The NBA has seen many great players come and go through the years. With superstars establishing their legacies in different eras, many have questioned how the legends of the past would fare against today’s stars. On that note, NBA legend Julius Erving came through with some intriguing answers.
During a recent interview with “CLASH,” Julius Erving was asked to pick a potential winner between past and present players in a 1v1 format. Given the wide variety of matchups presented to him, Erving was forced to make some tough choices.
In the first, Erving was asked to pick between Larry Bird and Nikola Jokic. He responded without hesitation, saying:
“Jokic.”
The next was a battle of the big men, as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was matched up with Victor Wembanyama. Erving, who played with Kareem, took his time before responding.
“I would never bet against Kareem,” he laughed.
The third matchup was a showdown of powerhouse players. When asked to pick between Charles Barkley and Zion Williamson, like earlier, Julius Erving showed no hesitation, as he replied:
“I’ll take Charles.”
The fourth scenario pits high-flying guard Clyde Drexler against the NBA’s reigning MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Although Drexler was phenomenal in his time, Julius Erving went the other way.
“SGA probably. He seems to be more resourceful,” Erving justified.
In the fifth matchup, two versatile centers were paired up against one another, as Hakeem Olajuwon went up against Joel Embiid. Yet again, Erving didn’t hesitate with his pick, selecting Olajuwon ahead of the 76ers‘ superstar.
The next situation was also interesting, as it saw Scottie Pippen matched up against Kawhi Leonard. As two elite two-way players, the game would undoubtedly be a battle. On that note, Julius Erving replied:
“Kawhi. He’s a winner. Scottie’s good, but Kawhi is resourceful.”
For the final matchup of the interview, Julius Erving was asked who he would go up against in today’s NBA. As an elite offensive player in his heyday, Erving had the creativity and skill to stand toe-to-toe with any of today’s superstars. Still, he responded:
“Probably SGA. I think he’s 6’6″. It’d be a pretty good matchup.”
For the most part, it is difficult to argue with Julius Erving’s picks.
In the first matchup, picking Nikola Jokic over Larry Bird seems reasonable. Despite Bird’s skill, ingenuity, and career averages of 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game, the sheer size difference may work in Jokic’s favor in a 1v1 matchup.
Still, considering Jokic’s limited defensive ability and Bird’s ability to shoot the ball, there is some reason to argue that if Bird has possession first, he could come out on top.
In the second matchup, picking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar over Victor Wembanyama seems justified, especially when considering that Kareem is widely regarded as one of the greatest big men in NBA history. However, when noting Wembanyama’s defensive upside (3.1 BPG this season) and overall offensive versatility, this could be a tough matchup.
For the most part, the third matchup is a wash, as Charles Barkley would likely dominate against Zion Williamson. With career averages of 22.1 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game, Barkley in his prime was a different breed.
A showdown between Clyde Drexler and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would be exciting to say the least. As crafty as Gilgeous-Alexander is, Drexler is formidable in his own right. However, with averages of 31.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game this season at 27, the Thunder superstar has just started to understand what his ceiling could be.
A showdown between Hakeem Olajuwon and Joel Embiid may also look like a difficult matchup, especially given how versatile Embiid can be. However, more than Olajuwon’s creativity and quickness, his three block titles and two DPOY awards may suggest that he would be the winner in this matchup.
The sixth game between Scottie Pippen and Kawhi Leonard may be the one that comes down to the wire.
During the peak years of the Bulls‘ dynasty (1991-1998), Pippen averaged 20.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 2.2 steals per game. Meanwhile, in arguably his best season (2018-19), Leonard averaged 26.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per game.
Picking between the two is extremely difficult, especially since both are equally capable of guarding the other. However, given Leonard’s superior perimeter shooting ability, the seven-time All-Star may enjoy a wider array of offensive weapons.
Although a majority of Julius Erving’s picks are past players, the NBA legend has a keen understanding of how skilled current players are. Having recently ranked the 50 best players in today’s NBA, Erving continues to show appreciation for the new generation.
