Julius Erving Names His Mount Rushmore Of NBA Dunkers
When it comes to dunking, Julius Erving knows a little bit about the subject.
So his opinion carries much weight. That's why Shaquille O'Neal and his Big Podcast chose "Dr. J" to compile his Mount Rushmore of dunkers.
Including himself, Erving was asked to name the best three high-flyers in NBA history.
"That ain't hard, Vince Carter, Dominique (Wilkins). I'll go with MJ (Michael Jordan)."
Naturally, O'Neal agreed.
"Yes, that's Doc," O'Neal said. "Of course, I approve."
There are a few who could make their case to join the list, including Shawn Kemp, Jason Richardson, Clyde Drexler, Kobe Bryant and even J.R. Smith. The dunk has long been the marquee move of the league but Erving took time out to explain why the contest during All-Star weekend has lost its luster.
Time was, the event would feature a few All-Stars but it rarely happens now. Most of the competitors are middle-tier players from the NBA or the G League. This season, Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown participated but it was mostly a dud.
Many fans have begged over the years for LeBron James to compete. Erving said players refuse because their branding is too important.
"That's why you don't get sometimes the greatest dunkers in the game in the dunk contest," Erving said. "They're like, `I ain't trying to come in second or third or fourth because it's about the brand right now. They don't want to do anything to diminish the brand."
Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Back In The Day NBA. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com