SkyBox turned their cards into collectible T-shirts in 1992. Originally featuring 22 players, these sold out quickly—Today, if you’re lucky enough to find one, be prepared to pay a premium for this wearable slice of ’90s card culture.
I learned about these through the April 1992 issue of Trading Cards Magazine. Rick Celum used to write a piece called “Hot off the Presses,” where he shared current events about notable collectibles. Here’s an example image from the article and the words he wrote about them. I’d love to find a shirt with that Dee Brown card!
Unfortunately, I don’t know what 22 stars were first made available or who the list expanded to if you’re looking for a childhood favorite. But, as I said in the intro, no matter the player, these T-shirts aren’t cheap today.
This Larry Bird was listed on eBay in November 2024 for $120.
The seller of this XL Jordan T-shirt wants $600 for it on Etsy (and it’s missing a tag on the bottom front). I did find another example there for just $183, though.
This Magic Johnson Skybox shirt had an auction minimum bid of $150 with a buy-it-now option of $400.
And finally, and more reasonably, this Clyde Drexler shirt sold for $50 in October 2024.
If anyone’s got a stash of these shirts, fresh in the box, congrats—you’re sitting on a cotton goldmine!