All of those things Erving represents.įinding a photo of Erving at Roosevelt is like trying to stop him in the open floor, nearly impossible. It is one of the most appropriate nicknames in sports history, as the term screams skill, respect and poise. The moniker coming from a high school friend, who dubbed Erving "Doctor" because Erving called him "Professor." The name stuck, and it even came to define the way Erving "operated" on a basketball court. High school is where it is believed Erving picked up the nickname "Doctor." Erving's bio on nba.com explains: I guess Michael Jordan isn't the only NBA great who showed just a fraction of what he'd be in high school. That is amazing considering what he would become. According to nba.com's bio on Erving, "He starred for Roosevelt High School, earning a reputation as a fundamentally sound but not spectacular player." He attended and starred at Roosevelt High School. Julius Winfield Erving II was born on Februin Roosevelt, New York. J, so let us look back and enjoy the amazing career of Julius Erving. Time and era will never allow for another presence like Dr. He was the rare player that you and your dad loved his appeal bridged age and racial gaps. J embodied African-American dignity in a time when blacks in this country desperately needed an image of pride, excellence and grace.Īs a kid, he was easy to look up to and easy to love. All that while physically defining what a swing man should look like.ĭr. His style and graceful demeanor was disarming, but his killer on-court instinct was vicious. The Doctor changed the game intangibly as much as he did tangibly. He is a part of a small group of players simply known by their nickname (Dr. He dominated in the ABA in a way that rivals or surpasses just about any player in any era of the game. The smooth, graceful and powerful athlete he was, was already vastly superior to his peers. J was so far ahead of his time, he never really needed to develop a more well-rounded offensive game until he was in his late 20s to early 30s. Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant may have been better overall players, but even that is debatable.ĭr. The former MVP wore a throwback, blue Sixers jersey and had an afro like the one Erving wore during his Hall of Fame career.Julius Erving is NBA royalty, and on his 62nd birthday, I celebrate the career accomplishments of the coolest player the game has ever seen. In 1999, Iverson also paid tribute to Erving during his iconic "Soul on Ice" Slam Magazine cover shoot. Iverson caught some jokes in the locker room and decided not to wear the shoe. During his first All-Star game in 2000 in Oakland, Reebok created a version of the shoe that was mostly yellow with a blue toe, reminiscent of the Golden State Warriors' colors. When Iverson, an 11-time All-Star, first got to the NBA, he and Reebok agreed that he would wear the Questions in every All-Star game he played in – but in colors similar to the host team's primary colors. They will be available on Reebok's website and select sneaker retailers. 3 usually sits, there is a six for Erving. On the heel of the shoe, where Iverson's No. The color blocking is reminiscent of the Sixers' jersey from 2000-2008. The new colorway is a mid-top white leather, fashioned with red and gold accents and a red Reebok logo. Iverson, who started in the game, scored just five points while wearing a different shoe from his sneaker brand, a red and white version of his Answer 5 shoe. 3 to honor one of the franchise's greatest players. On that February night, Iverson donned Erving's No. J during the NBA's All-Star game in Philadelphia. The sneaker draws inspiration from Iverson's 2002 tribute to Dr. On Friday, July 22, Reebok is releasing a new colorway of the classic sneaker that pays homage to another Sixers great, Julius Erving. Lower Merion's Kobe Bryant even wore multiple players' exclusive colorways of the shoe during the 2002-2003 season when he left Adidas and was a sneaker free agent. LeBron James had his own Question sneaker in white, green and gold during his high school basketball career. MORE: Former Eagles LeSean McCoy, Asante Samuel recall downfall of Nnamdi Asomugha in Philly While sporting the shoe in his first NBA season, Iverson averaged 23.5 points and 7.5 assists per game and won Rookie of the Year. The first sneaker for the Philadelphia 76ers legend debuted in 1996 during his rookie season and has continued to sell for the past 26 years in dozens of colorways, including many brand collaborations. Not many sneakers have a shelf life spanning over two decades, but Allen Iverson's iconic Reebok Question sneaker has stood the test of time.
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