From high energy sixth man to leading scorer, Ben Gordon has seen his role change during his NBA career. But one thing Chicago Bulls fans hope never changes is the sight of No. 7 sparking the offense and making big shots in the clutch.
Gordon spent three years at the University of Connecticut, leading the team in scoring twice and playing a huge role in the Huskies' 2004 national championship. Despite some doubts about his size (he's generously listed at six-foot-three) and his role in the NBA, the Bulls took Gordon with the third overall pick in the 2004 draft.
During his rookie season, Gordon quickly earned a reputation for fourth-quarter heroics off the bench. He scored ten or more points in the fourth quarter 21 times, becoming the first rookie ever to win the NBA Sixth Man Award.
Gordon has since found his way into the starting lineup, and his scoring has become an increasingly large part of the Bulls offense. He led the team in scoring in 2006-07, with his quickness and superb three-point shooting making up for the fact that he is routinely guarded by larger players.
A hobby star from day one, Gordon is poised to be an even bigger name among basketball card collectors if he ever manages to lead the Bulls back to their title-winning ways. His rookie cards run second to only Dwight Howard in most 2004-05 products, with his Exquisite Collection # 88 topping $1000 in book value. He does have over 30 other RCs to pick from, and collectors will want to add them to their collections before Chicago starts living up to its potential.
Ben Gordon 2004-05 Rookie Cards
- Black Diamond # 186
- Bowman # 113
- Bowman Chrome # 113
- Bowman Signature Edition # 61 - autographed jersey card #'d to 399
- E-XL # 74 - #'d to 399
- Exquisite Collection # 88 - autographed pacth card #'d to 99
- Finest # 174 - autographed, #'d to 299
- Flair # 81 - #'d to 799
- Fleer Authentix # 127 - #'d to 750
- Fleer Genuine # 118 - #'d to 500
- Fleer Showcase # 103 - #'d to 199
- Fleer Sweet Sigs # 99 - #'d to 999
- Fleer Throwbacks # 78 - jersey card #'d to 499
- Fleer Tradition # 223
- Hoops # 183 - #'d to 1750
- Hoops Hit Prospects # 71 - autographed jersey card #'d to 350
- Skybox Autographics # 70 - #'d to 750
- Skybox Fresh Ink # 120 - #'d to 499
- Skybox LE # 78 - #'d to 99
- Skybox Premium # 78 - #'d to 999
- SP Authentic # 185 - autographed, #'d to 999
- SP Game Used # 95 - #'d to 999
- SP Signature Edition # 102 - jersey card #'d to 499
- SPx # 146 - autographed jersey card #'d to 750
- Topps # 223
- Topps Bazooka # 166
- Topps Chrome # 168
- Topps Luxury Box # 103
- Topps Pristine # 104
- Topps Total # 321
- Ultimate Collection # 128 - autographed, #'d to 250
- Ultra # 178 - #'d to 500
- Upper Deck # 226 - SP
- Upper Deck All-Star Lineup # 95
- Upper Deck Hardcourt # 93 - #'d to 999
- Upper Deck Pro Sigs # 93
- Upper Deck R-Class # 93
- Upper Deck Sweet Shot # 133 - #'d to 499
- Upper Deck Trilogy # 143 - #'d to 499