Julius Erving Names Two Former Boston Celtics on All-Time Top Ten List

Julius Erving regards Bill Russell and Nate Archibald as two of the top 10 greatest basketball players in history.

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

In an interview with Joy DeAngela, Julius Erving named his top 10 best basketball players of all-time. Erving’s list features Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell.

"I have five guys who are untouchable - Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, and Elgin Baylor," said Erving. "That's my all-time best team. Everybody else has to be on the second team or the third team, and I made this decision when I was 15 years old. I'm sticking with it now all these years later."

Russell’s 13-year tenure as a Boston Celtic is highlighted by 11 NBA championships, 5 NBA Most Valuable Player awards, and 12 NBA All-Star selections. When Russell retired in 1969, Erving was playing collegiate basketball at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Similar to the All-NBA Team format, Erving clarified that his all-time greatest players list is based on positional rankings.

"There is no order. I think West and Robertson would be in the backcourt. Elgin Baylor would be in the frontcourt with Wilt and Bill Russell," said Erving. "The next group of guys would be Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Earvin 'Magic' Johnson, probably Karl Malone."

In regard to the tenth spot, Erving said “I like Tiny Archibald." In 1981, as a member of the Celtics, Archibald won the NBA All-Star Game MVP award and NBA championship.

Erving explained that superstars of the current era, such as LeBron James and Stephen Curry, are excluded from his list because their playing careers are still in progress.

“Everybody I named there, their careers are finished”.

Other players snubbed by Erving include Larry Bird, Bob Cousy, John Havlicek, and Paul Pierce. 

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