With Julius Erving’s playing days over for 23 years now, it would be a good time to look back and reflect on the amazingimpact Dr. J had on the game we love. Luckily, Vincent M. Mallozzi has done all the heavy lifting for us and penned Doc: The Rise and Rise of Julius Erving.
Besides having one of the best book covers ever created, Doc also serves as a fitting tribute to one of the greatest – and most original – basketball players to hit the hardwood (and asphalt). Mallozzi grew up a Dr. J fan, so he knows his stuff and takes the reader from Erving’s beginnings on the playgrounds of Long Island right through to where The Doctor finds himself now as a retired superstar, with stops at UMass, the ABA and the NBA in between. What you learn is Erving was beloved by everyone, whether it be a teammate, media member and guy on the street. What you also learn, as is often the case with our sports heroes, is that his public image of a moral, decent familyman was in stark contrast to how he really lived his life.
While the book suffers a bit from the lack of new, original quotes from its subject and holds some inaccuracies/contradictions in its pages, it is still a solid read. For old heads looking to reminisce or young bucks who only have heard whispers about Dr. J, grab Doc and learn about one of the most beloved athletes of all-time.
Pick it up here:
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