Julius Erving

Julius Winfield Erving II (born February 22, 1950) is a retired American basketball player. He went to Roosevelt High school. He is best known by the nickname Dr. J.  Other nicknames include The Doctor and J. W. Erving.  Erving helped create the modern style of basketball. Jumping and playing above the rim of the basket became a more important part of the game.

 Career 
Erving was the best known player in the American Basketball Association (ABA) when it joined with the NBA in 1976. He won three championships and four Most Valuable Player Awards. He scored the most points in the league three times. He did it while playing with the ABA's Virginia Squires and New York Nets and the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers.

He is the fifth-highest scorer in professional basketball history. He scored 30,026 points (NBA and ABA combined). He was the only player to have been voted Most Valuable Player in both the ABA and the NBA. Erving was named to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time team. In 1993, he was added into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Many think that Erving is one of the best basketball players ever. He was well known for slam dunking from the free throw line. He was one of the best dunkers of all time. His best known dunk was the "slam" dunk. Since then, this move has become a regular term in basketball and is felt by most the be a basic part of the game. He is also credited with making the "cross-over" dribble and the "no look" pass a part of the game.

References

Category:1950 births
Category:Living people
Category:African-American basketball players
Category:American basketball players
Category:American Christians
Category:American sports commentators
Category:Basketball coaches
Category:Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees
Category:National Basketball Association broadcasters
Category:National Basketball Association players with retired numbers
Category:Philadelphia 76ers players
Category:Small forwards
Category:Sports executives and administrators
Category:Sportspeople from New York (state)