Earlier this year when Miami Heat star LeBron James declared basketball Hall of Famer Julius Erving one of three best players of all time, he took some criticism. But James cleared the issue up in an interview last month with ESPN.
“The conversation was ‘Who do I like?’ ” James said about his comments. “Who were my three? Who were my favorite three of all time?’ No one knows who’s the greatest three players of all time. It’s impossible. No one can say who’s the best three of all time. You’re going to have Jordan there, for sure. But after that, you can have Bird, Magic, Kareem, Wilt, Bill Russell, Oscar, Jerry West, Dr. J. You might even throw LeBron in there, maybe.”
James admires Erving so much that he chose to honor him in his new ad campaign for Powerade Zero Drops. James dressed in a huge Afro wig and Erving’s No.6 Philadelphia 76ers blue and white uniform, including the tight short shorts.
James, who posted photos of himself in the throwback uniform on Instagram, said he may pay homage to Erving with another uniform switch at a game.
“I’m just wondering how in the heck they played like that,” James said of the tiny shorts. “I might bring it back, though. I might play in some small shorts this year. Pay my homage to the ’80s, to Dr. J and John Stockton. I don’t think it’s going to catch on, but I’m going to do it one game, maybe opening night. I can’t go all the way up (the legs), though. Athletes today are built a little differently in the legs.”
