On October 31, 1986, Julius Erving, better known as Dr. J, announced that he would retire at the end of the season. Dr. J was known for his time in both the ABA and the NBA, winning two ABA championships with the New York Nets and one NBA championship with the Philadelphia 76ers. He also won three ABA MVP awards to go with his one NBA MVP award, plus five ABA All-Star appearances and 11 NBA All-Star games. Dr. J is considered one of the greatest dunkers of all time, and his high-flying plays helped bring dunking to a more mainstream audience in basketball. However, he didn’t have just one trick, as his career averages in both the ABA and the NBA were 24.2 points per game, 8.5 rebounds per game, and 2 steals per game.
Today in Sports History: October 31
