Basketball revolutionary Julius “Dr. J” Erving created quite a Twitter storm on Tuesday, April 28, 2021, when he left LeBron James off his top two all-time NBA teams.
Erving, also known by his monikers “The Doc” and “The Doctor,” didn’t have any of the modern NBA players on his all-time teams. He explained to Yahoo! Sports that he can’t show King James any love because, in Erving’s opinion, LBJ was the one who started the “superteam” concept that many old-school legends detest.
“He’s the guy who has led the charge in terms of super teams…”@JuliusErving doesn't have LeBron on his top-two All-Time NBA teams 👀
Check out Posted Up with @ChrisBHaynes ➡️ https://t.co/LIqxEaKxVO pic.twitter.com/IROWlOSYkT
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 27, 2021
The Doctor, 71, also lambasted the Brooklyn Nets led by Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. This season, KD actively recruited multiple NBA All-Stars to join the Nets, forming what Erving derisively calls a “superteam,” in its quest to win a championship in 2021.
“It’s reminiscent of how the Yankees used to do all the time,” Erving told current Philadelphia 76ers guard Danny Green on his “Inside the Green Room” podcast. “The (Nets) load up, and they call it buying a championship. The Lakers are known for doing it, too. They’re just buying a championship, man. They’re getting all these pieces.”
“You’ve got a team with six former All-Stars, and three [All-NBA] guys who have been there and succeeded in the playoffs.”
Dr. J’s gripe about James comes despite the fact that most sports pundits place LBJ well within the top five players of all time, with some even suggesting that he has supplanted Michael Jordan as the greatest of all time.
Interestingly enough, Erving did not have Jordan on his first team, even though most analysts and fans deem MJ as the GOAT.
Dr. J explained why he doesn't have LeBron on his top two all-time NBA teams 📝 (via @ChrisBHaynes) pic.twitter.com/CzvM4SvWrg
— ESPN (@espn) April 28, 2021
Not surprisingly, Doc’s pronouncement rankled some within the NBA community, including former player and ESPN analyst Kendric Perkins and others.
Some of them old heads can’t even hide it no more! SMH https://t.co/EffuGHpq5p
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) April 28, 2021
3 of the guys on Dr J's top 5 list played on the same team in the late 60's, but LeBron is not on the top 10 coz he played on superteams, carry the hell on… pic.twitter.com/fgYZtBVxkH
— Sting 🇵🇭 💜💛 (@RyderRaine) April 28, 2021
Dr. J being a hypocrite. All those championship teams were LOADED in the 80’s…
Lakers, Celtics, and his 1983 Sixers lol
— Bron’s Best (@LBJsBest) April 27, 2021
Man what kind of.. never mind. Com on now Dr. J 🤦🏾♂️ https://t.co/WTp8BVhHjP
— Milton Chavis (@mdwbasketball) April 28, 2021
Dr. J is right. LeBron led the charge in terms of super teams in that LeBron, as a player, was in control.
Super teams certainly existed before LeBron. Erving was on one in '83. The difference is they traded for their final piece in Moses Malone.
Stop hating player empowerment. https://t.co/jYTw7CRR1Z
— Cody Hunt (@co_dhunt) April 27, 2021
Nah J got buckets he one of the few from that era who'd play but just cause he hating don't mean we hate.
— #StocktonOverratedWhitePrivilege (@KeefRuby) April 28, 2021
Just saw the Dr. J comment and I must say I disagree. His 1977 76ers can very well be considered the first SUPERTEAM, its just they underachieved and was upset by the Blazers and Bill Walton. His 83 team had himself, Moses, Mo Cheeks, Bobby Jones &Andrew Toney Thats a HOF squad
— LeVelle Moton (@LeVelleMoton) April 28, 2021
