PHILADELPHIA — Julius Erving’s most recent visit to Philly is bringing back memories of 1980, when the Eagles reached their first Super Bowl while Erving was a 76ers star.
Yet the Hall of Famer also sees current potential in his former franchise, which last won an NBA championship in 1983 with Erving as the dazzling high-flyer. He attended Wednesday’s Sixers victory over the Brooklyn Nets and Thursday’s Sixers Youth Foundation gala, with a visit to Villanova’s campus with his daughter, Julieta, in between.
“I think this team has a very good chance,” Erving said of the Sixers. “They’re a pretty confident group, pretty deep group. Now, it’s a matter of making that chemistry work and sustaining it come playoff time. A lot of people overlook the regular season, but I think you hone your talent during the regular season, you build greater confidence, and you learn the nuances of what it takes to be successful on that big stage.
“It’s hard to win against a really good team four times [in the playoffs] … but I think the Sixers are capable.”
Erving called All-NBA center Joel Embiid “definitely a dominant force” but added he “needs to help other people ‘eat.’ ” Erving also sees shades of his old “Bomb Squad” bucket-getting bench unit (World B. Free, Joe Bryant, Steve Mix, and Darryl Dawkins) in current reserve guard Shake Milton and, especially, in the blend of energy and ability from Tyrese Maxey.
“He’s as capable of scoring as any player in the league,” Erving said of Maxey. “He’s a different type of version of Allen Iverson. Iverson was fearless, and I see that in Maxey.”
As the 40th anniversary of the Sixers’ 1983 championship approaches, Erving said he has not yet “heard any buzz” about an official celebration but anticipates planning to begin by All-Star Weekend. From that team, Erving said he spends the most time with Andrew Toney, who also lives in Atlanta and is a golfing buddy.
Now 72, Erving walked with a cane down the red carpet at Thursday’s gala. He said he “has a little sciatica [pain] going on” on his right side and that the cane is used for extra support. When someone quipped that Erving probably has not dunked in a while, he smoothly responded with, “Oh, yesterday.”
“When I run and jump, it feels good,” Erving said. “It’s when I’m just walking around or sitting around or laying around or whatever that it’s annoying. It’s one of those annoying conditions. I’m not going to call it an injury, because I didn’t fall [or] didn’t do anything.”
