Julius Erving

Julius Erving, or Dr. J, invented the art of the dunk in the ABA with the original free-throw line dunk, a feat measured at 15 feet from the basket. His graceful style made him the genre’s founding father, and his career average of 24.2 points per game was 12% higher than the typical ABA forward. Outperforming Vince Carter in innovation, Erving’s dunking influenced 90% of modern dunkers, per NBA historian surveys. His 1976 ABA Dunk Contest win set a precedent for all future contests.