(1950-02-22) February 22, 1950 (age 74) East Meadow, New York, U.S.
Listed height
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight
210 lb (95 kg)
High school
Roosevelt (Roosevelt, New York)
College
UMass (1969–1971)
NBA draft
1972: 1st round, 12th overall pick
Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks
Playing career
1971–1987
Position
Small forward
Number
32, 6
1971–1973
Virginia Squires
1973–1976
New York Nets
1976–1987
Philadelphia 76ers
NBA champion (1983)
2× ABA champion (1974, 1976)
2× ABA Playoffs MVP (1974, 1976)
NBA Most Valuable Player (1981)
3× ABA Most Valuable Player (1974–1976)
11× NBA All-Star (1977–1987)
5× ABA All-Star (1972–1976)
2× NBA All-Star Game MVP (1977, 1983)
5× All-NBA First Team (1978, 1980–1983)
2× All-NBA Second Team (1977, 1984)
4× All-ABA First Team (1973–1976)
All-ABA Second Team (1972)
ABA All-Defensive First Team (1976)
ABA All-Rookie First Team (1972)
3× ABA scoring champion (1973, 1 •
Julius Erving
(1950-)
Who Is Julius Erving?
Julius Erving helped the New York Nets win the ABA championship in 1974 and 1976, before switching to the NBA and joining the Philadelphia 76ers. In 1983 he helped lead the club to a world championship. Upon retiring in 1987, he had played in more than 800 games, scoring an average of 22 points per game.
Early Years
Born on February 22, 1950, in Roosevelt, New York, Julius Erving — called "Dr. J" by his fans — became known for his style and grace on and off the court during his 16-year professional basketball career.
He was a solid player at Roosevelt High School, where the nickname "Dr. J" is said to have originated. While the exact details of how he got the name are unclear, it's believed that a friend began calling him it because Erving had dubbed him "Professor." Erving liked the name and it stayed with him throughout his college and professional careers.
In 1968, Erving, who was not recruited by many big basketball programs, enrolled at the University of Massachusetts. He played just two sea
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By Larry Schwartz Special to ESPN.com
While others played the game of basketball on the ground, Julius Erving performed above it. When he went up in the air, he stayed there for long periods of time, seemingly an irresistible force of nature as he improvised some acrobatic maneuver. He pushed the envelope of physical probability, soaring to unprecedented heights with a basketball in his size 11 hands. While he scored 30,026 points as a pro, he probably drew at least double that number in oohs and ahs for his in-flight sessions. "No one has ever controlled and conquered the air above pro basketball like Julius Erving, the incomparable Dr. J," wrote Pete Axthelm in Newsweek. "The Doctor not only leaps and stays aloft longer than most players dream possible, but he uses his air time to transform his sport into graceful ballet, breath-taking drama or science-fiction fantasy depending upon his mood of the moment and the needs of his team." Sure, there have been many outstanding leapers in basketball, but only a select few brought the art to a new level in the pros. Erving is