With the 2026 Bowman Basketball release reminding everyone that prospecting and “first cards” drive the modern hobby, it feels like the perfect time to look backward at one of basketball collecting’s true origin pieces: The 1910 Murad Cigarettes T51 Williams College card.
The Williams card is widely regarded as one of the hobby’s earliest and most iconic basketball releases. Its artwork, period uniform, and college pennant capture the sport when it was still young (not even 20 years old!) and evolving. The 2026 Bowman Basketball release may be about buying the future early, but this Murad card is about owning the beginning.
More than a century later, I believe that the Williams card is one of basketball collecting’s true cornerstone pieces and I'm thrilled to own one.
