Julius Erving when asked if he could still dunk in his 70s: 'My last dunk was at 63, I'm dunking donuts now'

Old NBA dunkers

Video footage of Erving dunking a basketball with one hand surfaced online in 2021, leading people to think he could still dunk in his 70s. This probably prompted Ledlow to ask Julius about it.

However, that "Dr. J" dunk was recorded in 2013 and was part of the TV movie The Doctor, which aired on NBA TV. The documentary tracked Erving's basketball journey in the ABA and NBA while discussing his heartbreaking personal life. It earned praise and even won an Emmy award for Best Sports Documentary in 2014.

Meanwhile, as impressive as Julius' dunk at age 63 was, the unofficial oldest ex-NBA player to dunk a basketball was Marques Johnson. The five-time All-Star has been doing dunk videos every year on his birthday. On February 20, 2024, Johnson showed he still had some hops.

Erving's influence

While "Dr. J" admittedly only "dunks donuts" these days, he remains "a slam dunk" for the Philadelphia 76ers. The legendary forward is so impactful that he helped his former team convince Paul George to sign with them by delivering a compelling pitch that PG couldn't say no to.

Although the Sixers are off to a 2-10 start—mostly due to injuries—many saw their acquisition of George as the biggest move of the past free agency. It's safe to say they couldn't have done it without Dr. J, who, despite not being able to fly through the air as he used to, is still one of the most beloved NBA legends.