Editing Julius Erving (section)

== Rise to Stardom ==

Julius Winfield Erving II was born on February 22, 1950, in Roosevelt, New York, developing his basketball abilities on Long Island playgrounds and in high school competition. His collegiate career at the University of Massachusetts and subsequent years in the American Basketball Association established him as an extraordinary talent whose style transcended conventional approaches. His ability to play above the rim—dunking with creativity and grace that others could not match—anticipated the direction basketball would take while distinguishing him from contemporaries.<ref name="pluto">{{cite book |last=Pluto |first=Terry |title=Loose Balls: The Short, Wild Life of the American Basketball Association |year=1990 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |location=New York}}</ref>

His ABA career with the Virginia Squires and New York Nets established his reputation and his style. The league's wide-open play and emphasis on entertainment suited his abilities, while his championships with the Nets demonstrated that spectacular play could produce wins as well as highlights. When the ABA merged with the NBA in 1976, Erving's arrival in Philadelphia—following a trade that brought him to the 76ers—represented the sport's most anticipated acquisition.<ref name="erving"/>

The 76ers' acquisition of Erving transformed both the franchise and the city's basketball culture. His style, combining athletic brilliance with personal dignity, established a model that subsequent players would emulate. The spectacular plays—including the famous baseline scoop against the Lakers in the 1980 Finals—became touchstones of basketball artistry that transcended individual games to represent what the sport could achieve at its best.<ref name="pluto"/>