The First ever player to jump from the Free Throw Line and dunk the rock...one of only 5 College Basketball Players in Division 1-A to average at least 20 points and 20 rebounds in the same season...and the Doc out did those numbers with a robust 35 ppg and 20 Boards. He dominated two leagues and was the MVP in Both. His air assault on the rim let alone others is legendary and he did most of his damage with an "Afro" so high you wonder if he ever received Offensive Interference.
The Man, the Myth, the Ball Player...the Good Doctor...Julius Winfield Erving II aka DR. J and if you saw him at the Rucker Park live you would say "Doc" is amazing.
I one-man machine at Roosevelt HS in the Big Apple Doc was legendary from HS and the Parks around the NYC he played at. He was good enough to get a full Scholarship to the University of Massachusetts Amherst commonly known as UMass (the home of Coach John Calipari and NBA Vet Marcus Camby, aka the Cambyman, who played HS Ball at Hartford Conn Public HS).
It has been told on numerous occasions that the 2 best players ever at that time at the Famous Holcombe Rucker Park was Dr. J and the 1st black player ever at UNC Chapel HILL the Great Charlie Scott (whose son Shannon Scott was a 2011 McDonald's All-American at Alpharetta GA Milton HS and a Freshman at the Ohio State University)...info only at Bluedude Sportstalk...you better start following me on Twitter or something.
Back in those days a player had to earn minuted to get on the Varsity Club and everyone started on the Junior Varsity. By his Junior Season at UMass Doc exploded for averages of 35 ppg and over 20 Rebounds per...Monster numbers for a guy you would think was on JV for 2 years. And for those of you who are locked in with the Bluedude and my blog...Doc's Roommate at UMass former Boston College Golden Eagles Head Coach Al Skinner.
Then in 1971 Doc entered the American Basketball Association, known as the ABA, and played for the Virginia Squires. Doc averaged almost 28 ppg per and was runner-up for ABA rookie of the year to the Kentucky Colonels Artis Gilmore by way of Jacksonville FLA University.
Maybe the most interesting part of Doc's Venture in the ABA came when Doc was all set to join the Milwaukee Bucks and you know who they had. At guard the Big O and at Center Kareem...legalities didn't work out in Julius' Favor so that playing with the Bucks never came to fruition. Imagine the banners they would have put up in Beer Town...they still to this day woul have been talking about that Trio...Must See Black And White TV...like the Zenith Chromocolor Floor Models TVs...them joints were Hottie Hot back in the 70's.
Then in 1973 Doc went to the New York Nets...DR. J Nets Replica Jersey is at Retrothrowbacks.com ask for Scott...this is when the Good Doctor took off. With the Nets Doc attained these accolades:
2-time ABA Playoff MVP
2-time ABA Champion
3-time ABA Season MVP
5-time All Star 1 year with the Squires
3 Scoring Titles
they lost track on Dunks and how many fools he dunked on and if ESPN had footage of that...Doc would have a whole floor of his own Archives...trust me.
Then after the ABA-NBA Merger in 1976 Dr. J joined the Philadelphia Seventy SIxers and perhaps my favorite team of all-time. They had Doc, Henry Bibby (yes Heat PG Mike Bibby's Father), Doug Collins (who is currently the coach for the Sixers and son Chris is associate Head coach for the Duke Blue Devils Men's Team), Darryl Dawkins aka Chocolate Thunder from the Planet Lovetron, ABA Indiana Pacer monster George McGinnis (who looked like and played like the Mailman Karl Malone and that was in the 1970's), and World B. Free...and they still lost to Big Red Bill Walton, the Late Great Mo Lucas, Dr. Jack Ramsay, and the Rip City TrailBlazers.
In the 1982-83 Season Doc finally got help in St. Petersburg VA HS alum Moses Malone (who went to the ABA right from HS and drafted by the Utah Stars. Also he is from the same HS as R&B Singer Trey Songz and Trey's Mama). Doc with Moses and a slew of other talented pieces like current OKC Thunder Associate Head Coach Maurice Cheeks, UNC's Secretary of Defense Bobby Jones, Southwest Louisiana's Rajun Cajuns Andrew Toney, and Bradley (ILL) University Rookie and Current Memphis Grizzlies Assistant Coach Mitchell "JJ" Anderson. Doc was validated as 1982-83 NBA Champions...not that the Good Doctor needed to be validated.
Dr. J and Larry Bird were the Rivals back then in the NBA at the top of the food chain. And they both wore Converse All-Star's the Leather Joints not Chuck Taylors. While Doc stayed with the Original All-Stars...BIRD teamed up with another hot shot Player from the City of Angels...Magic Johnson to wear Converse Weapons..."Choose your Weapon". (360 Degrees...One Michael "Air" Jordan came out of UNC wanting to wear Converse as he wore them in College and Converser reportedly told him No Thanks we already have Dr. J, Larry, and Magic)
Doc ended his career in 1987 and amassed over 30K Points including NBA/ABA points. more of his Statistical Numbers and Achievements:
NBA MVP 1981
11-time NBA All-Star
2-time All-Star Game MVP
5-time All-NBA 1st Team
the NBA's 35th and 50th Anniversary TEAMS
His Jersey retired by the Sixers #6 an the NJ Nets #32
And those were just some of his NBA Accolades you still have to count the ABA as well...a monster in both leagues and I know Doc is a Top 15 Player of All-TIME...at least according to the Slam Magazine's TOP 50 of all-time in 2009. Doc was a Top 5 All-Time in NBA Showmen and that they will never take away. Doc had that mystique...what they call today is that "IT" Factor.
But having seen the accomplishments in both leagues...Doc is One of One and he is on that list the Bluedude has in the Man Cave as there is Only one Jordan, the Dream Shake, Larry Legend, Wilt, Magic, Sky Hook, Big O, the Logo, and one Good Doctor...Julius Winfield ERVING II "DR.J"...enough said.
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