• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Get Sports Collectors Daily via EMail
    • Advertise with SC Daily
    • Write for Sports Collectors Daily
    • Write About Your Sports Collection
    • Where Can I Sell My Baseball Cards?
  • Hot on eBay
    • Most Watched Graded Rookies
    • Most Watched PSA 10 Cards
    • Most Watched BGS, BVG Cards
    • Most Watched SGC Cards
    • Most Watched Baseball Cards
      • Most Watched 2023 Baseball Cards
      • Most Watched 2022 Baseball Rookie Cards
      • Bowman Chrome Cards
      • Wander Franco Cards
      • Mike Trout Cards
      • Fernando Tatis Jr. Cards
      • Babe Ruth Cards
      • Hank Aaron Cards
      • Jackie Robinson Cards:
      • Mickey Mantle Cards
      • Willie Mays Cards
      • Vintage Baseball Card Sets
      • T206 Cards
    • Most Watched Basketball
      • Top 100 Most Watched Basketball Rookie Cards
      • 100 Hottest 2022-23 NBA Rookie Cards
      • 100 Hottest 2021-22 NBA Rookie Cards
      • 100 Hottest 2020-21 NBA Rookie Cards
      • 100 Hottest 2019-20 NBA Rookie Cards
        • Zion Williamson Rookie Cards
        • Ja Morant Rookie Cards
      • Michael Jordan Cards
      • Kobe Bryant Cards
      • LeBron James Rookie Cards
      • Giannis Antetokounmpo Rookie Cards
      • Luka Doncic Rookie Cards
      • Prizm Basketball Cards
      • Panini National Treasures
    • Most Watched Football Cards
      • Most Watched NFL Rookie Cards
      • 2022 NFL Rookie Cards
        • Brock Purdy Rookie Cards
      • 2021 NFL Rookie Cards
      • 2020 NFL Rookie Cards
        • Joe Burrow Rookie Cards
        • Justin Herbert Rookie Cards
        • Jalen Hurts Rookie Cards
      • Josh Allen Rookie Cards
      • Patrick Mahomes Rookie Cards
      • Tom Brady Cards
    • Most Watched Hockey Cards
      • Top 100 Most Watched Hockey Rookie Cards
      • Most Watched 2020-21 Rookie Cards
      • Most Watched 2019-20 Rookie Cards
      • Connor McDavid Cards
      • Wayne Gretzky Cards
      • Bobby Orr Cards
    • Most Watched Soccer Cards
    • Most Watched UFC Cards
    • Most Watched Golf Cards
    • Most Watched 1 of 1 Cards
    • Most Watched Racing Cards
    • Top Sports Card Dealers on eBay
    • Most Watched Memorabilia
      • Vintage Sports Memorabilia
    • Vintage Sports Tickets, Stubs
    • Most Watched Autographs
  • Ending Soon on Ebay
    • Baseball Cards
    • Basketball Cards
    • Football Cards
    • Hockey Cards
    • Soccer Cards
    • Golf Cards
    • UFC Cards
  • Top - Ad

Sports Collectors Daily

Sports Collectors Daily

Sports collecting news - Sports cards and sports memorabilia industry news.

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. 

  • Sports Memorabilia News
  • Sports Card News
    • Modern Sports Card News
      • New Sports Card Release Calendar
      • Shop Talk
    • Vintage Sports Card News
      • Affordable Vintage Cards, Collectibles
      • Old Baseball Card Sets
      • Old Basketball Card Sets
      • Old Football Card Sets
      • Old Hockey Card Sets
      • Vintage Pack Facts
  • Business/Industry News
    • Sports Memorabilia Business News
    • Sports Memorabilia Industry News
  • Around The Hobby
    • Editor’s Blog
    • David Cycleback’s Identification and Authentication Advice
  • Popular Stories
  • Sell Your Cards
You are here: Home / Sports Card News / Modern Sports Card News / 1997-98 Hoops Top of the World Features Some Astronomically Good (and Not So Good) Rookies

1997-98 Hoops Top of the World Features Some Astronomically Good (and Not So Good) Rookies

September 21, 2022 By Tony Reid

During the 1997-98 basketball release calendar, the Hoops brand continued its Skybox influenced change of course in terms of forward thinking design ideas for base cards, inserts and parallels.

