Isiah Thomas rookie 1986, why not 1982?

[Kramer13]

Perhaps an ignorant question, but why is Isiah Thomas rookie card 1986 instead of earlier? He was the #2 pick in 1982, and an all-star in year one, so you’d think he’d have a RC from ‘82....

[Kramer13]

Showing my ignorance, just realized that the same applies to MJ & a bunch of others in that amazing 86 Fleer set.
Were there simply no basketball card sets earlier in the 80s?

[markw2856]

If you have a Basketball Beckett or local card shop in town take a look at one sometime. Star Company is the only licensed product during early to mid 80's with the NBA. Topps was around through 81-82 and 86-87 Fleer would have been the next product after Star. Technically Star has rookies of Thomas, Jordan, etc before 1986. Star was around from 83 through 85-86 season. I have some Star cards but was never big on that product. Star cards were in poly bags that were sealed. Everyone has a preference and I consider the 86-87 Fleer to be Jordan's rookie card.

There just weren't many products or options during that time. Unlike now in baseball products. You can have a real young prospect have his rookie card come out in 2019 and he might not show up until 2023 and more of his "rookie cards" are out that year as well. Times have changed

[JFried1029]

I believe Star Cards are considered XRC's and not RC's because of the manner in which they were distributed.

[pwaldo]

I believe Star Cards are considered XRC's and not RC's because of the manner in which they were distributed.

Correct

Topps stopped making basketball cards because nobody wanted them and outside of Star making bag team sets in the late 80s there wasn't another basketball set until Fleer made one (and that sold like a lead balloon at the time). So basically they all have rookie cards in the 1986-87 Fleer set because there are no other options. When Jordan was playing the Star cards were popular and more expensive than the Fleer rookie card but the Internet and people heavily counterfeiting the Star cards has really wrecked their value ungraded. And even now the Fleer card can be considered suspect raw.

[markw2856]

You are actually both right. XRC is a term Beckett used and got rid of although they kept that term for the 80's sports cards already deemed that. XRC is eXtended rookie card. It really is up to the collector to debate/declare which one is the rookie. I have always looked at the Fleer as Jordan's rookie.