By 1971, Wilt Chamberlain’s professional basketball career was nearly over.
He’d already won four MVP awards, collected seven scoring titles, and was well on his way to being named to the Basketball Hall of Fame.
By the early 1970’s, and at 35 years old, Chamberlain just wasn’t the same player he once was. Age was setting in and, despite his still overpowering size on the court, his speed was absent when compared to younger, faster players. He could still out-rebound the entire league (it helps when you are seven feet tall) but his scoring production was on the decline.
Inevitably, in only a few short years, Wilt Chamberlain would retire from basketball.
But when Topps designed their basketball card set in 1971, they knew including Wilt Chamberlain would be paramount. He was still one of the most popular players in the NBA at the time. Entering his 4th season with the Los Angeles Lakers, and with future Hall of Famers Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Gail Goodrich, and Pat Riley on his team, surely this Lakers team would make some noise in the playoffs.
That’s exactly what happened. In the summer of 1972, the Lakers clinched their first championship since moving to Los Angeles, beating the New York Knicks in five games.
And who was named Finals MVP?
Wilt Chamberlain.
His one and only remaining accomplishment, finally complete.
1971-72 Topps #70 Wilt Chamberlain
Looking back, Wilt Chamberlain’s 1971 Topps card should be seen as one of his most iconic. It was a championship season for Chamberlain, culminating in a Finals MVP and bringing a title to a town that hadn’t seen one before.
While the design of this card alone gives it incredible eye appeal, there’s historical significance to this card that no other Wilt Chamberlain card can lay claim to: it’s the only card in Wilt Chamberlain’s extensive catalog associated with a season wherein Chamberlain won a championship.
His previous championship was in 1967 with the Philadelphia 76ers. No major sports card manufacturer distributed basketball cards that season.
So if you want a Wilt Chamberlain basketball card that features him on a championship winning team, then the 1971-72 Topps #70 is your only option.
Greg Morris Cards has an EX-MT version of this card in a PSA 6 holder available right now:
It’s available for sale at a fixed price of $411, but we also accept offers. Click here for a link to the listing: 1971-72 Topps Set Break #70 Wilt Chamberlain PSA 6 EX-MT