During the interview, he mentioned that once he turned 21 and became a pro, others started to throw other nicknames at him.Ī couple included “The Claw” and “Black Moses.” Those alone seemed to describe his dunking skills to a tee on the court as just starters. When Erving did an interview on CBS This Morning back in 2013 to discuss a new documentary about his life, he brought up the “Dr. #Sixers Legend Julius Erving: 'Best Way To Show Brotherly Love, Sisterly Affection Is Keeping Your Social Distance'. He quashed a few other nicknames when he went pro With 20 points and 20 rebounds there, his record is still relegated to only a select few who managed this scoring record. J” stuck with him all through college where he played at the University of Massachusetts. No wonder it only took a short time for him to start playing in the ’70s-era ABA. According to, the story goes that a fellow basketball player student gave Erving the name because he gave his friend the name “Professor.” Yes, such a scenario sounds like something more apt to happen in college.Įrving was already showing superior skill in high school. This was Roosevelt High School in Roosevelt, New York.Ī lot of mystery still surrounds where he got the name exactly while in high school. According to most official sources, Erving earned the name “Dr. Many NBA stars usually get their famous nicknames when they start playing in the big leagues. J’ came from Julius Irving’s high school years The 76ers’ Julius Erving in 1985 | Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images Erving already acquired it long before then, even if urban legends still abound. Those who wondered where he got that name should know it was never given to him during his pro years. While not often interviewed, all his years in the ABA (American Basketball League) and the NBA made his nickname, Dr. Fortunately, Erving still lives today at the ripe old age of 70. Or, you could liken him to a gravity-defying Harlem Globetrotter. What made him stand out was how he moved akin to a gymnast. I can coordinate and I can cross all the things.Julius Erving is not mentioned nearly enough, yet he changed how people viewed basketball players. I had a personality and I had a business mindset. J was one of the guys that I idolize from a business side of things and I wanted to take that same path and show that I was more than just a basketball player. Learn while you’re basically in school, so you’re learning the business of basketball.” I knew of his basketball and his creativity but the business acumen that he had was unbelievable. MJ would focus on how great of a business man he really was and how he learnt from the Icon.Īlso read: “Michael Jordan really hit a leaning windmill and then dropped 54 points”: Magic Johnson’s charity game saw the Bulls legend show up and show out On episode two of ‘ The Icons Club’, a couple soundbites of Michael Jordan praising Erving were played. Michael Jordan commends Julius Erving for his business savvy mind.Įverything from signing an official shoe deal with Converse that paid him $20,000 a year (quite a solid deal for half a century ago) to having his own video game that he received royalties on, Julius Erving knew exactly how to profit off his own likeness. Jordan admitted to picking up a few tricks of the trade from Erving himself when he first realized he could heavily benefit, financially, off his likeness. However, when you thought about guys who made their bank on aerial battle, Julius Erving in the 70s and Michael Jordan in the 80s came to mind.Īlso read: “Michael Jordan drank beer all afternoon and dropped 52 points on Cleveland”: Hockey great, Jeremy Roenick, details his wild afternoon of golfing and drinking with the Bulls legendĪnother similarity between MJ and Dr.J was one they shared off the court: their knack for being successful businessmen. Well, the similarities end at the dunks in all honesty as Erving never really developed a mid-range game that was close to being as lethal as Michael’s. A layman could tell by a simple eye-test that there were clear similarities between Jordan’s game and ‘The Doctor’s’. Walter Davis and David Thompson were a few of these men but Julius Erving was certainly on this list of his as well. There were very few people Michael Jordan looked up to in the sporting world. Michael Jordan gushed about just how good Julius Erving was from a business side of things as that’s what he took away from him.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |