Julius “Dr. J” Erving is the latest NBA legend to reveal that he was vaccinated against coronavirus, doing so on Monday.
Like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Gregg Popovich and Bill Russell before him, Erving made the announcement in the form of a video distributed through the league.
“We were never afraid to make a big hit,” Erving said in the video.
Erving turned 71 on Monday, which means he is in line with the current age for vaccine eligibility, as determined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The video in which he appears also includes short videos in which Jerry West, Dave Bing and Wayne Embry receive vaccinations.
The league has released these videos in an effort to encourage members of the public to receive the vaccine when they are eligible and available in their community.