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ABA Stories Part 1 With Julius Erving and Terry Pluto

Ryen talks with Hall of Fame legend “Dr. J” about his time playing in the ABA before talking with renowned sportswriter Terry Pluto about the history of the league

By Ryen Russillo
ABA 50th Reunion Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images


In Part 1 of a two-part series, Ryen Russillo talks with Basketball Hall of Fame legend Julius Erving about his time playing for the Virginia Squires, his famous Atlanta Hawks exhibition games, the “Ice Man” George Gervin, ABA fist fights, winning an ABA title with the New York Nets, and finding his basketball “home” in Philadelphia (3:30). Then Ryen talks with Terry Pluto, renowned sportswriter and author of Loose Balls: The Short, Wild Life of the American Basketball Association, about the fast-and-loose ABA, its aggressive competition with the NBA, chaotic drafts, money troubles, ever-present merger rumors, and so much more (40:15).

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