Hall of Famer Julius Erving on NBA life in 1980s: Standing on shoulders of giants

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Those of us who played in the NBA in the 1980s definitely played a role in what the league has become today.

And I think that in communicating with the next generation of players, they gave a lot of credit to myself and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. If you start in 1980, and you look at the guys who were the All-Pro players, the MVPs or whatever, there was an acceptance, and there was the crossing-over between the different ethnicities that created a pretty good melting pot.

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I look at the commercial success that happened with myself, with Larry Bird, with Converse and Spalding as an example, and the next wave with Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. It didn’t just happen. There were shoulders we were standing on.

There was Bill Russell, who’s been a dear friend for many, many years. Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, and even the lesser-celebrated guys like Walt Bellamy, Lou Hudson, Pete Maravich. We were just trying to kind of give them credit and understand their struggle. They were always taking commercial flights. Before that, I mean, there were guys taking trains and buses. It is so much different now.

And so, over these decades, the eight decades of the NBA, there has been growth from within. That has created an image, a global image, and without all the parts you wouldn’t have the total sum.

Philadelphia 76ers Bobby Jones, left, embraces Julius Erving after the 76ers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in four straight games to win the NBA Championship, May 31, 1983.  (AP Photo, File)

I was a Salvation Army kid. I knew about being part of something bigger than