Erving's Iconic Career Commemorated

On April 19, 1988, 32 years ago to the date, the 76ers raised Julius Erving’s no. 6 to the rafters of The Spectrum.

Addressing the assembled crowd that night, Erving noted that winning the 1983 NBA title “was the highlight of my career as an NBA player and as a 76er.

“Time moves on, but memories last forever, and that’s something that will be etched forever in the minds of basketball fans everywhere.”

Erving certainly made a lot of memories during his 16 seasons in the NBA and ABA, 11 of them with the Sixers. Along with the memories, Erving amassed a trove of honorifics. 

To name just a few:

He also racked up an enormous pile of statistics:

The outpouring of love Dr. J received during his final NBA season—even in cities like Los Angeles and Boston, home of his two fiercest NBA rivals—signified that Erving’s impact went beyond stats and championships.

The style with which Julius played the game inspired ambitious hoopsters around the country. By 1988, when Erving’s career came to a close, those aspiring ballers had become NBA stars like Magic Johnson, Dominique Wilkins, and Michael Jordan, allof whom revered Erving as a living legend, not just an opponent. 

Spectators almost always left the arena satisfied that they had gotten much more than their money’s worth thanks to Erving’s swooping dunks. Fans at home were just as thrilled as they took to courts the next day trying to replicate (with varying degrees of success) the Doctor’s you-have-to-see-it-to-believe-it moves.

Those 11 seasons as a Sixer, though, meant that the greatest outpouring of love and support for Erving was loudest and proudest in Philadelphia. 

Honoring Erving’s final regular season game as a 76er, then-governor Robert Casey declared April 20, 1987 “Julius Erving Day” across the commonwealth. 

A year later on April 19, 1988, when the Sixers set about retiring Erving’s jersey, the style was fittingly grand.

Erving was just the fourth player in franchise history to have his number retired. The other three—Hal Greer, Billy Cunningham and Bobby Jones—were all on hand. Erving’s old ABA coach Kevin Loughery was in attendance, as was NBA Commissioner David Stern.

You know it’s a big deal when the commish shows up for a jersey retirement. The Sixers also unveiled a statue in Erving's likeness, too. 

Saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. played the national anthem as only he could. Even the late Dave Zinkoff made an appearance as an archival recording rolled. 

Zink’s unmistakable, hair-raising introduction for the Doc blasted through the arena: “From Massachusetts, 6-6, No. 6, Julius Errrrrrrving!”

The festivities may have been extravagant, but you can’t say they weren’t unwarranted. Erving always represented Philly and the Sixers with magnificent style off the court.

And with him in uniform on the court, the team had never been better. The franchise has had more than its fair share of outstanding players, but the 11 seasons with Erving are the best in franchise history — considering the height and breadth of the Sixers’ success. 

We’re talking an NBA title, four NBA Finals, seven Conference Finals, nine 50+ win seasons, and 11 playoff appearances.

Erving would be the first to tell you he didn’t do all of that by himself. He counted a collection of future Hall of Famers as teammates. 

However, it was Erving who unified these talents into a perennial contender, a dependable juggernaut and eventually a champion.

Thus it’s perfectly fitting that no other Sixer has ever worn No. 6.