Julius Erving

[MikeUMA]

50 years ago tonight: Julie scores (a new career high) 33, and snares 26, as UM defeats UNH 76-56.
https://umasshoops.com/wiki/doku.php?id ... _hampshire

The 26 boards puts his season average back over 20, after pedestrian 15 and 14 numbers in the previous two games.

[MikeUMA]

Most of us weren't there, so it's still a bit hard to believe that Erving couldn't legally dunk in college. It was funny to dig this up in the Collegian archives, from their preview of his third game with the varsity squad...

One of the best parts of the games now is the warm-up drill. Erving shows a new stuff shot every night. His latest was a double-pump reverse left handed cram coming across from the right of the lane. He showed the move twice in the second half, sans pump and cram. Too bad the rule committee decided to bank the dunk. Incidentally, dunking in the warm-up can be considered a technical foul because it breaks the spirit of the rule.

https://umasshoops.com/wiki/doku.php?id ... _collegian

[capezona]

^
I remember seeing the warm-up slam ban enforced with a technical foul and free throw to start the game. I think it was on Alcindor.

[TruBluMaroon]

^
Was not around in the Dr J days, but heard that they had relay system in place to warn Julius when the refs were about to take the court and the end of the pre-game dunks. The refs and teams would enter under the stands onto the track and a guy with a drum would sit in the corner of the stands where the refs would enter the floor and start beating the drum so Julius knew to stop. Remember, they were the Redmen.....

[capezona]

^ Interesting. Thanks for the historical tidbit.

[LS71]

^^^ Ironic since the dunking ban was referred to as the "Alcindor Rule".

^^ I was unaware of the relay system, but I've posted about the Syracuse game at the Cage...Julius' last home game, when he came out early and dunked two balls at one to get the crowd going before the game.

[tom mclaughlin]

it’s too bad people never got to see Julius really dunk. After practice some of the guys would stay afte the coaches went up and we’d mess around and take turns dunking - like we could ever compete with Julius but it was fun anyway. There was a player from LI Tommy Gilliam’s who was 6’6” and could also get off the floor. Sometimes in practice Julius would dunk and I remember one time where he picked up a loose ball just short of the foul line with his back to the basket and from a semi crouched position picked it up and in one incredible motion dunked it. To this day I have never seen a human being do such an incredible dunk and I’ve seen guys like Jordan, Worthy and Drexler in person who were incredibly explosive leapers and this dunk by Julius topped anything I had ever witnessed.
Even in warmups when Julius dunked (which he did and we all kept our eyes opened for the officials because Coach Leaman would have killed us if we ever got a technical before the game). The old baskets in the Cage were hung from the rafters and had thin rims and God only knows how old they were so we never hung or swung on them because they probably could have come down.
Julius was a joy to play with because he was always just one of us - no big head but just a good guy - down to earth and a gentleman.

[tdmass]

Ah Yes . . I remember Tommy "Toast" Gilliams at the Cage . . . awesome leaper!

[InnervisionsUMASS]

If anyone's interested in a piece of history.

https://goldinauctions.com/Julius__Dr__ ... 56985.aspx



Supporting article since I am sure people will be questioning why this is happening:

https://www.si.com/nba/2020/01/24/baske ... an-johnson

[Berkman]

Julius and family were staying at the MGM mansion in Vegas a while ago and my son got to talk to him. They talk every time he stays there.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

Cool article from when Dr. J committed to UMass.

https://x.com/Alcides_Coop/status/1904210564282282493

[chapter 11]

Based on timing, I thought this post was noting that Dr. J entered the portal

[WillHerndonFan]

Hard to believe how little people got to see him on TV in his ABA years. Jordan was spectacular but Erving was the most graceful athletic player ever to play and no one could control a ball with one hand like he could. I remember as a kid how excited I was to watch movie The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh!

[InnervisionsUMASS]

The good Doctor got some great screen time in episode 4 of Celtics City. No UMass references, but some ABA and early NBA footage in addition to the obvious Celtics-Sixers stuff.

[LS71]

Hard to believe how little people got to see him on TV in his ABA years. Jordan was spectacular but Erving was the most graceful athletic player ever to play and no one could control a ball with one hand like he could. I remember as a kid how excited I was to watch movie The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh!

That’s one of things that made the game against Syracuse 2/22/71 so special. It was televised on old channel 27 from Worcester!

People got to see that 36 point, 32 rebound game live!