Julius Erving has often spoken about his love and “mutual admiration” for Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard.
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Julius Erving was one of the most athletic players the league has ever seen. Being considered as the “Michael Jordan before the Michael Jordan” by several fellow NBA legends, Dr. J had an incredibly deep offensive arsenal. With the skillset he possessed, the 76ers legend racked up a pretty decorated resume – 16 All-Star appearances, 7 All-NBA selections, 4 MVPs, and even an NBA champ, among a long list of other achievements.
Thanks to Erving’s jaw-dropping dunks, the 6-foot-7 forward was regarded as one of the most entertaining players of his era. Recently, the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team Member revealed the current player who he found entertaining – Kawhi Leonard.
Also Read: 6’6″ Michael Jordan scored the game winning fadeaway in his last ever All-Star game
In a recent interview with Farbod Esnaashri of “FanNation”, the 72-year-old disclosed that the Clippers star was his “favorite NBA player”.
“Kawhi is my favorite NBA player,” Erving said. “Absolutely.”
“I really admire Kawhi Leonard”: Julius Erving
Apart from explaining himself as to why Leonard is his favorite player, Dr. J further shed light on the special relationship he shares with the 2-time NBA champ.
“I’ll tell you what, it’s kind of like a mutual admiration,” Erving said. “I really admire him, I haven’t sat down or had dinner with him or lunch or anything like that. We connected All-Star weekend during the top 75 [celebration]. It’s always just a cordiality there because he’s a favorite guy that I like to watch in the NBA. So I’ve gone on record and saying that, I don’t know if he’s heard about it or not.”
This isn’t the first time Julius has lauded Kawhi. Earlier this year, Erving had stated:
“I love watching Kawhi… When Kawhi came on the scene and then he was MVP of the playoffs, I started watching him more closely and I like what he brings to the players. A lot of people don’t like his demeanor, but I love his demeanor. He says something when he has something to say, if he ain’t got nothing to say, go talk to somebody else.”
It’s been more than a year since we’ve seen Leonard in action. With the Clippers adding John Wall to the roster, alongside Paul George, a healthy Kawhi Leonard should lead the LA-based franchise to a deep and successful playoffs run.
Also Read: Kevin Durant referred to $80 million Kawhi Leonard as a system player before changing his mind
