Patrick Ewing was the No. 1 Draft pick in 1985 and was expected to be the best player of his generation due to his impressive upside and ridiculously impressive performances for Georgetown. A well-known scout said, “We've had the Mikan era, the Russell era, the Kareem era ... now we'll have the Ewing era.” When the Knicks landed the top pick in that draft, the organization was certain that several titles were in store for the proud denizens of the “Mecca of basketball.” As we know, it didn’t turn out that way. The Celtics and Lakers overshadowed Ewing and the Knicks. Then, by Jordan and the Bulls. And when they got through all of those obstacles, they were hampered by the Houston Rockets.
Nonetheless, the Jamaican center had one of the most impressive careers of any player who did not win an NBA title. Indeed, it is one of the best careers, period. The Athletic ranks Patrick #37 on their all-time list, while ESPN has him at #40. He was named an All-Star 11 times, Rookie of the Year, and College Player of the Year. His career averages are an insane 21 points and 98 rebounds per game. Statistically, he was one of the most dominant centers ever to play the game.
Collecting Patrick Ewing Basketball Cards
We have already mentioned some of the things working against Patrick Ewing cards. Despite his incredible achievements, the player won no titles and no MVPs. He was only All-NBA one time. Compare that to his rival Hakeem Olajuwon, who has two titles and MVPs, and that doesn’t look too great.
He faces another related issue. Just as Hakeem and Michael Jordan sometimes overshadowed Ewing during his career, his cards suffer from a similar fate. Like all the big stars of his era, Ewing’s rookie card appeared in the 1986 Fleer Basketball release. That means he shares a rookie set with Olajuwon and Jordan. But not only Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Clyde Drexler, Dominique Wilkins, Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars and Chris Mullin.
The Upside Of Collecting Patrick Ewing Basketball Cards
But despair is not. Patrick Ewing cards have an upside. The New York Knicks have one of the biggest and longest-suffering fan bases out there. I should know I am one of those miserable fans. And while there are some lucky fans who remember the glory days of Earl “The Pearl” Monroe and Walt Frazier, for most of us, Ewing represents the closest to glory the franchise has come. And there is that aura of the tragic hero surrounding Ewing and the Knicks of his era that left its mark on basketball.
And Ewing was a fabulous player despite it all. He was a perennial All-Star and a top USA “Dream Team” member who won the men’s basketball gold in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. He is a basketball royalty, still featuring in commercials and beloved in the NBA community. His cards may not be MJ’s, but they will continue to appreciate in value.
1985 Star Patrick Ewing #166
A PSA 10 sold for $3,200
This is a card that is surrounded by controversy. First, is this the actual Patrick Ewing rookie card? It came before the better-known 1986-87 Fleer and should technically be his rookie card. But even though Star tried to step into the shoes of Topps and become the big cheese in the basketball card scene, collectors never accepted them. Therefore, when the better-established Fleer jumped back into the basketball card business with its 1986-86 release, people considered those the real first cards of the players Star had covered.
A bigger controversy surrounds all the fake versions of these Star cards that have surfaced over the years. The problem got so bad that PSA even stopped accepting cards from this release. It's an absolute shame. The blue-bordered 1985 Star Patrick Ewing #166 card is beautiful, and the action shot of young Ewing is top-notch. I always wondered why people prefer a card just because of its brand name. But the market has spoken.
1986 Fleer Patrick Ewing RC #32
A PSA 10 sold for $8,000
Yeah, the 1986 Fleer Patrick Ewing RC #32 suffers from being in the same release as the Michael Jordan rookie card and several other iconic cards. Ewing could have been the centerpiece of many different sets. Nonetheless, this card is one of the keys to this legendary set. Fleer's 1986 basketball design is well known and an excellent example of junk wax looks (though thankfully without the correspondingly low value). But the picture of Ewing is nothing special. Sure, it captures the power of his physique, but it was hard to miss that.
The value of this card is impaired by its high population count. There are 8,076 copies of this card on file at PSA. A very high number for 1980s basketball cards. And there are 160 PSA 10s. Half as many as Jordan has, but still a lot. So, there will be no meteoric rise in value for this card. But it could clear $10,000 eventually.
1986 Fleer Stickers Patrick Ewing #6
A PSA 10 sold for $4,920
Oh, the irony of ironies. Fleer literally stole the picture used in the Star 1985-86 card for the front of the 1986 Fleer Stickers Patrick Ewing #6 sticker. And the design is also significantly uglier. It came out a full year later. Finally, it's a sticker rather than a card. But still, this item is worth a good deal more than the 1985 Star Patrick Ewing #166 card. But that is how it goes. Anything related to that legendary Fleer release gets an increase in value.
The population count is far lower than the 1986 Fleer card. There are about half as many, with 4,404 in total and only 77 gem mints. That stands to reason because who kept a sticker in the 1980s? You put it on your lunch box or whatever.
