• Julius Erving has snubbed Michael Jordan and LeBron James from his all-time team
• Erving elected to use players who played in or prior to his era
• This isn’t the first time Erving has disregarded the modern game
The NBA has had so many legends over its 75+ years of history that it is tough to compare one generation with the other. Nonetheless, we make all-time teams trying to ascertain who are the best pure players. Michael Jordan and LeBron James often end up No. 1 and No. 2 on these lists, but not for Julius Erving.
Erving’s all-time starting five does not include Jordan and LeBron, but it does include old-school legends like Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain.
“When we pick my all-time team, you know we got thousands of players, that was 55 years ago. But I made my team and it’s still my team. Wilt and Russell, killers. Jerry West, Oscar Roberston, and Elgin Baylor. That’s my team right there.”
(1:11:47)
Erving clearly has a distaste for basketball past his era. Not including LeBron because he’s an active player is one thing, but also snubbing Michael Jordan makes this a weak team. Personally, I’d take Jordan over West and LeBron over Baylor every day of the week.
Julius Erving Didn’t Want To Add Michael Jordan And LeBron James On His Mount Rushmore
This isn’t the first time Erving has constructed a list like this. He has maintained his starting five for years now. He was asked to name his NBA Mount Rushmore in 2022 but he ignored Jordan and LeBron once again, naming the exact five players (for a four-person Mount Rushmore) again in that interview.
“I’d say it’s Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain, and it’s Oscar Robertson, and it’s Jerry West, and it’s Elgin Baylor. Since when I was 15 years old, those were the guys. They were the mainstay of the day, and what they did and how they did it made an indelible impression on me forever. Put those guys on the court against anybody, and they would win. That’s my team, and that will always be my team.”
Different strokes for different folks. Erving has shown incredible consistency with the names he mentions as the greatest in his eyes. However, not being able to appreciate what the generations of players that have come after him have achieved is not appreciated.
Julius Erving’s Controversial All-Time List Without LeBron James And Kobe Bryant
When the list is expanded to more than five people, Erving has no choice but to relent and include Michael Jordan and other players from his era and beyond. But it seems the Jordan era is where he draws the line, as he was once asked to name a top-10 all-time list where he still ignored LeBron along with Kobe Bryant.
“I’ve got five guys that are untouchable… Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, and Elgin Baylor. That’s my all-time best team… There’s no order really, the next group of guys would be Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Earvin Magic Johnson, and probably Karl Malone… I like Tiny Archibald.” (9:38)
Tiny Archibald averaged 18.8 points and 7.4 assists in the NBA and won one title. His achievements are great for his time, but Kobe is a five-time champion who averaged 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists for his career while James is a four-time champion, the league’s all-time leading scorer, and someone who’s averaged 27.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.3 assists for his career.
After a point, even Erving needs to realize he’s intentionally holding down the modern era instead of proudly passing the torch on given how much the league has grown under their stewardship.
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