<div align="center"></div> Years ago, when I watched Dr.J for the first time on tape, I realized that people give him more credit than he deserves for his dunks. But I never labeled him as overrated dunker cause I never saw all his games and dunks. So, during the All Star break, I bought and watched a whole set of Dr.J highlites, including several of his best games, and quite honestly, it made me stick more to my opinion that Julius Erving is an overrated dunker. The guy wasn't incredibly athletic, and his creativity was not great either. Other than the originality of the Free Throw Line dunk, which we've seen so many people attempt and succeed (James White did it between the legs!!), and the fast break jam on Coop, Dr.J was an overrated, overhyped dunker in my opinion. Maybe he was the first guy to be labeled as a dunker, but when you go and watched most of the dunks he did throughtout his career, and comapre them to MJ, 'Nique, Vince, Nance, Shawn Kemp, JR Rider, Jason Richardson, and even Desmond Mason, he's behind all those guys dunking wise. That's just my opinion, but I think the media and the old NBA legends overhype and overrate Dr.J by putting him in the top 5 dunkers of all time, because he's not.
This is a pointless thread but let me give you my opnion. Dr. J was the first real dunker that people came to see. Sure he wasn't like J-Rich or VC, but he made dunking something that was fun to watch
Dr. J in no way was on overrated dunker. He was the first of his kind and everyone thought it was special. He played in a different era than Dominique, MJ, J-Rich and dunkers like that. the Doctor brought exitmenet and thrill to the game with his dunks. He never did dunks like windmills or between the legs but his dunks are truley unique. His tomohawks and reverse dunks Imo were better than most of the dunks that player throw down today. His free-throw line dunk was very special. Just because he didn't put it between his legs or double pump doesn't mean it was great. if you watch the tapes over and over again you will see that his head was well above the rim. Julius had huge hands which made it easier to palm and swing the ball in the air. he could pick the ball up off the dribble swing the ball above his head and throw it down. His vertical leap was like no other. He demonstrated his leaping ability with his famous layup from behind the backboard. Somone who can make a shot like that is arguably the best jumper of all time. My opinion may be a little biased because Dr.J is one of my favorite players of all-time but his dunks truely were special.
you cant compare dr. j to the newer dunkers, he made the way for the new style of dunking. i could say he MADE dunks LOOK easier than they seem, but im pretty sure only the top dunkers could pull most of what he could do.
^ Tell me one tough dunk and creative dunk Dr.J did other than the free throw line one, there ain't any.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Purple Fever:</div><div class="quote_post">^ Tell me one tough dunk and creative dunk Dr.J did other than the free throw line one, there ain't any.</div> First of all ain't isn't a word. Secondly, that is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. Have you never seen the ABA Dunk Contest from Denver? Besides the free-throw line dunk in the contest he did a dunk with two balls, a one hand double clutch going by the rim, a dunk when he pulled himself up with one arm and a reverse dunk. If those dunks aren't great I don't know what is.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AA13:</div><div class="quote_post">First of all ain't isn't a word. Secondly, that is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. have you never seen the ABA Dunk Contest from Denver? Besides the free-throw line dunk in the contest he did a dunk with two balls, a one hand double clutch going by the rim, a dunk when he pulled himself up with one arm and areverse dunk. If those dunks aren't great I don't know what is.</div> Are you kidding? The dunks he attempted in that contest in Denver I believe, could be done by at least 20 dunkers in the league today. The only thing he got on his side is that thsoe dunks he did were something new to the fans back then, but when you look at all the dunkers in the history and the dunks they attmepted, Dr.J isn't Top 5 by any stretch of the imagination.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Purple Fever:</div><div class="quote_post">Are you kidding? The dunks he attempted in that contest in Denver I believe, could be done by at least 20 dunkers in the league today. The only thing he got on his side is that thsoe dunks he did were something new to the fans back then, but when you look at all the dunkers in the history and the dunks they attmepted, Dr.J isn't Top 5 by any stretch of the imagination.</div> Exactly you can't compare Dr.j with the dunkers of today. What he did in the dunk contest that year was spectacular but most of them could be done by todays players. You can't compare his dunks because they were creative and special to the people in that era. So forget about todays players and come up with a legitament debate for why he was an overrated dunker in that age. Because the only debate you have is that todays players can do greater dunks than Dr.J could.
u cant compare dr. j dunks to the newer dunkers. at that time dunks just started. some of the easy dunks today were really amazin at that time. at that time even regular dunks were amazing. now that we see ppl jumpin over other ppl and the between legs dunks, we expect amazin dunks rather than regular. like i said ppl who watched the first dunkers never knew u could put it between the legs so just regular dunks were amazin. dr j at that time was amazing but now their r better dunkers becuz over the years dunks got improved
This whole thread is like saying Jerry West cannot play shooting guard today as he was short (6'2) and undersized (around 180 lbs +), when most off-guard during his era were about the same size
overraterd? No, Dr. J wasnt an overrated dunker for his time . For his time he was remarkable and raised the bar for all other dunkers.
It's all about timing. What Dr.J did in the 70's, nobody could do. So, say, 30 years from now, a dunker comes along who not only does Vince Carter's through the legs but does that as well as a reverse throwdown. Or someone who does a double 360. Let's assume that 30 years from now many of the dunkers in the game will be even more talented then today's generation of dunkers. It's called evolution. So, just because someone does a dunk greater then what Carter or MJ did, would that make those 2 overrated? It's about historical significance. You have to realize that Dr.J did things AT THAT TIME that barely any other player was doing. Just like Vince Carter did things that even Jordan and Dominique hadn't done. Dr.J is not overrated, but you put him in a dunk contest today and he would get beaten by the likes of Jason Richardson, Desmond Mason, Josh Smith etc.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting spawn:</div><div class="quote_post">It's all about timing. What Dr.J did in the 70's, nobody could do. So, say, 30 years from now, a dunker comes along who not only does Vince Carter's through the legs but does that as well as a reverse throwdown. Or someone who does a double 360. Let's assume that 30 years from now many of the dunkers in the game will be even more talented then today's generation of dunkers. It's called evolution. So, just because someone does a dunk greater then what Carter or MJ did, would that make those 2 overrated? It's about historical significance. You have to realize that Dr.J did things AT THAT TIME that barely any other player was doing. Just like Vince Carter did things that even Jordan and Dominique hadn't done. Dr.J is not overrated, but you put him in a dunk contest today and he would get beaten by the likes of Jason Richardson, Desmond Mason, Josh Smith etc.</div> that's right man. you can't compare the past with the present simple as that.
spawn said it all. At that time, the 70`s, what Erving did was simply amazing. But yes if were in a Dunk Contest today, I really don`t think he could compete against the likes of Jason Richardson, Fred Jones, just to name a few. In my opnion, Dr. J could really soar to the basket. He could really jump from one place to another.
Stupid thread, you can't compare the past with the present. It'll be like saying Wilt was overrated because he probably couldn't drop 100 points today. He dominated his era while Dr. J defined dunking in the 70's. Worst thread ever.
If you are going to consider dunking in a game, you also have to look at the style of game that is being played. In todays game, people are given free lines to the hole to dunk the ball and the rules are such that they can take as many steps as they want so the dunks are perfect. In Dr.J's day, you'd be flattened on your butt more times than not if you tried to showboat on someone. It was Dr. J that helped to create the rules that allow for the current players to do what they do in game.
why are y'all hatin?lol...Dr.J redefined the term "SLAM DUNK"...sure,it's his freethroe line dunk was his best dunk...but being the innovator,you'll get lots of credit for that...
