Doc Jay
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Julius Winfield Erving II, born on Februrary 22nd 1950, is considered
one of the greatest players to play the game of basketball. Commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is a former American basketball player who helped launch a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and playing above the rim. Erving helped legitimize the now-defunct American Basketball Association (ABA), and much as some players are considered “the team,” Dr. J was considered “the league.” He was the main asset of the ABA when it merged with the NBA after the 1976 season.
At Massachusetts University, Erving broke freshman records for scoring and rebounding, leading his team through an undefeated season. The next year, he had the second best rebound tally in the country. Over the summer, he joined an NCAA all-star team touring Western Europe and the Soviet Union. Julius Erving left the University to go professional after his junior year. He is one of only seven players in the history of NCAA basketball to average over 20 points and 20 rebounds per game.
In his first pro season, Dr. J. ranked sixth in the ABA in scoring, third in rebounding. He was voted ABA Rookie of the Year at the close of the season. The following year, he led the ABA in scoring, averaging 31.9 points per game. Erving quickly established himself as a force and gained a reputation for hard and ruthless dunking. He led the Squires into the Eastern Division Finals, where they lost to the Rick Barry-led New York Nets.
Erving won three championships, four Most Valuable Player Awards, and three scoring titles while playing with the ABAs Virginia Squires and New York Nets and the NBAs Philadelphia 76ers. He is the fifth-highest scorer in professional basketball history, with 30,026 points (NBA and ABA combined). He was named to the NBAs 50th Anniversary All-Time team and has been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Many consider him among the most spectacular basketballers ever, and one of the best dunkers alongside Vince Carter, Michael Jordan, and Dominique Wilkins. His signature dunk was “the Tomahawk.”