Julius Erving Reminisces About UMASS, the ABA, and the NBA With George Karl
This interview took place a year ago, but it is still timely (and timeless): the February 9, 2021 episode of George Karl's podcast "Truth and Basketball" titled Dr. J and the Legacy of the ABA (with Julius Erving) includes some real gems about Julius Erving's basketball career from his college days at UMASS (Erving faced off against Karl's North Carolina squad in the 1971 NIT) to his ABA years with the Virginia Squires and New York Nets to his 11 seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers. Erving talks about playing with and against George Gervin--a subject that I have covered before but is always fun to revisit--and he also shares his memories of ABA stars Bobby Jones, James Silas, James Jones, Mack Calvin, "Super" John Williamson, and more.
Karl decries how the NBA ignores ABA history and statistics, and he correctly states that the ABA is an integral part of NBA history.
At the end of the podcast, Karl declares that Erving was one of the most dominant players in pro basketball history, on equal footing with Larry Bird and LeBron James, and Karl notes that students of basketball history understand this but he laments that casual fans do not appreciate Erving's greatness.
I detailed Erving's dominance in my four part series focusing on his underrated playoff career:
- Julius Erving's Playoff Career, Part I: Yes, Virginia, There is a Man Who Can Fly
- Julius Erving's Playoff Career, Part II: Two Championships in Three Years with the Nets
- Julius Erving's Playoff Career, Part III: Consistency, Frustration and then a Glorious Championship Run
- Julius Erving's Playoff Career, Part IV: A Graceful Descent
Labels: ABA, George Karl, Julius Erving, NBA, New York Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Virginia Squires
posted by David Friedman @ 8:12 PM
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