65
"White Chocolate" was as smooth as butter in 1998-99.
Selected 7th overall by the Sacramento Kings in the 1998 NBA Draft, Jason Williams had an outsized confidence that belied his relatively slight 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame.
The University of Florida point guard was a wizard of a playmaker who created passing lanes out of thin air.
And that proved extremely valuable for a resurgent Kings squad starting an eight-year playoff streak.
"Jason's one of those rare guys who sees the entire court," says Kings coach Rick Adelman. "He sees what's there and what's about to be there, like John Stockton or Magic or Jason Kidd. He's a very special, very creative talent."
The 23-year-old kid deemed "a stud" by Charles Barkley finished second in the NBA Rookie-of-the-Year rankings to runaway winner Vince Carter.
He ran the sixth-seeded Kings offense with impressive precision, averaging 12.8 points, 6.0 assists, and 3.1 rebounds in 36.1 minutes per game.
He also placed fifth in the Western Conference with 1.9 steals per game.
1998 Upper Deck #75 Kobe Bryant
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $50
After the departures of Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones, it was finally Kobe Bryant's turn to take the wheel in Los Angeles.
The Lakers' legend-in-waiting spent his first two years as a reserve heading in and out of head coach Del Harris' doghouse.
Once Harris was fired twelve games into the season, there was no question whose team it now was.
Bryant signed a six-year, $70 million extension during the year and paid the Lakers back with his best all-around performance thus far.
The 20-year-old shooting guard earned All-NBA Third Team honors with averages of 19.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.0 blocks in 37.9 minutes per game.
However, the growing working relationship between Bryant and franchise center Shaquille O'Neal meant more to the Lakers.
Personality conflicts aside, the big man/little man combo finely tuned an inside-out partnership that would break the spirits of opposing defenses for years to come.
1998 Upper Deck #331 Peja Stojakovic Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $35
Peja Stojakovic's journey to the NBA was as remarkable as it comes.
At 13 years old, Stokajovic and his family fled to eastern Croatia during the chaos of the Yugoslav Wars.
With no possessions and nothing to their name, his family started over brick by brick.
That's when Stojakovic got cooking.
Growing to 6-foot-4 by the age of 14, the future lottery pick tried out for Red Star Belgrade's junior team.
He made the cut and grew into one of Europe's best, most unorthodox shooters.
By 1996-97, Stojakovic was a dead-eye shooter and a tireless competitor.
During his time in the Greek League, he emerged as a legit NBA prospect with a vicious competitive streak.
"Peja never backed down from anybody. If it was somebody that was an American, he was ready to go," former Greek League teammate Dean Garrett said. "He was always ready to go against that person because he looked at Americans as being the best."
After two years playing European pro ball, Stojakovic realized his NBA dreams as the 14th overall selection of the '98 NBA Draft.
He didn't shoot the lights out in his debut with the Sacramento Kings, but it was merely a transitional blip for one of the best three-point shooters of the 2000s.
1998 Upper Deck #76 Shaquille O'Neal
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $30
The 1998-99 Los Angeles Lakers were a chaotic precursor to an impending dynasty.
LA had the core pieces in place for their return to championship glory, with the most important being the two-man power trip of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.
The problem was all of the shifting pieces surrounding the duo.
Head coach Del Harris was dumped after an uninspiring 6-6 start and was replaced by former Lakers great Kurt Rambis.
Dennis Rodman joined the team for a topsy-turvy six weeks before he, too, was ultimately shown the door.
The team traded Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell to get O'Neal the shooter he wanted (Glen Rice) and some needed reinforcements (BJ Armstrong, JR Reid).
Nothing felt settled.
However, the 31-19 Lakers still surged to the West's #4 seed on the back of the game's most dominant center.
Named to the All-NBA Second Team and finishing sixth in the NBA MVP race, Shaq averaged 26.3 points on a league-best 57.6% shooting with 10.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game.
He was just as transcendent in eight playoff contests, posting a 26.6/11.6 double-double while leading all players with 2.9 blocks per game.
1998 Upper Deck #313 Mike Bibby Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $30
Vancouver Grizzlies point guard Mike Bibby got a raw deal during his debut year.
It's hard enough to be a starting point guard in your rookie season.
