YouTube Gold: Jordan vs. Erving

People still talk about Julius Erving, aka Dr. J, but he has been retired since 1987 and is now 72 years old.

Which means a lot of people never saw him play and a for lot of others, it’s been a long time and time tends to dull memories.

But Erving was a phenomenal talent and a superbly professional basketball player.

In the 1984-85 season, Michael Jordan entered the league. He’s been retired since 2003 and 20 years is enough to dull memories there too.

When he came in the league, people expected him to be really good, but he burst on the scene like an absolute supernova.

Which of course he was.

This clip is from Jordan’s rookie season when the Chicago Bulls visited Erving’s Philadelphia 76ers. In the very first play, Jordan backs off as Erving slams one home off a break.

But Jordan gets his too, of course.

Also making a cameo: fellow rookie Charles Barkley, who was preparing to take the torch from Erving.