Julius Erving
Championship Peak (1980-83) · 1980–1983
Erving's elite Inside Scoring (90) and strong Stamina (85) define this era.
Trophy Case
1983
Beat the Lakers 4-0 with Moses Malone — 'Fo', fo', fo'
1981
First NBA MVP after three ABA MVPs — Dr. J bridged two leagues
1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987
11 selections — Dr. J electrified every arena he played in
1974, 1976
Won with the New York Nets — the ABA's marquee franchise
1974, 1975, 1976
3× ABA MVP — Dr. J dominated the ABA before merging into the NBA
The Story
The Doctor Is In
Julius Erving didn't just play above the rim — he invented the concept. Before Dr. J, basketball was an earthbound sport. He won three championships (two ABA, one NBA), four MVP awards, and the first-ever NBA Slam Dunk Contest. His baseline reverse layup against the Lakers in the 1980 Finals — scooping under the backboard from the right side and finishing with his left hand — is still considered the greatest single play in NBA history by many who saw it live.
The Bridge Between Eras
Dr. J was the bridge from the ABA to the modern NBA. He brought showmanship, athleticism, and artistry to a league that was struggling for relevance in the late 1970s. Without Erving, there's no Michael Jordan — MJ has said as much. Dr. J proved that basketball could be beautiful, that dunking wasn't just power but poetry. He made the game cool in a way that Russell and Wilt, for all their greatness, never quite did.
The Dignified Showman
Erving carried himself with an elegance rare in professional sports. He was articulate, composed, and universally respected. He wore the afro and the gold chains but spoke like a diplomat. He was the NBA's first truly marketable superstar — the prototype for what Jordan, LeBron, and every athlete-brand would become. Off the court, he was a successful businessman and philanthropist who never needed a second act.
Signature Moments
The Baseline Scoop — 1980 Finals
Game 4 of the 1980 NBA Finals. Dr. J drove baseline, went behind the backboard — a place where shots don't exist — and scooped the ball in with a reverse layup. It defied physics. Kareem, the greatest shot-blocker alive, could only watch. It is the most replayed layup in basketball history.
He scored from behind the backboard. The laws of basketball said it was impossible. Dr. J didn't get the memo.
The Free-Throw Line Dunk — ABA
In the 1976 ABA Slam Dunk Contest, Dr. J took off from the free-throw line and flew through the air for a dunk. No one had ever seen anything like it. The crowd lost their minds. Michael Jordan later made the same dunk famous — but Dr. J did it first.
Jordan gets the credit, but Dr. J invented the free-throw line dunk. He was doing things in the 1970s that people didn't think were possible until the 1990s.
1983 Championship — "Fo, Fo, Fo"
Moses Malone predicted the 76ers would sweep every playoff series: "Fo, fo, fo." They nearly did — going 12-1 in the playoffs and dominating the Lakers in the Finals. Dr. J finally got his NBA championship at age 33, after years of coming close.
He was the most electrifying player of his era. The ring was the missing piece. When he finally got it, the basketball world exhaled.
Career Numbers
Career Games
NBA only
836
Career Points
NBA only — ABA+NBA combined: 30,026
18,364
Points Per Game
NBA career average across 836 games
22.0
Rebounds Per Game
6.7
Season Stats · Championship Peak (1980-83)
Engine Attributes
Fan Debate
What's your take on Julius Erving?
Loading debates...