This Video of Julius Erving Dunking at the Age of 63 Is Life-Changing
It finally happened.
Like baby birds waiting to be fed, NBA fans have been biding their time patiently for Julius Erving’s long-awaited NBA TV documentary, The Doctor. The pump-up for the broadcast reached climax when the former Philadelphia 76ers great told reporters last week that he—a 63-year-old man—can still dunk.
Sure, Julius. Whatever you say. Wait, what are you doing? No, you don’t have to lace up and prove it. Seriously, you’re going to choke on a Werther’s. Oh God, he’s doing it.
"63 year old Dr. J has still got major ups. #TheDoctor vine.co/v/bl7dlA9JIxg
— Ryan Kelly (@RyanJKelly) June 11, 2013"
He did it.
Yes, at the age of 63, Erving can still finish with authority at the rim (via USA Today). Disregard the last frame of that Vine that looks like a snippet from The Ring and focus on this: With three steps, this man—who is the same age as Stevie Wonder, Jay Leno and Peter Frampton—slammed a basketball through a metal hoop that’s 10 feet from the ground.
Think you can come alive and do that, Frampton?
Photo via Huffington Post
I didn’t think so.
So in the name of celebrating yet another milestone in his funky, high-flying life, it’s only fitting that we take a moment and doff our caps to some other vintage cuts from the Doctor’s anthology of dunk-itude.
Who can forget when Erving dunked on Bill Walton so hard he needed an injury timeout?
Or that time he legally adopted Michael Cooper as a son with a monster cradle dunk?
He also dunked from the free-throw line at 35, if you aren’t convinced he’s a human pegasus yet.
Never forget the good Doctor Julius. He’s still out there, still dunking and is the highest-flying human being to ever be eligible for Social Security.
