The first real big man in the NBA!

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Major Career Highlights

• 5× NBA Champion (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954)

• 2× NBL Champion (1947, 1948) before the NBA formed

• 3× NBA Scoring Champion (1949–1951)

• 6× All-NBA First Team (1949–1954)

• 4× NBA All-Star (1951–1954)

• NBA All-Star Game MVP (1953)

• NBA 75th Anniversary Team

• NBA 25th, 35th, and 50th Anniversary Teams

Statistical Highlights

• Career averages:
  ▸ 23.1 points per game
  ▸ 13.4 rebounds per game (rebounds only recorded after 1950)

• Led the league in rebounding in 1953

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Legacy

• First truly dominant big man in pro basketball history

• Helped shape the NBA, leading to rule changes like:

  • Goaltending rule

  • Widening of the lane (“The Mikan Rule”) to reduce his dominance

• Instrumental in the success of the Minneapolis Lakers, the NBA’s first dynasty

• Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (1959, charter class)

• First president of the ABA, helping launch the rival league to the NBA

Early pack-pulled autograph of the best coach in college history!

John Wooden, often called the greatest coach in the history of American sports, had a legendary career primarily as the head coach of the UCLA men’s basketball team. Here are his career highlights:

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Coaching Career Highlights:

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NCAA Championships (10)

• Won 10 national titles in 12 years (1964–1975)

• 7 consecutive titles (1967–1973) – still unmatched

• First coach to win more than 2 NCAA championships

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Incredible Win Record

• 620–147 overall coaching record

• .804 career winning percentage

• Won 88 consecutive games (1971–1974), an NCAA record at the time

• 4 perfect seasons (including 30–0 in 1967, 1972, 1973)

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UCLA Dynasty

• Coached UCLA from 1948 to 1975

• Built one of the greatest dynasties in sports history

• Developed legendary players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then Lew Alcindor) and Bill Walton

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Coaching Philosophy & Legacy

• Known for his “Pyramid of Success,” emphasizing character, teamwork, and effort

• Revered for his wisdom and teaching beyond basketball

• Nicknamed the “Wizard of Westwood”

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Awards & Honors

• 3x AP Coach of the Year (1967, 1972, 1973)

• Presidential Medal of Freedom (2003)

• Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame:

  • As a player (1960)

  • As a coach (1973)

  • One of only four people inducted as both

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Playing Career

• All-American guard at Purdue (1930–1932)

• Won a national championship (Helms Foundation) in 1932

• Nicknamed “The Indiana Rubber Man” for his hustle and diving on the court

Amazing coach. Amazing pack-pulled autograph. Some cards just mean more. “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.” - Jimmy V

Jim Valvano — affectionately known as “Jimmy V” — was a charismatic college basketball coach, broadcaster, and advocate for cancer research. Here are his most important career highlights:

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Coaching Career Highlights

• 1983 NCAA Championship:

  • Led NC State to a legendary national title, defeating heavily favored Houston (Phi Slama Jama with Hakeem Olajuwon & Clyde Drexler).

  • Final play: Lorenzo Charles’ last-second dunk off an airball sealed the 54–52 win — one of the greatest upsets in NCAA history.

• NC State (1980–1990):

  • Record: 209–114 overall.

  • ACC Tournament Titles: 1983 and 1987.

  • Seven NCAA Tournament appearances.

  • Known for fiery motivation and emotional locker room speeches.

Artis Gilmore was elected into the basketball Hall of Fame in 2011. Love these early pack-pulled Courtside cards from 1992!

🌟 Career Highlights & Honors

• 17 seasons, 11 All-Star selections (5 ABA, 6 NBA); final All-Star was at age 36

• ABA MVP & Rookie of the Year (1972); Playoffs MVP (1975) after winning ABA Championship

• 5× All‑ABA 1st Team, 4× ABA All-Defensive 1st Team, NBA All-Defensive 2nd Team (1978)

• Career rebounder all‑time (5th) and block leader all‑time (4th) in pro hoop history

I’m 99.9% sure this will be the first Rollie Massimino card posted on Mantle as well! As you’ve seen in the last week or so, I’ve posted a number of these great pack-pulled 1992 courtside autographs. They have an amazing set list of both players and coaches from college days. I’ll have to post my Jim Valvano autograph as well. It’s not often you find autographed, pack-pulled coach cards out there. The set was a real game changer back in ‘92.