The 3 Most Valuable NBA Starting Lineups of the 1988 Release

Looking at some of the top-selling Starting Lineup figures from the 1988 release featuring multiple Hall of Famers.

Starting Lineups were first produced and released by Kenner in 1988 | https://www.figurerealm.com/actionfigure?action=actionfigure&id=65634&figure=johnstockton

If you were a child of the 90s like me, Starting Lineups were a big part of your early collections. A brief refresher for those unaware, Starting Lineups were action figures of popular sports stars. The figures were initially made by Kenner and then later by Hasbro Toys and were developed in collaboration with Cincinnati Bengals punter Pat McInally. Another unique feature of the toys was that they included a trading of the players.

Pat McInally collectors convention exclusive Starting Lineup | https://www.kennercollector.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/McInally-1997-convention-piece.jpg

Some of the most valuable figures, especially from the NBA line, were from the first set released in 1988. The checklist itself is fairly large, containing 86 figures in total. While that checklist might seem large, it also included some incredibly rare figures. That’s because at the time, Hasbro/Kenner released certain figures regionally, while other figures of more popular players, such as Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Charles Barkley, received larger nationwide distribution. While the internet has largely rendered these types of sales moot, people in the late 80s were not as lucky. In this article, I’ll take a look at some of the most valuable figures released from the 1988 NBA set.

Reggie Miller, Indiana Pacers

Reggie Miller 1988 Starting Lineup | https://www.figurerealm.com/actionfigure?action=actionfigure&id=65662&figure=reggiemiller

Hall of Fame sharp shooter and noted Spike Lee nemesis Reggie Miller tops this list as one of the most valuable figures of all time.  Drafted 11th overall in 1987, his 1988 figure was his debut in the Starting Lineup line. Over the course of his career, Miller was a five-time All-Star, made the All-NBA third team three times, and was eventually inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2012. Like other members of this list, Miller’s figure was only released regionally in the Indianapolis area. If you're not lucky enough to own one of these figures, loose figures often sell for around $500, ones in non-mint on card condition often sell for over $700, and mint on card sell for close to $1000

Karl Malone and John Stockton, Utah Jazz

Karl Malone 1988 Starting Lineup | https://www.figurerealm.com/actionfigure?action=actionfigure&id=65638&figure=karlmalone

The duo that brought the Utah Jazz to prominence, which went toe to toe with the second iteration of the Bulls dynasty, Karl Malone and John Stockton, are two of the rarest figures ever released. Like the Reggie Miller figure, Stockton and Malone are considered two of the greatest NBA players of all time, with more than 20 combined All-Star and 20 All-NBA appearances, and two MVP awards (won by Malone) between them.

John Stockton 1988 NBA Starting Lineup | https://www.figurerealm.com/actionfigure?action=actionfigure&id=65634&figure=johnstockton

Also, like the Miller figure, the rarity is due to the regional release in Salt Lake City, Utah, and surrounding areas in 1988. The value of these figures also fluctuates depending on condition, but mint-on-card and high-grade condition figures can sell north of  $1000 each.