Dr.J's number could have been retired here....

[Guest]

In 1972 he was drafted by the Bucks but I guess

players could go anywhere they want because he

was going to sign with the Hawks instead of the

Bucks and he had go back to the ABA Virgina team

because of a court order....what could have been....

[Guest]

interesting. where'd you come across that...?

[Guest]

Don't remember where I read it.It was before

I was even thought of so I had no clue.It's

amazing what you find out isn't it?I was

rather surprised to find this out.

[hds428]

Here's what I've been able to find:

From the Dr. J bio:

"in 1973, Dr. J attempted to sign with the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA, and found himself on the middle of a complicated legal wrangle. The Squires claimed he was still under contract to them, the Milwaukee Bucks claimed draft rights to Erving under NBA rules, and his old management sued him for damaging their reputation by trying to break the Squires contract. The affair was finally settled out of court. Erving remained with the ABA to play for the New York Nets.

From the sixer official site:

" ....Fitz Eugene Dixon bought the club (Sixers) in May 1976 and soon gave it a reputation as a team built on dollars. Dixon opened the vault immediately, paying $6 million for Julius "Dr. J" Erving ($3 million to the ABA New Jersey Nets and $3 million to Erving's bank account) prior to the 1976-77 season. "

I'd never seen it mentioned on the Hawks site and had no idea. Thanks for the heads-up HDude! Ya learn somethin every day.

[Hawksfreak]

The Hawks back then could of had:

Bob Pettit

Bill Russell

Dr. J

Lou Hudson

Hanging on that wall and in the HOF!

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That was dumb that we traded Bill when we were in St. Louis I was still up in the sky waiting to come down and I was talking with Jesus and he said "That was one bad trade!" Atlanta Hawks would have won championships no question! They ended up only winning one!