1975-76 Topps Basketball Forum

Before I begin editing the database to add name links to the team checklists, I'll post the evidence I've been compiling that confirms that all the players have been positively identified. Several checklists have non-players who couldn't (yet) be identified, so I'm going to spend another day or so trying to track them down before I relent and use the Note option that Dan mentioned. Whenever possible, I recreate the exact text of a (sometimes difficult to read) printed list. I also add a sentence or two describing anything significant I perceive about the card. I'll be using one post for each team, in order to be able to individually update as need be, so don't be alarmed, here come 28 posts in this thread.

First up, as I've already posted elsewhere...

BOSTON CELTICS

https://www.tcdb.com/Forum.cfm/Page/P/ID/36564/?MODE=VIEW&ThreadID=33955#205979

BACKUP PHOTO: https://i.imgflip.com/64ehfq.jpg

FRONT, LEFT TO RIGHT: Jo Jo White (10); Captain John Havlicek (17); President and General Manager Arnold "Red" Auerbach; Board Chairman Robert J. Schmertz; Coach Tom Heinsohn; Paul Silas (35); Don Chaney (12); Dave Cowens (18).

REAR: Samuel D. Kane, D.D.S, team dentist; Mark Volk, assistant trainer; Kevin Stacom (27); Glenn McDonald (30); Paul Westphal (44); Jim Ard (34); Hank Finkel (29); Don Nelson (19); Ben Clyde (33); Phil Hankinson (20); Frank Challant, trainer; Thomas F. Silva, Jr., M.D., team physician.

7 HOFers pictured. Auerbach's only appearance on a major card, ever. Heinsohn's 4th, ever.

Another team card I've already posted about elsewhere...

SEATTLE SUPERSONICS

https://www.tcdb.com/Forum.cfm/Page/P/ID/7952/?MODE=VIEW&ThreadID=33967#205985

BACKUP PHOTO: https://i.imgflip.com/64eho1.jpg

See the earlier thread for the rest of the photo evidence.

On stairs, top to bottom: Bob Hopkins, Wardell Jackson, Frank Furtado, Leonard Gray, Slick Watts, Dean Tolson, Archie Clark, Tal Skinner, Rod Derline, John Hummer, Fred Brown, Jim Fox, John Brisker, Tom Burleson, Spencer Haywood.

Standing alone: Bill Russell.

Only the 4th appearance on a major release card ever for Bill Russell.

Another team card I've posted about elsewhere...

NEW YORK NETS

BACKUP PHOTO: https://i.imgflip.com/64ehv1.jpg

Front Row (left to right) Assistant Coach Rod Thorn, Ed Manning, Willie Sojourner, Billy Paultz, Julius Erving, Larry Kenon, Trainer Fritz Massmann.

Back Row (left to right) Vice President & General Manager Dave DeBusschere, John Williamson, Wendell Ladner, Mike Gale, Coach Kevin Loughery, Brian Taylor, Bill Melchionni, Al Skinner, Owner Roy Boe.

Another team card I've posted about elsewhere...

NEW ORLEANS JAZZ

BACKUP PHOTO: https://i.imgflip.com/64ehv1.jpg

Back, left to right: Trainer Don Sparks, Louie Nelson, Bud Stallworth, E.C. Coleman, Nate Williams, Bernie Fryer, Henry Bibby.

Front, left to right: Aaron James, John Block, Assistant Coach Elgin Baylor, General Manager Bill Bertka, Pete Maravich, Coach Bill "Butch" Van Breda Kolff, Assistant Coach Sam Jones, Mel Counts, Rick Roberson.

This is only the 2nd appearance ever for Sam Jones on a major release card, aside from his 1961 Fleer rookie.

Another team card I've posted about elsewhere...

https://www.tcdb.com/Forum.cfm/Page/I/ID/0/?MODE=VIEW&ThreadID=31796#206188

LOS ANGELES LAKERS

Top, left to right: Connie Hawkins, Gail Goodrich, Pat Riley, Stu Lantz

Bottom, left to right: Cazzie Russell, Happy Hairston, Zelmo Beaty, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Lucius Allen

5 HOFers.

WASHINGTON BULLETS

BACKUP PHOTO: https://i.imgflip.com/64eibc.jpg

FRONT ROW (left to right): Kevin Porter, Assistant Coach Bernie Bickerstaff, Coach K.C. Jones, President Abe Pollin, Executive Vice President Jerry Sachs, General Manager Bob Ferry, Phil Chenier. BACK ROW: Dennis DuVal, Clem Haskins, Dick Gibbs, Nick Weatherspoon, Tom Kozelko, Elvin Hayes, Wes Unseld, Len Robinson, Mike Riordan, Jimmy Jones, Trainer Bill Ford.

Only 1 major release card, his 1961 Fleer rookie, precedes this one for K.C. Jones, and there wouldn't be another major release for him until 1990.

NEW YORK KNICKS

BACKUP PHOTO: https://i.imgflip.com/64eihq.jpg

Standing (L to R): Assistant Coach Dick Barnett, Assistant Coach Dick McGuire, Phil Jackson, Neal Walk, John Gianelli, Harthorne Wingo, Tom Riker, Mel Davis, Trainer Danny Whelan.

Seated (L to R): Jim Barnett, Jesse Dark, Walt Frazier, General Manager and Coach William (Red) Holzman, Earl Monroe, Bill Bradley, Dennis Bell.

6 HOFers. Only the second major appearance ever for both Holzman, whose only other major card is his 1948 Bowman rookie as a player, and McGuire, whose only other major card appearance is his 1957 Topps rookie as a player.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

Front Row (L-R): Charles Johnson, Jeff Mullins, Joe Roberts, Assistant Coach; Al Attles, Head Coach; Franklin Mieuli, Owner; Rick Barry, captain; Butch Beard, Phil Smith, Dick D'Oliva, Trainer. Back Row: Hal Childs, Assistant General Manager; Charles Dudley, Bill Bridges, Clifford Ray, George Johnson, Derrek Dickey, [Jamaal] Keith Wilkes, Steve Bracey, Bob Feerick, Director of Player Personnel; Dick Vertlieb, General Manager.

This 1975 team card coincides with the 1975 rookie for Wilkes.

CHICAGO BULLS

BACKUP PHOTO: https://i.imgflip.com/64eio7.jpg

SEATED (L to R): Howard Porter, Norm Van Lier, Bob Weiss, Jerry Sloan, Rowland Garrett, Rick Adelman.

STANDING (L to R): Coach Dick Motta, Chet Walker, Clifford Ray, Tom Boerwinkle, Dennis Awtrey, John Hummer, Bob Love, Trainer Dr. Bob Biel.

KANSAS CITY KINGS

BACKUP PHOTO: https://i.imgflip.com/64eiu2.jpg

Front row -- from left to right, Don May, Scott Wedman, Jimmie Walker, Sam Lacey, Nate Archibald, Mike D'Antoni, Rick Adelman. Back row -- from left to right, Trainer Bill Jones, Team Physician Dr. Howard Ellfeldt, Assistant Coach Dan Sparks, Ollie Johnson, Len Kosmalski, Ron Behagen, Larry McNeill, Assistant General Manager Larry Staverman, Head Coach Phil Johnson, President and General Manager Joe Axelson, Managing Director H. Paul Rosenberg.