Dave Cowens is a Hall of Fame center and one of the top 50 greatest NBA players of all-time. At 6’9, many critics believed he lacked the size to play center in the NBA during a decade dominated by 7 foot centers such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The Boston Celtics drafted Dave Cowens with the 4th pick in the 1970 NBA Draft, largely based on the recommendation of former Celtics great Bill Russell. Despite the lack of size, he went on to have an illustrious career. Below is a look at some of Dave Cowen’s career accomplishments and highlights.
- 8x All-Star
- 3x All-NBA
- 3x All-Defensive
- 2x NBA Champion
- 1x MVP
- 1970 Rookie of the Year
Dave Cowens’ rookie card is in the 1971 Topps set alongside fellow Hall of Famers Rick Barry, Bob Lanier, Rudy Tomjanovich, Dan Issel, Charlie Scott and Nate Archibald. I purchased a PSA 6 on eBay and cracked it open. I sent it TTM in a bubble mailer along with a blue sharpie and $10 hoping to get a couple of inscriptions. While I didn’t get his nickname or ROY inscriptions, the card turned out great with his HOF inscription.
Currently there are only 33 autographed Dave Cowens 1971 Topps rookie cards in the PSA registry.
Total Investment: $57.50
Estimated Value: $150
Return on Investment: 161%