I learned the word “aptitude” thanks to Steve Francis. I pulled this card (mine actually was a Refractor) from a fresh Topps Chrome pack at my local sports card shop. Understand, Y2K was a much different era. Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady memorabilia was hott! Kobe and Iverson were always nice pulls at the card shop. But Steve Francis… He was the dude you wanted to gamble with. His was the rookie card people feigned for. Needless to say, this Steve Francis insert wouldn’t make the showcase, but it was definitely a good addition to the collection.
It’s been a while since I’ve dug-up the card but, to this day, every time I think of the word “aptitude,” I think of a player who had it in droves. Dude literally had everything at his fingertips. And it’s high time someone made a high-quality retro mix to show why, for minute, Stevie Franchise was the most exciting point guard in the game.
