On Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 1979 Topps card, defensive pressure from Washington forward Mitch Kupchak does not seem to interfere with a towering sky hook. A few years later, Kupchak no longer had to worry about slowing down Kareem because the Lakers signed him as a free agent going into the 1981-82 season. And after spending five years as Kareem’s teammate and several more as a member of the Los Angeles front office, Kupchak became close friends with the living legend. “You couldn’t have been a better teammate,” Kupchak said in a video message to celebrate Kareem’s 75th birthday. “You always practiced, you played every game, you had your biggest games when you had to, and many times, you played when you were injured and had migraine headaches. My pleasure to know you and be part of your life as a teammate and friend.” Collectors will battle to tower over the bidding in this month’s Vintage Premier Auction, as the only PSA 10 example of Kareem’s 1979 Topps card becomes available. Featuring the All-Star designation, this card represents a scant 0.06% of the nearly 1,700 examples of Kareem’s cards that PSA has assessed. With the pressure on in the extended bidding, how will you respond?
The certification number on this card has been checked against the third party grader's online database and is active as of 9/7/2023.
