This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/14/2024
Hall of Famer Bill Russell was so highly touted out of college that before he took his first dribble on an NBA court, he found himself on the move from the team that drafted him (St. Louis Hawks) to Boston for future Hall of Famers Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan. The Hawks would meet the Celtics in the NBA championship in four of the next five years, winning one, but for Boston, it was a run of 11 NBA championships over 13 seasons, including eight straight titles. The 1957 Topps rookie card of Bill Russell is a scarce short print, usually plagued with centering problems, but the featured example is very well-framed, especially for the grade. The corners and edges are slightly better than the assigned grade suggests, offsetting the usual light layer of print dust scattered on the dark pigments of the surface. One of the most important basketball cards ever made, and this specimen is pleasingly better framed than the large majority of specimens at this grade level.