Today in Sports History: May 27

Julius Erving won MVP honors in 1981, making him the only player to win the distinction in both the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the NBA. Nicknamed Dr. J, Erving began his professional career in the ABA in 1971. When the ABA merged with the NBA in 1976, he became a member of the New York Nets (now the Brooklyn Nets). Erving is known for his modern style of pay which emphasize leaping. He ranks eight in career points with a n ABA-NBA combined total of 30,026. He is credited with popularizing the slam dunk. In 1994, he was named one of the 40 most important athletes of all time by Sports Illustrated. Erving was a member of the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Team and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993.