Dr. J struck up a lasting friendship with Bill Cosby in a totally unexpected way while at UMass. One night, after practice, Erving went to soak in a whirlpool only to discover Cosby, who was performing on tour nearby, had beaten him to it. This was before Erving was well known, and Cosby indicated he鈥檇 never heard of the Erving when they introduced each other. Erving considers Cosby, Bill Russell, and Martin Luther King Jr. his role models, and asked the comedian for his autograph.
Cosby once told Dr. J. that the greatest challenge for a celebrity father who grew up poor is having rich children. They can grow up pampered, overly provided for, and unprepared to solve their own problems. Erving acknowledges his shortcomings in this regard, especially with one son who has served time in prison.
