A key figure in the history of the NBA, Julius Erving rose to prominence during his time in the ABA with the New York Nets before solidifying his legacy with the Philadelphia 76ers. Despite his own stellar career, Dr. J has been vocal in sharing his thoughts on the GOAT debate.
Asked about the ongoing discussion between Michael Jordan and LeBron James during a 2017 interview on Undisputed, Erving made his stance clear. “The Michael-LeBron argument, I don’t really try to settle that for anybody else. I don’t think it should be settled until LeBron’s career is over,” he stated.
While praising James‘ remarkable achievements, Dr. J acknowledged the extraordinary careers of both players. “He’s done everything that anybody has ever done in the history of the league, and so did Michael,” Erving said. However, he pointed to one area where he believes Jordan held a distinct advantage: “Michael did it probably at, if this is fathomable, a higher level, because he never lost in the Finals and he was Finals MVP six out of six times.”
Despite this, when it came to naming his personal pick for the greatest player of all time, Erving did not choose either Jordan or LeBron. “I think it’s the fans’ argument, not the players’ argument. So I stay away from it,” he said during a 2022 conversation with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson. “My all-time greatest player is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.”
Why Erving chooses Kareem as the GOAT
Julius Erving and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were fierce competitors for over a decade, but Erving holds great respect for his former rival. In a 2024 interview with Come and Talk 2 Me, Dr. J explained: “As a pro, you kind of condition yourself not to put anybody that far ahead of you, and Kareem was always the guy standing in my way… That was the guy who I look at as probably the GOAT.”
A few months later, speaking to Clutch Points, Erving elaborated further on Abdul-Jabbar’s unparalleled career. “At every level—high school, college, and at the pros—he excelled in a way that no other, in my opinion, no other player did,” he stated. “And validation of the MVPs, validation in terms of championships, validation in terms of scoring titles, records, and the stats, and putting guys in the Hall of Fame.”
Julius also admired the Lakers legend’s ability to elevate those around him. “You become Kareem’s teammate, you’ve got a pretty good chance of going to the Hall of Fame,” Erving noted. “And I would think between, say, in Milwaukee and in L.A., you know, for 20 seasons, if we look at the other players who have made the Hall of Fame, who were his teammates, nobody has a higher number.”
Other NBA legends praised by Erving
While Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is Dr. J’s pick for the GOAT, he also acknowledged other basketball legends deserving of recognition. “If I was starting a franchise, I would start with Kareem,” he said on Undisputed in 2017. “I always put Oscar Robertson out there, and Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, the guys that came before me.”
Later, in an interview with Joy De’Angela, Erving expanded on his list of all-time greats, offering six more names to complete his top-ten, though he emphasized that the list was in no particular order: Michael Jordan, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Magic Johnson, Karl Malone, and Nate “Tiny” Archibald.
Julius Erving’s iconic career
Julius Erving’s basketball career spanned both the ABA and the NBA after the two leagues merged in 1976. Erving first made his mark in the ABA with the Virginia Squires in 1971, later joining the New York Nets, where he won two championships.
In the NBA, Dr. J enjoyed a legendary career with the Philadelphia 76ers from 1976 to 1987, earning All-Star honors in every season he played, as well as winning the league MVP in 1981. Erving also led the 76ers to their most recent championship in 1983. Both the Nets and 76ers have retired No. 32 and No. 6 jerseys, respectively, in recognition of Erving’s contributions.
Erving believes he should be in the GOAT debate
Erving’s illustrious career has cemented his place as one of the all-time greats, and he feels he should be part of the GOAT conversation. During a 2016 interview with Hoop Hall’s 60 Days of Summer, he was asked if he considered himself among the greatest. “I’ll tell you what my modesty says: To hell with modesty,” Erving replied. “I think I should be in the discussion.”
In a 2024 interview with Shaquille O’Neal on The Big Podcast, Dr. J addressed how he feels about being largely excluded from recent GOAT debates. “We preceded an era in basketball of the really, really big money, really, really big hype… I think that in time, justice will be done,” he said. “But I can’t lose no sleep over something that I didn’t have or that I don’t have. I have been blessed in so many ways, my family, my friends, my associates.”