Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant: Unique basketball card with signatures from three of the greatest players ever up for grabs
PWCC Marketplace recently listed a rare basketball card featuring the signatures of three of the greatest basketball players of all-time: Michael Jordan, LeBron James and the late Kobe Bryant.
The asset, as described on PWCC's website, describes what gives the card its value, the bid on which currently stands at $160,000:
"From the very beginning, these three players (Jordan, Bryant and James) transcended the sport of basketball and helped redefined what is possible within the landscape of professional sports.
"Not only by providing the world with some of the most memorable, competitive and exciting performances of all-time, but through their global brands and shoe deals which vastly grew their brands' popularity."
The card comes from the 2008 Upper Deck Radiance, assessed as NM-MT+ by Beckett. According to TMZ, Jesse Craig, an executive with PWCC, said this of the demand for such assets:
"Collectors are increasingly seeking out autographs from athletes considered to hold ‘immortal’ status in their sport. It’s an insanely scarce offering that exists, and we’re extremely excited that it is up for auction at PWCC."
The auction is currently live and will close in about four and a half days.
The debate for the Greatest of All Time
The timeless conundrum among fans will always revolve around the question: Who is the greatest basketball player of all time?
Any level-headed NBA fan or analyst refrains from taking part in the discussions surrounding the G.O.A.T. That's primarily because the players often contending for that crown soared in three different decades: Michael Jordan (1990s), Kobe Bryant (2000s) and LeBron James (2010s). While their careers had some overlap, they did not go head-to-head in their prime years.
As is the case, adjusting Jordan's play for 2000s or 2010s or LeBron James' play for 1980s or 1990s is an impossible task. Players adjust to how the game changes. James would probably not be shooting 3-pointers if he played in the '80s. And Jordan, every now and then, would be pulling up from five feet behind the arc today.
It goes without saying that judging players from a purely statistical standpoint (rings, MVPs, points, etc.) does not give a full picture. Tony Parker has as many rings as LeBron James. Bill Russell (11) has as many rings as Michael Jordan (six) and Kobe Bryant (five) combined. But Parker and Russell aren't mentioned in these debates.
The range across which these three can be compared is extremely vast and sometimes even goes beyond the basketball court. The brands these players have built are a critical aspect when it comes to how much power they command over the media, the fans and the public.
The debate ends when you want it to, not when someone wins or loses. One fact remains: Only if these three had battled it out in their primes could a substantiated greatest of all time be declared.