The G.O.A.T.s: Who wore #6 the best?
In honor of Julius Erving’s 71st birthday, Yahoo Sports asked current NBA players which of the game’s greats came to mind when they thought of Dr. J’s number 6 — and their answers spanned generations.
Video Transcript
- When you think of a player wearing the number six, who comes to mind?
- Who do I think of, number six?
- Number six.
- Who's my favorite number six?
- Favorite number six.
- My favorite NBA player to wear number six would have to be Bill Russell.
- Heinsohn shooting. The rebound is stuffed in by big Bill Russell.
- I go Bill Russell. He's one of the legendary big guys. You know, big guys got to stick together.
- I got to give respect to Bill Russell here with 11 rings.
- Cousy throws it high in the air. And the Boston Celtics are the world champions.
- And time has run out. And the Boston Celtics have done it again.
- I don't even get the magnitude of how crazy that must be to win 11 rings. That is absolutely insane. And a lot of respect for that.
- He's just done so much for the game, and he's one of the legends that played this game. And it's a really big thing to be wearing the number six. That's not the reason I got number six, though, but I mean it's really big.
- When I think a number six, I always think of LeBron in Miami.
- I would say LeBron James in Miami.
- Down to five. Wants a 3.
- Make somebody else beat you.
- A 3 on the way. He got it!
- LeBron with Miami.
- Definitely LeBron just from his time being in Miami.
- Uh oh. That's LeBron James with authority. And they're standing here in Miami.
- Definitely LeBron James.
- LeBron James.
- Four to shoot. Parker.
- Oh.
- Oh, what a block from James! Throws it back at Splitter, who was ready to dunk.
- I'll go LeBron because that was more of my time.
- Probably LeBron because he's my era.
- LeBron was my favorite player growing up as a kid because of always what he stood for, always did the right thing, always striving for greatness.
- What he did in that six jersey was monumental, and it took his career to another level.
- A lot of players did wear the number six, but my most favorite memory, my most memorable, Dr. J. wearing six.
- Dr. J.
- Dr. J.
- Dr. J. For sure.
- Inside to the Doctor. He [INAUDIBLE] home.
- Philadelphia with the ball and the lead. Look at the move by Julius. Oh ho.
- I'm going with Dr. J.
- Dr. J.
- Dr. J., Julius Erving.
- Julius Erving.
- Erving to Cheeks. Back to Erving. Sets himself from behind mid-court.
- Uh oh.
- He made it! Julius Erving, with a 3-point shot, has won the game for the Philadelphia 76ers!
- I never really got to see him play. I've seen all the pictures and stuff. Seen some highlights.
- I've only seen highlights of him.
- Watched a lot of his highlights, a lot of the game film.
- That was the first guy that I was able to see films and stuff on.
- He was a highlight reel in his day. He was the guy with all the crazy layups or the dunks.
- Julius roaring to the basket. Came up in Walton's face.
- Also, he had the iconic fro.
- Probably did some early book reports on him in elementary school and middle school about the fro and his big hands and how he used to maneuver in the air with the ball, finger roll, and also jump from so far and get to the rim. He was so athletic.
- It's hard to think of a cooler player, honestly, than Dr. J. Well, first off, you know there aren't many players that were as good as him. But, B, he was cool doing it. I don't know if it's a contest.
- The pass is deflected. Gonna be stolen, I think, by the Doctor. Yes, he's got it. Here he comes. He rocks the baby to sleep and slam dunks. He rocked the baby and put it to sleep.
- Wearing that number and the things that he did while he wore that number was ridiculous.
- The things he did in the air, the things he did-- the way he carried himself on the court. I think he's definitely the greatest number six.
- My favorite player to wear number six is Dr. J. I have to go to Dr. J. because his highlights were more prevalent growing up. Bill Russell was before my time. And then I'm competing against LeBron, so I'm definitely not picking him.
