"My role models in the business were the older guys on my team when I first got there: Gray Scott, Adrian Smith, Roland Taylor. These were the guys who took me under their wing, and really schooled me in terms of what the business was about"
About this Quote
Julius Erving points to a quiet, practical truth about becoming a professional: greatness is not only skill, it is apprenticeship. Fresh from college and entering the volatile early-1970s ABA, he found his compass not in distant legends but in the veterans in his own locker room. Gray Scott, Adrian Smith, and Roland Taylor were not merely examples to emulate; they were hands-on guides who taught him how to live the life of a pro, from the rhythms of practice and travel to the unglamorous decisions about health, money, contracts, and media.
Calling it schooling in what the business was about signals a distinction between the game and the profession. The ABA of Erving’s early years was talent-rich but unstable, with franchises shifting, salaries disputed, and the league’s future uncertain. In such an environment, older teammates could demystify the fine print of contracts, the value of punctuality and preparation, how to conserve energy across a long season, and how to handle agents, coaches, and reporters. That knowledge is hard to learn from highlight reels; it comes through the daily mentorship of people who have already made the mistakes.
Erving’s later career shows the imprint of that tutelage. As Dr. J, he embodied poise and brand savvy long before those became buzzwords, navigating the ABA-NBA merger, a blockbuster sale from the Nets to the 76ers, and the elevated scrutiny of superstardom without public missteps. He built a reputation for elegance and professionalism that matched his aerial artistry, suggesting that his on-court creativity was supported by off-court discipline learned early.
The names he cites also underscore a broader point: role models need not be the most famous figures. Often the most formative influences are the veterans close enough to correct you, to protect you, and to model the daily habits of a sustainable career. Erving’s gratitude reveals a lineage of craft, where excellence is transmitted person to person, locker to locker, season to season.
Calling it schooling in what the business was about signals a distinction between the game and the profession. The ABA of Erving’s early years was talent-rich but unstable, with franchises shifting, salaries disputed, and the league’s future uncertain. In such an environment, older teammates could demystify the fine print of contracts, the value of punctuality and preparation, how to conserve energy across a long season, and how to handle agents, coaches, and reporters. That knowledge is hard to learn from highlight reels; it comes through the daily mentorship of people who have already made the mistakes.
Erving’s later career shows the imprint of that tutelage. As Dr. J, he embodied poise and brand savvy long before those became buzzwords, navigating the ABA-NBA merger, a blockbuster sale from the Nets to the 76ers, and the elevated scrutiny of superstardom without public missteps. He built a reputation for elegance and professionalism that matched his aerial artistry, suggesting that his on-court creativity was supported by off-court discipline learned early.
The names he cites also underscore a broader point: role models need not be the most famous figures. Often the most formative influences are the veterans close enough to correct you, to protect you, and to model the daily habits of a sustainable career. Erving’s gratitude reveals a lineage of craft, where excellence is transmitted person to person, locker to locker, season to season.
Quote Details
| Topic | Team Building |
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