The 1997-98 rookie crop offered a few future Hall of Famers, a few players who had nice runs in the league and a few who never quite made their mark.

One of the more esthetically pleasing all rookie insert sets was the Hoops Top of the World line.

Randomly found in Series 2 boxes at a rate of one in every 48 packs, these were not the easiest cards to find and instantly recognizable.

The players were featured in various poses, literally standing on top of the earth. The card featured a very catchy, all-encompassing foil backdrop that featured the aforementioned player standing or soaring on a half sphere of planet earth at the bottom of the card under their feet. Above earth was a layer of textured basketball design which led into an image of the galaxy at the top of the card front with deep blues and purples and a starry backdrop. The words “Top of the World” are featured in a multi colored, clear font. The team and player’s name is featured over one of the player’s shoulders.

The card back features an even larger richer look into the deep expanse of outer space. There’s another posed action shot of the player, the Top of the World text once again with the player’s name and the team logo below with a small paragraph explaining what made the rookie featured an out of this world talent.

The 15-card set starts off in style with San Antonio Spurs power forward Tim Duncan, who is, as you would imagine, looking very stoic with the ball in both hands placed right below his Spurs number 21 jersey. As we all know Duncan went on to have one of the more accomplished careers in the history of the NBA and stands (on earth) as one of the greatest big men of all time.


The second card was Philadelphia 76ers rookie forward Tim Thomas. Thomas fashioned a decent career as a versatile big man after starring at Villanova for his short time at the university. Thomas, who didn’t have to leave the Philly area going from college to the pros, is seen grabbing a rebound on his card front is his card front hovering above Earth.

The third card in the set features Denver Nuggets big man Tony Battie, pictured in the same stance as Duncan on his card front and looking intently at the camera grasping the ball in both hands. Battie spent a decade in the league, bouncing from team to team and finishing with a career scoring average of just over six points per game. 

The fourth card in the set features New Jersey Nets rookie forward Keith Van Horn, who is also posed with the ball in hand displaying his Nets 44 uni. Of course being a star of lighter pigmentation, the Utah Ute is compared to Larry Bird and Kevin McHale on this particular card back. Although Van Horn never remotely reached those heights he did have a solid decade long career in the league, averaging 16 PPG for his career.


Exciting Vancouver Grizzlies guard Antonio Daniels comes in at the five spot. Daniels has seen getting ready to throw down on his card front with the ball cocked behind his head and a scowl on his face. One of the cooler cards in a photographically cool set.


Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Derek Anderson his featured next in the set. The sharp shooting wing man is featured looking even further into space on his card. He’s either deep in thought or just wants this photo shoot to be over. 

The seventh card in the set features then Boston Celtics rookie Chauncey Billups, who went on to have one of the best careers of any player in this particular rookie class not named Duncan or McGrady. Chauncey won a title with the Detroit Pistons in 2003-04, when he was the NBA Finals MVP.  He was one of the best floor generals and leaders of this class.

Toronto Raptors rookie sensation Tracy McGrady is found at card number eight. T-Mac went on to have a Hall of Fame career, being one of the most potent scores and exciting finishers of the era.

Former Cincinnati Bearcats force and then Denver Nuggets rookie Danny Fortson this next up in the set. Fortson fashioned a very solid career in the league, being one of the more reliable rebounders in the game. As an added bonus, years prior, he briefly attended the same high school as my son in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

The tenth card in the set is Indiana Pacers rookie Austin Croshere. Croshere found his niche in the league being a hard working, blue collar, reliable shooter and spent a number of years filling that role. He’s found on his card front as many others are with ball in both hands looking up into the camera above.

Tariq Abdul-Wahad is the 11th card in the set. The Sacramento Kings guard is seen cheesing with a big smile on his face and the ball resting on his shoulder by his head. It’s a fun looking card of a guy who spent a handful of years in the league, only averaging double digit points one of those years. 

