“Even if we win this championship,” the Doctor said prior to the 1976 Finals matchup, “we really haven’t proved anything except that we’re champions of the ABA. We’d be the No. 1 contender waiting for a shot at the title. The NBA. That would be a great series. It would put basketball right where it’s supposed to be. I’d love to play against Dave Cowens or Rick Barry, and, as players, I know they’d love to play us. But unfortunately, that’s out of our hands. Personally, I don’t see how a merger could do anything but strengthen basketball.”
Per usual, Erving was right. As decorated and accomplished as he was in the ABA, he had still yet to face the biggest challenge the sport had to offer in the NBA. He loved playing in front of his home state. He loved being the perennial MVP. And he loved watching the crowd go wild after he would flush home a ferocious dunk, but he was chomping at the bit for a chance to play amongst the elite in the NBA.
Thankfully, for both him and the sport, he got his wish when the Sixers came calling in 1976.
As was the case for most franchises in the financially-failing ABA league, the Nets could hardly afford Erving’s services following the 1976 season and wound up trading him to Philadelphia to help aid their transition into the NBA.
In the City of Brotherly, Dr.J saw his superstardom reach heights previously thought unimaginable and blazed his trail as one of the most successful, talented, and iconic Philly athletes in history.
After having his professional accomplishments in the ABA go virtually unnoticed- largely due to the fact ABA games were hardly ever televised- Dr.J was on full display in the big-market of Philadelphia in the NBA.
Not only would his high-flying abilities now be nationally televised across the country, but he would also be recognized as the first-ever player to have their own signature shoe after signing a deal with Converse prior to his inaugural season in Philly.
I mean, seriously, does it get any cooler than Dr.J in the 70s?
Erving, of course, was more than just an afro and a pair of sneakers and did exactly what he set out to do once he got to the NBA- dominate.
Alongside all-stars World B. Free, Doug Collins, and George McGinnis, Erving averaged 21.6 PPG as an NBA rookie. His athletic prowess was like something out of a movie and he dazzled the basketball world every time he took the floor. Dr.J was simply sensational, and, accompanied by a loaded Sixers roster, helped lead the team to a 50-win season and the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Talk about an early return on investment.
That season, the Erving-led Sixers stunned the defending champion Boston Celtics in an exhilarating 7 game semi-finals series. They followed that up with a strong 4-2 series win over the Houston Rockets in the Eastern Conference Finals- punching their ticket to their first Finals appearance in 10 years. Unfortunately, the surging Sixers eventually fell short of the goal after losing a six-game Finals series to the Portland Trailblazers. The loss, however, did not diminish the hope that was surging through the city and it was apparent that Dr.J would take Philly to new heights.
And elevate them he did.
Dr.J would go on to be an 11x All-Star (every season he was in the NBA!), 5x All-NBA First Team, the 1981 NBA MVP, and most importantly an NBA Champion. His lone NBA championship came in 1983 when the Sixers swept a loaded Los Angeles Lakers roster featuring Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to win the NBA Finals. The victory was especially sweet after the Lakers defeated the Sixers at that stage the previous year.
A championship ring wasn’t the only hardware Erving earned in 1983, either. Dr.J also was bestowed the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award- an award given to a player, coach, or staff member that exemplifies outstanding service and dedication to the community- once again proving that Erving was just as much an icon off the court as he was on it.
A true champion in every sense of the word, Dr.J exuded greatness and is undoubtedly one of the greatest Philadelphia athletes ever- making him the perfect candidate to jumpstart our Black History Month Spotlight series here at Philly Sports Network.
Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
