The Illustrious Playing Career of Julius Erving

Julius Winfield Erving II was born in Long Island, New York, on February 22, 1950. He spent most of his formative years in New York and attended Roosevelt High School. Erving began to flourish on their basketball team and earned the nickname “Doctor Julius” or “Dr. J.” He left high school in 1968 to enroll at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

While in Massachusetts, Erving’s basketball gameplay improved tremendously. He was known for using his 6-foot 7-inch powerful frame to garner numerous dunks, blocks, and rebounds every game. He played for two seasons and left in his senior year with an average of 32 points and 20 rebounds per game.

After leaving college in 1971, Erving joined the Virginia Squires as an undrafted free agent in the American Basketball Association (ABA). His unique play style saw him average 27 points per game and earned him spots on the ABA All-Rookie Team and the All-ABA Second Team.

After a fantastic rookie season, the Milwaukee Bucks drafted Erving as the 12th pick of the NBA drafts. He was, however, locked in contractual disputes with the NBA after signing a contract and training with the Atlanta Hawks instead. During this dispute, the NBA banned him from playing in their league after the ABA filed a petition to that effect.

Erving played a further season with the Squires on his return to the ABA before leaving for the New York Nets. While playing for the Nets, he won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for three consecutive years between 1974 and 1976. He also led them to two ABA Championship wins in those years. Erving eventually finished his ABA career with three scoring champion titles and an outstanding record of 11,000+ points.

After the ABA’s dissolution into the NBA, the Nets sold Erving to the Philadelphia 76ers for a fee of $3 million. His quick, high-flying, and athletic dunking styles quickly captured the hearts of fans, and he rapidly became recognized as one of the league’s best players. He led the 76ers to the playoff finals in his first season, beating the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals. He, however, could not secure the championship as they came up short to the Portland Trail Blazers in six games.

In 1979, after two unsuccessful playoff runs, Erving again led his team to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they lost to Larry Bird and the Celtics. The game saw the beginning of the Erving and Bird rivalry, one of the most defining rivalries in NBA history. In 1980, Erving and the 76ers prevailed over Bird and the Celtics in the Eastern Conference, but they again could not secure the championship after losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in the finals. Erving performed a stunning mid-air move by drifting away from defenders and scooping the ball into the net. This iconic play was later named the “Baseline Move.”

In 1982, Erving again led his team to the finals, picking up his first and only NBA MVP title. They again lost to the Lakers in a thrilling six-game series. The following season, the city of Philadelphia rallied behind Erving and the bolstered team as they secured a 65-17 regular-season record. They went on to the finals and, this time, prevailed by sweeping the Lakers to secure their first and most recent NBA Championship title.

Erving announced that he would retire at the end of the 1986-87 season, resulting in a sell-out crowd for every 76ers game. He was an NBA All-Star every season he played in the league, and he ended his playing career with an average of 22 points per game. In 1993, he was the headline inductee into the Basketball Hall of Fame as one of the most influential players in history.

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