NBA legend Julius Erving got honest about his free-throw dunk compared to Michael Jordan's version. Back in 1976, Erving participated in the first-ever Slam Dunk Contest. It was a groundbreaking moment for basketball fans as it was the first time everyone witnessed players compete against each other in a different format. Being the inaugural contest, many firsts were recorded throughout the match. This was inclusive of Erving's free-throw dunk.
Fast forward to 1988, Jordan participated in that year's Slam Dunk Contest. This was the second consecutive year the Chicago Bulls legend participated in. It's worth noting that Jordan won the contest the year prior. Having that in mind, ‘MJ' needed to do whatever he could to defend his title. Jordan pulled out all the stops and took a page out of Erving's book to perform the iconic free-throw dunk.
During an interview with Rob Lepelstat, Erving gave his honest thoughts about the difference between his free-throw dunk and Jordan's. ‘Dr. J' acknowledged and praised Jordan's version of the dunk. He knew that it was an improved version of the dunk and the degree of difficulty was harder compared to what Erving did in the late 70s. But one thing ‘MJ' can't take away from the ‘Doc' is that Erving was the first to ever perform the free-throw dunk.
“He did a little Jordan-esque thing to it and jammed it in,” Erving said. “But since mine was so much earlier, only one guy can be the first.”
NBA legend Julius Erving compares his original free throw line dunk from the 1976 ABA Dunk Contest to Michael Jordan's iconic free throw dunk in the 1988 NBA Dunk Contest: "He did a little Jordan-esque thing to it and jammed it in... but since mine was so much earlier, only one…
Comparing Julius Erving and Michael Jordan's iconic free-throw dunks
Both NBA legends Julius Erving and Michael Jordan performed a free-throw dunk during their respective Slam Dunk Contests. Erving's dunk was iconic because he was the first to ever do it. On the other hand, Jordan made his variation just as iconic because of the difficulty he added to the dunk. Having that said, what exactly are the differences between both dunks?
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Back when Erving performed his free-throw dunk in the 1976 ABA Slam Dunk Contest, it was a groundbreaking moment for the basketball world. While it technically was a free-throw dunk, ‘Dr. J' stepped beyond the free-throw line, leaving only his heel to actually step on the line. Upon takeoff, Erving extended his right arm as high as he could and slammed the ball.
Looking at Jordan's variation of the dunk, it's safe to argue that it was more impressive. While there's no denying ‘MJ' took inspiration from Erving, the Chicago Bulls legends turned the dunk into his own. Jordan took off farther from the line compared to Erving. His foot only went a little beyond the free-throw line. To add the cherry on top, ‘MJ' double-clutched his right arm before detonating on the rim.
While everyone loves comparing players for their accomplishments, you can't take away the fact that both legends made the free-throw dunk iconic.
