1970s

1972-73 Icee Bear Basketball Checklist, Card Details

February 28, 2026

1972-73 Icee Bear Basketball is one of the gems when it comes to oddball and food-issue releases. With a simple but attractive design, strong checklist and affordable prices, it has gone on to become one of the era’s most popular basketball card sets.

Consisting of just 20 cards, collectors would receive one for every Icee Bear beverage they purchased. These drinks helped lay the groundwork for what would become the 7-Eleven Slurpee.

Despite the 1972-73 Icee Bear Basketball checklist being so small, it’s still a strong one. Highlights include Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson.

Pete Maravich is another key card. He’s one of four short prints. Others include Walt Frazier, Austin Carr and Archie Clark.

The most noticeable thing about the cards visually is their size. Measuring approximately 3″ by 5″, they’re noticeably larger than traditional cards. Photos are posed shots, capturing the period. Some are awkwardly fun and other are fantastic. Maravich’s cloud-background photo is a particular standout.

1972-73 Icee Bear Basketball cards are fairly readily available today. This means they’re relatively affordable, even in high grades. It also makes for a solid entry point for some collectors looking to get into vintage.