The Hall of Famer Julius Erving, better known as Dr. J, inspired a lot of people to pursue playing basketball with his flashy playstyle. It includes the likes of Shaquille O’Neal and Magic Johnson. The small forward helped the Los Angeles Lakers icon make up his mind to leave college and join the NBA at a young age. The video uploaded by ‘nba_pulse’ on Instagram, was also posted by Shaq on his Insta story.
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In 1979, Johnson and the Michigan Wolverines beat Larry Bird and the Indiana State Sycamores in the NCAA Tournament final. Having conquered college basketball’s peak, Johnson contemplated leaving his alma mater and declaring for the NBA Draft. However, he was unsure and reached out to Dr. J for advice. Johnson revealed,
“I love Dr. J. I call him up and I say, ‘Doc, I’m thinking about turning pro, you did it already. What’s the pros and cons of leaving school early?'”
Johnson sought Dr. J’s counsel because he had also left college basketball after only two seasons and turned pro in 1971. The then-Philadelphia 76ers star offered to fly Johnson out to Philadelphia and house him as a guest to discuss his future and see his team play. The young Michigan star agreed and flew out to Philadelphia.
Dr. J then pulled off a move that convinced Johnson to declare for the draft. He revealed, “He had the Rolls Royce come pick me up, I got to the crib and man he got his big house I was like: ‘Oh I am turning pro!'” Dr. J’s fabulous lifestyle and riches swayed Johnson’s mind. He was no longer unsure about his future. Adding to the story, Johnson revealed,
“I always tell him, I’ll never forget that. He didn’t have to do that, he could’ve talked to me on the phone, told me what I needed to know. And then I am playing them [Dr J] seven months later in the NBA finals.”
The young basketball star wanted everything Dr. J had, as he declared for the 1979 NBA Draft. The Lakers drafted him with the first overall pick, and alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the rookie led the team to the NBA Finals. As fate would have it, the Lakers faced Dr. J and the 76ers for the NBA title.
Kareem and Magic helped the Lakers build a 3-2 lead in the series. However, the Lakers center and the reigning NBA MVP suffered an ankle sprain in Game 5 and sat out Game 6. With Kareem out, Magic played center for LA. He scored 42 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, dished seven assists, and recorded three steals and one block in one of the greatest performances in NBA Finals history.
Johnson’s Game 6 heroics earned him the NBA Finals MVP award. He is the first and only rookie to win the coveted prize. He added four more rings, two more Finals MVPs, and three NBA MVPs to his resume. Johnson established himself as the greatest point guard in NBA history. But none of it would have likely come to fruition without Dr. J.
Moreover, O’Neal never passes up an opportunity to praise Dr. J. He shared the video of Johnson narrating the story of how he convinced him to join the NBA. Even though O’Neal may change his opinion about certain subjects, he keeps Dr. J’s legacy alive.
Dr. J’s influence on Shaquille O’Neal’s life
Shaquille O’Neal always speaks highly about Dr. J’s impact on basketball and his life. He even credited the 76ers superstar for shaping him into the person he is today. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, O’Neal recalled,
“I didn’t get a lot of toys growing up with brothers and sisters. I was the oldest one, and my father used to be like, ‘I gotta take care of the little ones. I’ll get you later. Then one day, when I thought I wasn’t getting anything for Christmas, he surprised me with a [signed] Dr. J basketball. That basketball changed my life. It inspired me to be who I am today.”
O’Neal getting an autographed memorabilia of his favorite player inspired him to improve and reach his idol’s level. It had a profound effect on his life and career, and he’ll cherish that moment for life.
O’Neal not only rates Dr. J highly, he believes he’s the best player ever. In an interview on the Drink Champs podcast, the four-time NBA champion said,
“To me, Dr. J is the best ever. Cause he started it, and then, you know, came Magic [Johnson] and then [Michael Jordan]. So, I think when we have these conversations, we need to go by eras.”
Dr. J has one NBA title and one MVP to his name. However, his impact cannot be measured in accolades. He changed the game with his flamboyant playing style which inspired the future generation. Basketball players today wouldn’t be as skilled as they are without Dr. J breaking the mold and letting his creativity do the talking.
Dr. J is a one-of-a-kind athlete. It’s no surprise that two of the greatest NBA superstars, Johnson and O’Neal, speak so highly of him.