Golden State Warriors rookie Adonal Foyle is the 12th card in the Top of the World. The Warriors had high hopes for this defensive presence and shot blocking machine. He never became a star but did spent 13 seasons in the league and is now a TV commentator for the Warrioirs.


Next up is Houston Rockets rookie Rodrick Rhodes. The six-foot six swing man never really made his mark in the league unfortunately. RR spent small parts of three seasons in the league before it was all said and done.


Kentucky star and Boston Celtics rookie Ron Mercer is the 14th card in Top of the World. Tabbed to be the next great Boston Celtics star, Mercer had a nice career in the league. Teamed with fellow rook Chauncey Billups and second year sensation Antoine Walker, the Celts future was bright. The picture on Mercer’s card shows him standing there very pedestrian, ball in hand, blankly staring into the camera.


The final card in the set features Miami Heat rookie Charles Smith. Unfortunately for Smith, he probably made the least impact of everyone in this 15 card insert set, starting just 36 games over the course of his career. He’s seen in his black Heat gear, ball in both hands staring off into space on his card.

Although not the biggest landmark insert of the 1990s, any fun, limited, foil inserts that features rookie year cards of Tim Duncan, Tracy McGrady and Chauncey Billups is worth a mention. 

The PSA pop report reflects that very few  have been graded, with only 43 in total and only three PSA 10s ever awarded. That is the area of any real value in the set. 

You can often buy raw cards of the superstars in the set such as Duncan and McGrady for less than $25. The lesser known players can be had for the or the price of a bottle of Coke. Because they were fairly limited, the supply of 1997-98 Hoops Top of the World cards isn’t huge but you can usually find several dozen on eBay.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Facebook Messenger

Related Stories:

1993-94 Ultra Power in the Key Insert Offers Foil Fanfare for Inside Dominance 1996-97 Fleer Full Court Trap Insert Shines Rare Light on Defensive Stars 1993-94 Fleer Living Legends Insert Set Offers a Small but All-Time Great Lineup 1992-93 Topps Stadium Club Beam Team Provided New Light Show for Collectors 1998-99 E-X Century Basketball Shows Off Revolutionary Design, Iconic Rookie Class, Sharp Inserts Signature Rookies Broke New Hobby Ground; Then Faded Away Remember 1991-92 Fleer Wheaties Basketball Cards? 25 Years Ago: Recalling Some Hot Cards of 1993

About Tony Reid

From the time he was a little kid, Tony has been a huge sports fan. If he could play sports, watch sports and talk about sports it was a great day. From as early as he was drawn to sports, Tony was drawn to collecting sports cards. Not much has changed over the years. He collects RCs of star players in baseball, basketball and football. He also has a soft spot for first autographs of MMA stars. If you want to talk to Tony about the greatness of Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson or Ken Griffey, Jr. you can reach him at [email protected] and @tonyreidwrites on social media.

Filed Under: Modern Sports Card News Tagged With: 1990s basketball cards

Primary Sidebar

Our articles may contain affiliate links. When you click on links to merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. 

  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • Hockey

High End Cards and Memorabilia

  • BBCE Authenticated Boxes, Packs opens in a new window
  • Graded pre-War Card Auctions
  • Graded Rookie Cards opens in a new window
  • Authenticated Photos opens in a new window
  • Graded Tickets & Stubs opens in a new window

Bargain Corner

  • Michael Jordan cards $5 and less opens in a new window
  • Kobe Bryant cards $5 and less opens in a new window
  • Mickey Mantle Cards Under $150 opens in a new window
  • Graded T206 Cards Under $150 opens in a new window
  • Pre-War Cards Under $100 opens in a new window
  • Pre-1980 Graded Baseball Cards $10 and Less opens in a new window
  • Pre-1980 Graded Football Cards $10 and Less opens in a new window
  • Vintage Graded Basketball Cards $25 and less opens in a new window
  • Vintage Graded Hockey Cards $10 and Less opens in a new window
  • Complete Sets $20 and Less opens in a new window
  • Baseball Hall of Famers for $5 or Less opens in a new window
  • Football Hall of Famers for $5 or Less opens in a new window
  • Hobby Boxes Under $30 opens in a new window
  • Pre-1986 Rookie Cards Under $1 opens in a new window

