10 Stephon Marbury Basketball Cards That Tell the Story of His Career – Instant PC
Stephon Marbury was one of the most dynamic point guards in basketball during his prime, first helping to turn the Minnesota Timberwolves into a contender alongside Kevin Garnett, and then running the show for the Nets, Suns and Knicks before closing out his pro career in China.
All told, there are more than 3,500 Stephon Marbury cards, according to the Beckett database.
So where does one begin putting together a Stephon Marbury PC?
The following 10 cards serve as an excellent representation of his playing career and footprint on the hobby, making them a great place to start.
1996 Press Pass Net Burners #4 Stephon Marbury
As a freshman, Marbury led Georgia Tech to a 24-12 record and the ACC regular season title during the 1995-96 season, averaging 18.9 points and 4.5 assists on a team that also featured two other future NBA players in Drew Barry and Matt Harping.
The Net Burners inserts in 1996 Press Pass were found one-per-pack, and their value reflects that, but the die-cut net design makes them one of the cooler pre-NBA cards for a number of guys from the loaded 1996 draft class.
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1996-97 Topps Chrome #177 Stephon Marbury RC
The Bucks selected Marbury with the No. 4 pick in the 1996 draft, only to ship him to the Timberwolves on draft night in exchange for No. 5 pick Ray Allen and a 1998 first-round pick. Both players went on to earn All-Rookie honors, with Marbury averaging 15.8 points and 7.8 assists on a T-Wolves team that improved from 26 to 40 wins.
There are some big money Rookie Cards in the 1996-97 Topps Chrome set, with Kobe Bryant ($1,500), Allen Iverson ($400), Steve Nash ($200), Ray Allen ($100) and Marbury ($50) as the top names.
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1997-98 Fleer Game Breakers #6 Kevin Garnett/Stephon Marbury
Marbury spent just two and a half seasons in Minnesota, but that short stretch was impactful. The T-Wolves made the playoffs in each of those three seasons after getting shut out in their first seven years as a franchise, and Marbury joined Kevin Garnett to form one of the most memorable tandems in recent NBA history.
That duo shares a few different cards from their brief time together, with perhaps the best of the bunch being their 1997-98 Fleer Game Breakers insert. They were a tough pull at 1:288 Series 1 packs, and their enduring value reflects that, not to mention it’s a great design.
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1998-99 SkyBox Premium That’s Jam #2 Stephon Marbury
In what turned out to be just 167 games in a T-Wolves uniform, Marbury averaged 16.9 points and 8.3 assists to quickly establish himself as a top-tier point guard and one of the game’s best young stars on the rise.
There were some ridiculous insert sets released during the 1990s, but the “That’s Jam” inserts from 1998-99 SkyBox Premium might take the cake. With a quirky design meant to mirror a Welch’s concord grape jam jar and relatively long odds at 1:96 packs, these inserts are still in demand.
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1998-99 Upper Deck Encore #53 Stephon Marbury
At the 1999 trade deadline, Marbury was traded to the Nets in a massive three-team, nine-player blockbuster that brought All-Star point guard Terrell Brandon and a 1999 first-round pick that would later be used on Wally Szczerbiak to Minnesota.
The late trade meant most of Marbury’s cards for the 1998-99 season show him in a T-Wolves jersey, but the late-release Upper Deck Encore set managed to squeeze in a jersey change and be one of the first products to show him in a Nets uniform.
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2000-01 Fleer Autographics #34 Stephon Marbury
Despite his early success, Marbury did not earn his first All-Star selection until his sixth season in the league when he averaged 23.9 points and 7.6 assists as the go-to scorer on a bad New Jersey team that finished 26-56.
It’s only right to fit an autographed card into this Instant PC, and the Fleer Autographics line is always a good choice. The 2000-01 set was Marbury’s only appearance in the popular product.
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2001-02 Upper Deck Flight Team UD Jersey Jams #SMJ Stephon Marbury
Marbury was on the move again following the 2000-01 season, this time going to Phoenix in a five-player deal that sent Jason Kidd the other way. He was his usual productive self in his first season with the Suns, averaging 20.4 points and 8.1 assists, and he upped that to 22.3 points and 8.1 assists the following year to make his second All-Star Game appearance.
There are plenty of low-cost inserts from Marbury’s time in Phoenix, including the 2001-02 Upper Deck Flight Team patch cards that were found in 1:19 packs. The cards also have a Gold parallel with a print run of 50.
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2004-05 Topps Rock Rhythm #SM Stephon Marbury
Marbury joined his fourth team midway through the 2003-04 season when he was traded to the Knicks along with Penny Hardaway in exchange for a package built around Antonio McDyess and a pair of first-round picks. He would go on to play more games in New York than anywhere else, averaging 18.2 points and 7.0 assists in parts of five seasons.
I’ve gone the insert card route once again to recognize his time with the Knicks, opting for his 2004-05 Topps Rock Rhythm card. They were found in 1:12 packs, with some big names on the 15-card checklist including Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson.
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2009-10 Topps Gold #22 Stephon Marbury
After getting waived by the Knicks early in the 2008-09 season, Marbury caught on with the Celtics in a bench role, averaging 3.8 points and 3.3 assists in 18.0 minutes per game in what would be the final NBA action of his career.
His last playing days cards were released the following year, including one in the 2009-10 Topps flagship set. I’ve opted for the gold parallel version with a print run of 2,009. There is also a black parallel numbered to 50 and various one-of-one printing plates.
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2018-19 Panini Prizm #265 Stephon Marbury
While he played his final NBA game during the 2008-09 season, Marbury would go on to play nine more seasons in China where he won three CBA championships. He is currently serving as the head coach of the Beijing Royal Fighters.
This Instant PC wraps up with Marbury’s first Panini Prizm card in the 2018-19 season, which features him in a Suns uniform.
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