Steve Nash is the only player on this list who did not appear in an NBA Finals. Nash was 2nd team All NBA twice.
Nash lead the league in assists 5 times.
Just Misses: David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Scottie Pippen, Elvin Hayes, Jason Kidd, George Mikan, Kevin McHale
(I will fill up the chart as we go along
| Finals Record | Conference Finals Record | League MVP | Finals MVP | 1st team All-NBA |
Steve Nash | 0-0 | 0-4 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
I want to do a quick analysis of what players get short printed and specifically look at the "Star" players and Hot young or rookie players. I will be highlighting some player and the years they were short printed along with some numbers on the stars and semi-stars who were short printed.
The identification of stars and semi-stars (is an 1980s term and totally not scientific - it means good and great player)
Stars/semi star sport prints
2013 - 25 (includes Trout, Harper, Pujols, Cabrera)
2014 23 ( includes Jeter, Cabrera)
2015 28 (includes Trout, Harper, Pujols, Cabrera)
2016 29 (includes Trout, Harper, Pujols, Cabrera, Betts, ARod)
2017 36 (includes Trout, Harper, Pujols, Cabrera, Betts,)
2018 5
2019 30 (includes Harper, Acuna, Judge, Soto, Ohtani
2020 20 (Betts, Trout, Acuna, Harper, Ohtani, Soto)
2021 3
2022 2
2023 14 (Soto, Judge Harper)
There was a shift in 2018 (1969 design) to go with journeyman and unknowns for the SP/ high numbers.
Topps went back to the old ways in 2019 and 2020 and then reversed course in 2021 and 2022. 2023 is kind of a balance but with a caveat - there were a number of good players held out for the Update series which becomes a quasi Series 2.
If the Grim Reaper gave you a choice would you take it.
If you died tomorrow, you would not know who won the 2023 World Series.
Can you live with that. You follow the whole season to not know who will be the eventual champion because your dead.
I am assuming most fans would probably select early February, just after the Super Bowl and before having to to buy that Valentines Gift. But I don't think that would be the majority.
I think a lot fans would like to see at least the next World Series winner, Stanley Cup Champion (I can't die now with Las Vegas as the reining champ - where are the Canadians.), NBA Champ, the next Wimbledon Champ or next Master's champ.
At least for the 4 major sports - the last new champion has been the Denver Nuggets about 4 months ago. That is a long wait. Which is about the same time period between the Super Bowl and the next Stanley Cup Winner.
Or you could be waiting for some sort of life time statistical accomplishment. Lebron passed Kareem so that is done with. Maybe Djokovic well get to 25 grand slams or Ovechkin passes Gretzky for goals scoring. Nothing much else on the horizon.
Maybe you just want to live long enough to see one more coffin kick.
Ok bear with me.
A couple of years ago I thought Topps was going to revert back to the 1952 Design for Topps Heritage instead of continuing through the 1970s. (i.e 2022 would have the 1952 design to match)
However what they did was add a new product line.
In the middle of 2022 Topps introduced 2021 Topps Chrome Platinum Anniversary (1952 design) - These cards debuted in 2022 using the players who had rookie cards in 2021. (i.e. Jo Adell, Jazz Chisholm)
In the middle of 2023 Topps introduced 2022 Topps Chrome Platinum Anniversary (1953 design) - These card debuted in 2023 using the players who had rookie cards in 2022 (i.e. Bobby Witt, Jose Rodriguez but no Michael Harris though he debuted in late May 2022 and became a 2023 rookie card).
If things hold - this will be the future
In the middle of 2024 Topps will introduce 2023 Topps Chrome Platinum Anniversary (1954 design) - These cards will debut in 2024 using the players who had rookie cards in 2023 (Gunner Henderson, Michael Harris) - (It is pretty obvious now that Elly De La Cruz will not get a 2023 rookie card)
So wa lah.......
In the middle of 2025 Topps will introduce 2024 Topps Chrome Platinum Anniversary (1955 Design) . These cards will debut in 2025 using the players who had rookie cards in 2024 (Mr. Elly De La Cruz).
Yes, Topps has created a New Concept. For years collectors always sought a players first rookie card. Now Topps has created a players last rookie that can be easily pinpointed and defined.
In the middle of 2025 - The most sought after card will be Elly De La Cruz's 2024 Topps Chrome Platinum Anniversary rookie card - A defining concept - His last rookie card
Still no word from Topps on whether Elly De La Cruz rookies cards will be this year (probably not) or next year.
I think there strategy is to milk all they can out of those Topps Now call up cards etc....
Come on Fanatics grow the hobby, make it enjoyable to collect and not manipulative.
Sometimes one event leads to unexpected consequences and for 9/11 it was the end of major U.S. airline crashes*. With the crash of American Airlines flight 587 in November of 2001 in New York there has been only one airline crash with 50 or more fatalities in the last 22 years**
Prior to 9/11 these were the major airline crashes
2000 - Alaskan Airlines in the Pacific Ocean - 88 Deaths
1999 - Egypt airlines just off of Nantucket - 217 Deaths
1997 -Korean Air Flight near Gaum - 229 Deaths
1996 - July TWA Flight 800 just off the coast of New York - 230 Deaths
1996 - May - Value Jet the Florida Everglades - 110 Deaths
1994 - October - American Eagle flight Indiana - 68 Deaths
1994 - September -USA Flight 427 Pittsburgh - 132 Deaths
1990 - Aviance Flight New York - 73 Deaths
1989 - UA Flight Iowa - 112 Deaths
1987 - Northwest Flight Detroit - 156 Death
1986 - AeroMexico Flight California - 82 Deaths
1985 - August Delta Airlines Irving TX -135 Deaths
1985 - January Galaxy Airlines - Reno - 70 Deaths
1982 - July - Pan Am Flight Louisiana - 153 Deaths
1982 - January - Air Florida Potamic River DC - 78 Deaths
5/25/79 - America Airlines Chicago (the famous photo of the plane inverted) - 273 Deaths
1978 - PSA Flight - San Diego - 144 Deaths
In the 22 years since 9/11 there have been 2 major airline crashes with 50 or more fatalities (Colgan Air Buffalo - 50 Deaths). In the 22 years prior to 9/11 there were 17 major airline crashes in the U.S. Unexpected Consequences.
*Major airline crashes is defined by 50 or more fatalities from the crash.
**Not that 50 is an arbitrary number but there was a plane crash in Lexington KY in 2006 where 49 people lost their lives.
Elly De La Cruz debut 6/6/23. Will he get a rookie card in Topps update (or Heritage). Recent history says no.
While back in 2008, 2009 players who debut in August of those years usually got rookies card in Topps update. Pablo Sandoval debut 8/14/08 and got an update card in Heritage that year.
Michael Harris debuted 5/28/22 but did not see his rookie card until 2023.
Topps has been pushing back rookie cards based on debut date each year. Its funny but that is the way it was in the 1970s. George Brett debut in 1974 but his rookie card did not appear until 1975.
Unless Topps has a change of Heart no De La Cruz rookies until next year.
