Interview with Julius Erving: Dunks, ABA, teaming with stars, last tour and more

The one and only Julius “Dr. J” Erving is our guest in a very special episode of the Over and Back Classic NBA Podcast.

On the show, Erving talks about his legacy in popularizing All-Star Weekend, what kind of dunk impresses him, what the ABA means to him, who he most enjoyed playing against, comparing his best Finals performance to LeBron James, expectations he faced moving on to the NBA after the merger, toughest playoff battles, adjusting to playing with other superstars, how the 76ers evolved during his years there, his retirement tour and much more! 

Topics discussed include:

• 2:00: How Erving feels about being a major reason NBA All-Star Weekend is such a huge event
• 3:20: What aspects of a dunk impress one of greatest dunkers ever
• 5:05: What people should remember about the ABA
• 7:00: Top ABA forwards he measured himself against, including Joe Caldwell
• 8:10: Comparing Erving’s 1976 ABA Finals performance to LeBron James’ 2017 NBA Finals (in which both players led their teams in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks).
• 11:15: How the legacy of the ABA is alive in the NBA today
• 12:30: How Erving approached playing with other superstars like George McGinnis, Moses Malone and Charles Barkley
• 16:00: What pressure Erving felt coming into the NBA and being the new face of the league
• 19:40: Remembering tough Eastern Conference playoff battles with the Celtics, Bullets and others
• 22:45: How the Sixers evolved from the “motley crew” in 1977 to the “fo fo fo” champions in 1983
• 26:30: Why Erving thinks he should have won the 1984 NBA dunk contest against Larry Nance
• 28:10: Memories of Erving’s 1987 retirement tour around the league
• 30:10: Favorite playoff battles between the 76ers and the Bucks and why Erving respects that team so much
• 32:00: Experiences of his final NBA game in Milwaukee and being cheered by the fans

For more of Over and Back’s discussions of Erving’s career, check out these episodes:

• How did Julius Erving become “The Doctor”?
• How did Dr. J become an ABA legend?
• How did Dr. J go from cool to square?

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