The game comes fast for even the most talented young players and even faster when you're asked to run an offense.
Factor in the lack of preseason games and the lockout-shortened 1998-99 campaign, and the second overall pick of the '98 Draft was understandably out of step early on.
To his credit, Bibby never let anyone see him sweat.
He kept learning on the job and putting in the work at shootarounds and practices.
The Grizzlies wandered to an 8-42 record, yet Bibby's week-to-week progress made the losses easier to stomach.
"He has done everything you could hope for from a rookie point guard," Grizzlies coach Brian Hill said. "He has gone from being someone people were concerned about at the start of the season to someone who's so steady that they almost take him for granted now."
Bibby landed a spot on the NBA All-Rookie Team, averaging 13.2 points, 6.5 assists, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in 35.2 minutes per game.
1998 Upper Deck #94 Kevin Garnett
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $25
You can't blame Kevin Garnett for the 1998-99 NBA lockout and the entire 1998 NBA preseason and 32 regular-season games it canceled.
But, his blockbuster six-year, $126 million contract extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves appeared to be the last straw for a frustrated collective of NBA owners.
The owners sought to reshape the 1995 collective bargaining agreement, especially the provision that allowed second-year players to seek big-money contract extensions.
They pointed to Garnett's cash haul as proof that something had to change.
The NBA Players Association wasn't having it, though.
And the stalemate between the two sides was clear as the season grew closer.
"There is nobody in the NBA who thought it would be business as usual coming out of that season," then Portland Trail Blazers' president and GM Bob Whitsitt said. "If someone didn't expect a lockout for at least the summer, they didn't really know what they were doing."
Eventually, the lockout ended, and the landscape of basketball economics was fundamentally altered.
As for Garnett, he kept his money and kept balling out at a superstar level.
The 22-year-old landed a top-ten MVP finish and a Third-Team All-NBA spot.
1998 Upper Deck #135 Tim Duncan
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $25
One thread runs through all five of the San Antonio Spurs' NBA championships.
His name is Tim Duncan.
Duncan was the most valuable lottery prize of his (or perhaps any) generation.
Selected first overall by the Spurs in the 1997 NBA Draft, the Wake Forest big-man was an instant franchise changer, an all-everything defender with impeccable rebounding instincts and a ready-made offensive game.
In year one, Duncan took home Rookie-of-the-Year honors and spurred San Antonio's 36-game turnaround to 56-26.
In year two, the 22-year-old sensation did himself one better.
Leading the 37-13 Spurs to a #1 seed in the Western Conference, Duncan averaged 21.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 39.3 minutes per game.
He paced the league in defensive win shares (4.7) for the second consecutive year and finished third in the Western Conference with 2.5 blocks per contest.
Duncan was the steadiest of superstars.
And he remained predictably elite in the playoffs, leading the Spurs to their first-ever title with a dominant 15-2 postseason.
Duncan was named Finals MVP for the first of three times, pushing the Spurs past the Knicks in five with averages of 27.4 points, 14.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.2 blocks a game.
1998 Upper Deck Basketball Cards In Review
Seeing Michael Jordan retire for a second time was disappointing for both basketball fans and basketball card collectors.
He was bigger than basketball.
He was a cultural icon and still is.
So it was no surprise to see Upper Deck commemorate MJ like they did with this set.
Even with rookie cards of Dirk Nowitzki, Vince Carter, Paul Pierce and other big-name stars of the day debuting in this set, you can still feel the importance of MJ throughout the checklist.
Overall, I think the design of the base cards and the multiple subsets and inserts is great.
In typical Upper Deck fashion, they combined fantastic photography with innovative design.
Obviously, the many different Michael Jordan cards and the big-name rookies are the biggest draws in the set.
But there were also different subsets to keep things interesting, including:
- Heart and Soul
- To the Net
- Rookie Watch
- Michael Jordan ( A - W)
- Highway 99
Inserts like "Next Wave", "Super Powers", "Intensity" and more, also gave collectors a great collecting experience.
But no insert is more coveted than the Michael Jordan Autographed Game Jersey cards that were numbered to 23.
Those can fetch enormous price tags on today's market.
Overall, Upper Deck did a fantastic job with this set and it should remain one of the top sets of the late 90s for years to come.