Julius Winfield Erving II (born February 22, 1950) known by his nickname Dr. J, is a retired American professional basketball player and Basketball Hall of Famer. Erving helped legitimize the now-defunct American Basketball Association (ABA). Much as some players are considered "the team," Dr. J was considered "the league." He was the most well-known player in the ABA when the ABA-NBA merger joined it with the National Basketball Association (NBA) after the 1976 season.