Philadelphia 76ers legend Julius ‘Dr. J’ Erving recently got himself into some dangerous waters. He made a list of the top-10 greatest players in NBA history, an ever-debated subject.
The legendary forward chose Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Karl Malone and Tiny Archibald as the best ever.
That’s why ESPN pundit Stephen A. Smith put him on blast for snubbing the likes of LeBron James from that list, even if he only meant to make it about retired players.
Stephen A. Smith Rips Julis Erving’s Top-10 List
“[Julius Erving] didn’t choose any active players. He’s entitled to his own opinion, I just think he’s wrong,” Smith said. “You cannot have an all-time top 10 list without LeBron James. I’ve got LeBron James as a top-two player all time, what do you mean he’s not on the list?”
“You talk about Steph not being on the list. Steph has been in the league for over a decade, he’s got four championships. LeBron James has been in the league for 20 years. He played more years than most of the players Dr. J had on the list, so certainly experience is not an issue there,” continued Smith.
“LeBron James for what he brings to the table, is one of the top two or three players in the history of basketball,” Smith added. “Anyone that knows basketball knows that.”
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LeBron James or Michael Jordan? Stephen Curry weighs in on GOAT debate
Even the greatest LeBron James hater knows he’s a top-10 player at worst, and era bias aside, Erving should’ve known what he was getting into with this controversial list.
