1988-89 Fleer #26 John Williams
Uncorrected error: the back lists his birthdate as 8/9/61; John Williams was born 8/9/62.
About John Williams
Sorrento, Louisiana's John "Hot Rod" Williams — nicknamed as a baby for scooting backward across the floor while making engine noises — starred at Tulane before sliding to the 45th pick of the 1985 draft amid a point-shaving scandal in which a jury acquitted him on all counts. After a season in the USBL, he debuted for Cleveland in 1986-87 and earned All-Rookie honors alongside Brad Daugherty and Ron Harper. The 6'11" forward-center gave the Cavaliers nine seasons, peaking at 16.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game in 1989-90 — largely as a sixth man — before a seven-year, $26.5 million deal made him one of the NBA's five highest-paid players. Later a Sun and Maverick, he retired with 9,784 points and 1,456 blocks, his 1,200 rejections standing as Cleveland's franchise record until 2009. Not a rookie card — and an uncorrected error: the back lists his birthdate as 8/9/61, a year early; Williams was born 8/9/62.
Sources: Wikipedia · Basketball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 1-6 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 246 | 79 | 111 | 43 | 10 | 3 | 0 |
| SGC | 12 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-08-18. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted. The graders do not break out the stickers, so sticker pages carry no table.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1988-89 Fleer John Williams card?
It is card #26 of the 132-card 1988-89 Fleer Basketball base set, picturing John Williams with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
How many cards are in the 1988-89 Fleer Basketball set?
132 base cards - 119 players ordered by team, the All-Star subset #120-131 and a checklist - plus the 11-card Super Star Sticker insert, for 143 cards in a master run. There are no variations; three backs carry uncorrected errors (#20, #26, #100).
Sources: Trading Card Database, Cardboard Connection, the PSA price guide, Basketball-Reference, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, PSA & SGC population reports. Card data compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-10-05.