You had mentioned trying to make sure your health is important to you, and aging gracefully is something that I think you’ve probably taken a lot of pride in. Being somebody who has given them something to believe in, being an influence. And you can never get tired of people saying thank you for being a blessing in their life, being a guiding light in their life. So, I think my Salvation Army experience had a lot to do with it because their motto is “not for ourselves, but for others.” So the whole idea of doing something and knowing it’s not necessarily for you it’s for someone else, it’s ingrained in me.Īnd I like that, I believe it, and I like to do that because I like the result at the end, which is people coming back and giving you feedback and saying thank you. And the other 75 percent of the time is family, or personal goals and ambitions, and just taking some downtime away and finding a way to relax and stay healthy. I would say it’s probably closer to 25 percent of my time. I mean, I don’t spend 100 percent of my time being involved in basketball-related things. And it’s not an easy task, not something you take for granted. I think I might be one of the guys who are next in line to follow the path of Bill Russell, of being respected on the court as well as off the court. Where did that come from? And do you feel an extra bit of almost responsibility or accountability now that we’ve lost (Bill) Russell, and being that person now to be the guy that can keep carrying the torch for not just the NBA, but all of basketball?
In terms of your evolution, not just as a player but as a representative of the game - I saw you in the media hotel at NBA All-Star again this year and you always take time to take pictures, you always take time to sign autographs, you always take time especially to be around the kids. But I never took it for granted, I always wanted to put the work in and wanted to prove myself. It was 1970, so that opened a door and it opened my mind.
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And I was the lead scorer and rebounder in this 13-game series that we did over in Europe, and I said, “Whoa, I might be the best guy on this team.”
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I didn’t think seriously about professional basketball until after my sophomore year when I went to the Olympic Development team and I found that I could compete with the guys. So it wasn’t automatic, there weren’t any assumptions being made. And in college I grew two more inches, gained 30 pounds and became Dr. I grew to 6′ 4”, 175 pounds and graduated at 6′ 4. I was moderately recruited my senior year of high school. I played for three professional teams, so the NIL speaks to that, I probably would not have left the school that I went to. I don’t know how much different, because I did play for one college team. Well, it would be a different result than what it is now. What are your feelings on the NIL generation? And if you had that opportunity, what would that have been like for you? In the midst of this, Dime got the chance to speak with Erving about NIL, staying young, and this year’s Sixers. Reynolds and the other four winners each got a $25,000 NIL deal, and in Reynolds’ case, complete with an oversized check and a picture with Dr. 1 Purdue during the first weekend of this year’s tournament. “Their determination is what keeps them around.”Įrving announces the fifth winner of Degree’s Walk-On program, Fairleigh Dickinson’s Braden Reynolds, who played 12 minutes in the team’s incredible upset of No. “Walk-ons are the heart of a team,” Erving says.
He mentions Russell’s impact, his time at UMass, and the importance of walk-ons to the DNA of a program. But Erving relishes his chance to take up the mantle, even if basketball isn’t his only passion as he ages gracefully and enjoys the fruits of retirement.īefore trying to grab a little peace at the hotel, Erving speaks to the crowd that’s gathered, holding jerseys and posters at the Degree activation at Fan Fest. Erving mentions that Bill Russell was the ideal elder statesman for the game, and his loss has impacted Dr. He’s quick with a story, an answer, a photo, or an autograph that is often on a picture of him dunking. At All-Star, he still draws a crowd, in restaurants and in hotel lobbies. While many of the children in oversized gray shirts have no idea who he is, their parents certainly do, and they all must’ve let their kids know to be polite and pay attention. He brings them in close so they can hear him over the bass rippling throughout the expansive convention center. HOUSTON – Julius Erving has a word for every kid on the court.
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