RSS Auction Report

  • Auctions of Champions June 2023 Daily/Weekly Auctions
  • Fanatics Auctions “The Ultimate Fan Auction” – Ends June 5-8, 2023
  • Pristine Auction June 2023 Daily, Weekly, Classic, Art, Cards, Coins and Featured Auctions

Footer

Categories

  • Around the Hobby
  • Business/Industry News
    • Sports Memorabilia Business News
    • Sports Memorabilia Industry News
  • David Cycleback's Identification and Authentication Advice
  • Editor's Blog
  • Featured Articles
  • Hobby Shop Talk
  • National Sports Collectors Convention
  • Popular Stories
  • Rich Klein's Ramblings
  • Sports Card News
    • Modern Sports Card News
      • New Sports Card Release Calendar
    • Vintage Sports Card News
      • Old Baseball Card Sets
      • Old Basketball Card Sets
      • Old Football Card Sets
      • Old Hockey Card Sets
      • Vintage Pack Facts
  • Sports Memorabilia News
  • Uncategorized

Sponsor Links

  • Sports Card Forumopens in a new window
  • Buying Vintage Sports Cardsopens in a new window
  • Game Used Jerseysopens in a new window
  • Championship Rings For Saleopens in a new window
  • Vintage Basketball Cardsopens in a new window
  • NBA Signed Itemsopens in a new window
  • Autographed Baseballsopens in a new window
  • NASCAR Autographsopens in a new window
  • Vintage Graded Baseball Cardsopens in a new window
  • Player Picturesopens in a new window
  • Vintage Football Cardsopens in a new window
  • Sports Collectors Storeopens in a new window

Pages

Ending on eBay Soon
  • Baseball Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Basketball Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Football Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Hockey Card Auctions Ending Soon on eBay
  • Vintage Sports Memorabilia on eBay Ending Soon
Top 100 on Ebay
  • Top 100 Most Watched Baseball Rookie Cards on eBay
  • Top 100 Most Watched Basketball Rookie Cards for Sale on eBay
  • Top 100 Most Watched Hockey Rookie Card Auctions
  • Top Authenticated Vintage Unopened Sports Card Boxes, Packs on eBay
Most Watched on eBay
  • 100 Most Watched Graded Rookie Cards for Sale on eBay
  • 100 Most Watched Tom Brady Card Auctions on eBay
  • 50 Hottest Hobby Boxes at Auction on eBay
  • 50 Most Watched Golf Trading Cards on eBay
  • 50 Most Watched Wrestling Trading Cards on eBay
  • 75 Most Watched Bowman Chrome Cards
  • Most Popular Bobbleheads on eBay
  • Most Watched 1/1 Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Basketball Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Complete Baseball Card Sets at Auction on eBay
  • Most Watched Football Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Football Rookie Card Auctions
  • Most Watched Goudey Baseball Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Hockey Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Racing Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Soccer Cards for Sale on eBay
  • Most Watched Sports Autographs on eBay
  • Most Watched Sports Jerseys on eBay
  • Most Watched Unopened Sports Card Boxes, Packs on eBay
  • Most Watched Vintage Sports Memorabilia on eBay
  • Hottest Panini National Treasures Cards on eBay
  • Hottest PSA 10 Cards for Sale on eBay
  • What’s Hot on eBay
Sports Memorabilia
  • Sports Card Bargain Bin
  • Sports Memorabilia Auctions Ending Soon on eBay
About Sports Collectors Daily
  • Advertise with SC Daily
  • Contact Us
  • Get Sports Collectors Daily via EMail
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
Sell Your Cards
  • What’s It Worth
  • Where Can I Sell My Baseball Cards?

Copyright © 2023 SportsCollectorsDaily.com | Web Design by Wickam Groupopens in a new window