Julius Erving: I might not have as much money as some of the other guys, but I got the respect
Julius Erving: I don’t think anybody’s done a better job than LeBron James, for one thing, as a current athlete. There are a lot of people who follow his example, with the foundation, the family businesses, and the educational opportunities that he’s provided for youth. Michael Jordan was great in terms of the magnanimity of what he’s been able to do and build, to a three-to-five-billion-dollar empire.
There are probably a half-dozen others who are special, with what Tiger Woods was able to do in his years. The success he had on and off the golf course translated into big money. So, I kind of have occupied a certain type of space, and I’ve always thought that popularity is important, but I think respect is more important than popularity.
So I’ve always gone the route of: I want people to respect me. And I think when I walk through a door these days, I get a lot of respect. So I might not have as much money as some of the other guys— Interviewer: But they respect you.
Julius Erving: But I got the respect . YouTube This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Julius Erving: I might not have as much money as some of the other guys, but I got the respect