via Getty
BOSTON, MA – 1977: Julius Erving #6 of the Philadelphia 76ers walks on to the court during a game against the Boston Celtics played circa 1977 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1977 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images)
via Getty
BOSTON, MA – 1977: Julius Erving #6 of the Philadelphia 76ers walks on to the court during a game against the Boston Celtics played circa 1977 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1977 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images)
The greatest debate is always tricky. Is it the player or the career? The question can always make people stumble, yet many would argue that Michael Jordan is the greatest player in NBA history. As Stephen Curry was recently introduced to the debate by Shaquille O’Neal, a former NBA coach is now bringing Julius Erving into the conversation.
According to the 2013 Coach of the Year, along with players like Jordan and LeBron James, Dr.J should also be mentioned when talking about the greatest players in NBA history, and he is ready to defend his pick.
Initially, Geroge Karl wrote on Twitter, “Why is Dr. J not in the GOAT discussion?!“. But a fan was not ready to take George Karl seriously which led to Karl giving a hilarious reply.
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Sit back down on moms couch 😝
— George Karl (@CoachKarl22) December 23, 2023
A fan replied, “Lmao man stop it he ain’t no god damm goat he ain’t better then Lebron Jordan Kobe Kareem and others stop it“. But this then prompted Karl to say, “Sit back down on moms couch 😝“. It is sporadic for someone other than Jordan, LeBron, or Kareem to be brought into the greatest debate. But the 72-year-old coach is ready to defend Erving’s legacy.
Karl is not ready to take the disrespect toward Erving. Erving played in the ABA for 5 seasons before making his way to the Philadelphia 76ers. During his 11 seasons with the 76ers, Erving averaged 22.0 PPG. 6.7 RPG and 3.9 APG. Although Stephen Curry is still relatively new in this conversation, having coached against Michael Jordan, George Karl can attest that Erving is a similar player and could do almost anything that Jordan did.
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Is Stephen Curry or Julius Erving ahead in the GOAT debate?
In terms of accolades, except for All-Star selections, Stephen Curry is way ahead of Erving. But based on the time that he played, Erving did everything he could. He was so exceptional that even Michael Jordan saw Julius Erving as his childhood hero.
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But another downfall for Erving is that he missed out on winning the Finals MVP award. In his only championship win in the NBA, Moses Malone won the finals MVP. Curry, on the other hand, has won four championships. Further, he recently received the only accolade missing from his resume, which was the finals MVP award.
So the numbers favor Stephen Curry, but who do you think is ahead in the GOAT conversation? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