1987 Fleer Patrick Ewing #37
A PSA 10 sold for $1,552
The 1987 Fleer is less beloved than the previous release for several reasons. One of them is because it doesn’t have Patrick Ewing's rookie card. Duh. Also, that MJ guy. But that grey, yellow, and white color scheme is positively hideous. But the picture is an excellent advantage of the 1987 Fleer Patrick Ewing #37 card. This is how we remember Patrick: intense and entirely focused. And, of course, he was on the foul line a lot like any unstoppable center. Sadly, he was pretty mediocre from there, shooting 74% in free throws. Numbers Shaq could only dream of, but not great. Still, you can see from the concentration here it wasn’t for lack of trying!
There is definitely room for this card to grow in value. PSA only has 1,856 graded copies of the card. Meanwhile, only 43 of them are gem mints. And indeed, there has been movement in the right direction for this card. It will likely continue.
1988 Fleer Patrick Ewing #80
A PSA 10 sold for $600
The 1988 Fleer basketball card design is similar to the legendary 1986-87 Fleer one, but a bit more subtle and space age. Opinions on it are split, but I love it. The 1988 Fleer Patrick Ewing #80 card is his best yet because it gives that wholly terrifying Ewing effect. One that would spook big men in the NBA for years. Well, aside from Hakeem, who seemed impervious. And again, we see Patrick on the line. Was Fleer mocking him or something?
1989 Hoops Patrick Ewing #80
A PSA 10 sold for $31
Yeah, Hoops cards aren’t worth a lot now and weren’t worth a lot then. It's just a brand we associate with a lack of value. But I ain’t mad at the 1989 Hoops Patrick Ewing #80 card. The design looks cheap, but the marble arch effect surrounding the action shot is solid. Meanwhile, the action shot is the classic Ewing jockeying for position in the paint item.
It’s a shame this card doesn’t have the oomph to be worth a lot. Because there aren’t too many graded copies of it around. Just 434.
1990 Hoops Patrick Ewing #203
A PSA 10 sold for $31
Sorry, Hoops haters, but the 1990 Hoops Patrick Ewing #203 is a beautiful card. Usually, grey-based designs are dull, but the Hoops logo, thin borders, and great action shot totally work. And you get that classic Ewing look: sweating, fighting, with his knees bandaged. The Madison Square Garden warrior. This might be my favorite of his cards.
1991 Upper Deck Patrick Ewing #343
A PSA 10 sold for $62
At the height of Upper Deck’s success, in the early 1990s, they had sports licenses. And a good thing, too, because their cards were beautiful and well made. The 1991 Upper Deck Patrick Ewing #343 card has that classic UD look we know and love. The gym basketball court-style background is a bit cheesy, but the sharpness of the colors and the well-selected action shot save the day.
1992 Hoops Patrick Ewing His Ultimate Game
An authenticated version sold for $152
There aren’t too many auto cards from the early 1990s. That makes the 1992 Hoops Patrick Ewing His Ultimate Game card a unique and desirable item. His signature is beautiful, and the card is both attractive and representative of its era. Considering how rare the card is, it's dirt cheap. PSA has 15 of these on its books, with only 2 PSA 10s. There is excellent scope for growth on this one, so consider buying in.
1993 Topps Finest Patrick Ewing #165
A PSA 10 sold for $37
Sure, this card is worth almost nothing. But my goodness, those early Topps Finest cards were gorgeous. The 1993 Topps Finest Patrick Ewing #165 has a background that would make any surrealist painter proud. And again, with the foul line?
1995 Hoops Patrick Ewing Block Party #9
A PSA 10 sold for $9.97
Sometimes, the coolest cards are cheap ones. The 1995 Hoops Patrick Ewing Block Party #9 is one such item. The psychedelic background is incredible. But what really makes this remarkable is the passing-the-torch fight between Ewing and his successor in the paint, the young Shaquille O’Neal. Due to the card's theme, I assume someone is blocking someone else. It's hard to say because the ball is not in view. Either way, these two legends are what basketball is all about.
1994 Skybox Premium Slammin Universe #SU7
A PSA 7 sold for $7.53
This 1994 Skybox Premium Slammin Universe #SU7 card is an under-the-radar marvel. It is a classy and mysterious horizontal shot of Ewing in full bloom. Because there are few copies in circulation, there is only one recorded sale for a meager sum. But with a population count of six, the value has a great shot of increasing exponentially, especially if you can dig up a PSA 10-worthy copy because the highest one out there is a 9.
1997 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Patrick Ewing #26
A PSA 8 sold for $3,300.
This is a very late-career card of the superstar center. But when it comes to Precious Metal Gems, that doesn’t matter. The rarity and unique design have made it a milestone in basketball collecting. And consider this: the top-selling card was back in 2020 and pertains to a PSA 8. There are certainly better cards to invest in from this beautiful series. But you can invest in the 1997-98 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Patrick Ewing #26 in low and expect substantial returns. And it's one of the best-looking ones, which is saying something about these beauties.
Final Word On Patrick Ewing Basketball Cards
Patrick Ewing may have yet to live up to his potential fully. However, he had a solid career and has a large fan base of grateful Knicks fans. Furthermore, his cards appeared in a time of transition for the happy. When he was a rookie, no big card companies covered the sport. By the time he was a veteran, basketball cards were in their golden age. Every company was making them, and by the end of the decade, Patrick appeared on some of the most beautiful and creative cards ever made. You have to admit, this list is full of beauties.
