1969 Topps Basketball Walt Frazier ROOKIE #98 PSA 10 GEM MINT (PWCC-A)

A seven-time All-Star and six-time All-NBA selection, Walt Frazier led the Knicks to the franchise’s only titles in 1970 and 1973 with his supreme court vision and elite defense. The Knicks’ all-time leader in triple-doubles, assists, and offensive win shares, his No. 10 hangs in Madison Square Garden’s storied rafters. During his rookie season, Frazier picked up the nickname “Clyde” after his teammates compared his trademark wide-brim fedora to the one worn by Warren Beatty’s Clyde Barrow in 1967’s Bonnie & Clyde. Born and raised in Atlanta, young Frazier was mystified by the suits and jackets he saw in the windows along New York’s 5th Avenue and became obsessed with elevating his style. “As a rookie, I wasn’t playing good. So, in order to pacify myself, I always went shopping. I’d go out, go back to my room, dress up, and look in the mirror and say: ‘I’m not playing good, but I still look good.’” As his play improved and he became the Knicks’ marquee superstar, Frazier embraced his “Clyde” alter ego. The superstar point guard frequented the city’s most popular restaurants, always dressed to the nines and sporting one of his many fancy coats. Fans swarmed him on the streets. “One night, I went to a Stevie Wonder concert, and I was waiting for the elevator, and people just engulfed me. I realized at that point, I go, ‘Wow, I’m a big-time celebrity now.” Although the Knicks traded their franchise star following the 1976-77 season, New York welcomed “Clyde” back with open arms in 1987, first as a radio broadcaster and then as a color commentator. Today, Frazier is a main attraction of Knicks broadcasts on MSG Network, his style as sharp as the ‘70s. Knicks fans also show him the same reverence they did during his playing days. “When I walk the streets of New York, I’m so humbled [by] the respect and admiration that people show me. Black and white people that come in there supporting me, young and old. I’d be an ingrate not to give back to the people.” As “Clyde” has become synonymous with the flash and style of New York, 1969 Topps Basketball has become the quintessential epic basketball release, especially this Walt rookie. Of the 1,400 examples reviewed by PSA, only one example has earned a PSA 10: this example, which earned the PWCC-A (Above Average—Top 30%) Eye Appeal designation for its centering, corners, color, surfaces, and edges. As fans crowded Walt, expect the same level of frenzy when this ultra-scarce national treasure hits extended bidding.