"People have an aura, and Doc definitely is that person that has it" - Jim Jackson explains what made Julius Erving so magnetic personality
When the ex-Ohio State superstar made it to the NBA in 1992, he knew that it was only a matter of time before he would meet his longtime idol in one of the games. That opportunity came during Jackson's third season when he traveled to Phoenix to enjoy the festivities of the 1995 All-Star weekend.
Advertisement
"I met Doc at the '95 All-Star Game in Phoenix and I still have that picture," said Jackson during his recent appearance on "The Dan Patrick Show." "And that was like an 'Ohh,' you know that moment when you see Dr. J walk in the room, he was gliding in slow motion. It was like, that's Doc."
Getting to know and getting close to Dr. J
However, while that was their first meeting, Jackson said he didn't get to know Erving until they were both involved with the BIG3. Jim played for the Killer 3s in 2017 and later became a commentator for CBS' coverage of the league's games. Meanwhile, Doc used to coach the Tri-State team, which he led to the 2021 title and won Coach of the Year honors.
Jackson also said that he got close to and bonded with Erving when they traveled to China together for the NBA China Games in 2018. Because they are both cigar lovers, the No. 4 overall pick of the 1992 NBA Draft said he would make it a point to set up a place where he and "Doc" could sit, smoke cigars, and have a conversation.
Advertisement
"Spending time with him is different. It's something about, people have aura, and Doc is definitely that person that has it," added Jackson.
Related: "I'm going to tell him there's a place in the triangle for him" - When Kobe Bryant tried to recruit Scottie Pippen to the Lakers
"Doc" had the same aura as MJ
Jimmy describes coming face to face with Julius the same way Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson recorded his first-ever meeting with the GOAT, Michael Jordan. Like Jackson idolized Dr. J, "The Answer" was one of the millions who adored MJ like a god, and when he finally got to see him face to face, Iverson was mesmerized by Jordan's aura.
Advertisement
"Anybody that know Allen Iverson know Black Jesus was it for me. I wanted to be like Mike. I remember the first time seeing him; I couldn't believe it, man. I ain't never looked at a person in my life — and I've seen millions of celebrities — I never looked at somebody that didn't look real. Never. Like, the God damn guy was glowing or something, man," Iverson said in his interview with The Players' Tribune.
Jordan and Erving are two of the greatest players to ever play the game of basketball. They were both known for their acrobatic shots and high-flying dunks. Interestingly, they were the most charismatic superstars ever and the two with the most powerful auras.
Related: "I never saw him get after a referee" - Sixers GM explains why Julius Erving is all about 'class'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
6 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Raducanu and Fernandez beat the heat to reach DC Open semis
Britain's Emma Raducanu reached the brink of her first WTA final since winning the 2021 US Open, ousting Greece's Maria Sakkari 6-4, 7-5 on Friday at the DC Open. And the woman she defeated four years ago in that Flushing Meadows championship match, Canada's Leylah Fernandez, could be her opponent for the Washington hard court crown. Raducanu, who missed most of 2023 after hand and ankle surgery and part of last year with a left foot injury, reached her first WTA semi-final since last year at Nottingham by dispatching Sakkari in sweltering conditions of 95F (35C). "It was one of the toughest matches conditions-wise I've ever played in," Raducanu said. "Those points in the second set, I was getting a bit wobbly I'm just happy I could close it out and it was two sets. "I think the humidity here, as well, it just makes it feel completely like you have just opened an oven and it just stayed open and your head is in there. That's how it feels." Raducanu, in her only tour-level final, won the 2021 US Open as a teen qualifier over teen Fernandez, who advanced to the DC Open semi-finals by battling through leg cramps in the second set and saving a set point to oust American Taylor Townsend 6-4, 7-6 (7/4). Left-hander Fernandez will next face the winner of a later match between third seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan and Polish fifth seed Magdalena Frech. In Saturday's other semi-final, Raducanu will face the later winner between Danish fourth seed Clara Tauson and Anna Kalinskaya. Raducanu, Britain's first women's Grand Slam singles champion since Virginia Wade in 1977 at Wimbledon, beat four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the second round before downing Sakkari in the quarter-finals, but not before a medical timeout in the second set. "Brutal conditions. Right in the peak heat of the day. It was incredibly difficult," Raducanu said. "I had to call a doctor on. Wasn't feeling too good in the second set. "When it's at that stage you know you're going to suffer and you have to just go until you physically can't anymore. It could be a little dangerous but you just leave it all out there on the court as an athlete." Raducanu rallied to win the final five games of the match. "You get to a point where you're so tired that you don't really know what you're doing anymore, and I think maybe that helped," Raducanu said. "I just really had to be smooth and conserve energy.... You just have to really be so focused." - 'Big benchmark' - Raducanu said reaching the semis was a "big benchmark" after years of injury. "I have played three great matches to be here in the semifinals, and it is the first semis in a long time," she said. "I'm really proud of that and just happy that all the hard work I've been doing is starting to pay off." Fernandez surrendered a break with a double fault to trail Townsend 3-4 in the second set and despite leg cramps broke the American on her eighth opportunity in the 10th game to level matters at 5-5 on the way to the tie-breaker. Fernandez has won three WTA titles, the 2021 and 2022 Monterrey Opens and the 2023 Hong Kong Open. Her most recent final was last year at Eastbourne. js/rcw
Yahoo
6 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Cedric Tillman injures leg at Browns practice
Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman had to leave Friday's practice with an injury. Reporters at the session noted that Tillman went down after jumping to try for a high pass from Joe Flacco in the end zone at training camp. Tillman left the field with trainers after the play and did not return. The Browns said, via Mary Kay Cabot of that Tillman suffered a lower left leg injury. They did not share any other details about the injury or how it would impact Tillman's availability for future practices. Tillman was a 2023 third-round pick in Cleveland. He had 50 catches for 563 yards and three touchdowns in his first two seasons.
Yahoo
6 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Top 2026 recruit Saniyah Hall commits to USC women's basketball
Saniyah Hall, the top-ranked recruit in the class of 2026, has committed to USC. Hall, a 6-foot-1 forward out of Spire Institute, recently starred at the U19 FIBA World Cup. She earned tournament MVP honors while helping Team USA win gold this summer. Hall was among only three 16-year-olds on the American roster, playing alongside several teammates who are already playing in college or entering college this year. Against Australia in the final, Hall scored 25 points on 50 percent. Despite being the second-youngest player, she led Team USA with 19.9 points per game, ranking third overall in scoring, fourth in steals and eighth in blocks. By adding Hall, USC has further established itself as one of the premier destinations in women's college basketball. Coach Lindsay Gottlieb signed sensation JuJu Watkins, the No. 1 recruit in 2023, then followed up by landing the No. 1 class in 2024. Jazzy Davidson, a top-three recruit in the class of 2025, is also set to join USC this fall. Hall is just the latest elite high school star drawn to the program's rising national profile. Watkins, The Athletic's reigning Player of the Year, sustained a season-ending right knee injury during the NCAA Tournament in March and is expected to miss time next season. Her lengthy rehabilitation could open the door for a return — potentially alongside Hall — for her senior season in 2026. The Trojans went 31-4 last year, winning the Big Ten regular season title and earning a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. (Photo: Julie Vennitti Botos / USA Today) This article originally appeared in The Athletic. USC Trojans, Women's College Basketball 2025 The Athletic Media Company
