Philadelphia 76ers owner Harold Katz was not happy with the team after the Sixers won their first game of the season against the Brooklyn Nets. He blasted them for a lack of effort and said that they were “embarrassing.” Barkley and Erving had entirely different responses to this situation.
The harold katz wife is a story that has been circulating on social media. It tells the tale of how the owner of the Philadelphia 76ers, Harold Katz, was so angry after his team won against the New Jersey Nets in 1983 that he called out every player and coach on the roster.
Charles Barkley and Julius Erving are two of the most famous players to ever play for the 76ers. On the basketball floor, they had a lot in common. Off it, though, they are diametrically opposed. When Sixers owner Harold Katz lambasted his team following a victory against the Golden State Warriors early in the 1985-86 season, it was obvious.
In their own ways, Charles Barkley and Julius Erving were Philadelphia 76ers legends.
On September 9, 2019, in Northfield, New Jersey, Julius Erving and Charles Barkley attend The Julius Erving Golf Classic at Atlantic City Country Club. | Julius Erving Golf Classic — a PGD Global Production by Lisa Lake/Getty Images
After moving over from the ABA and topping the league in scoring in three of his five years there, Erving, also known as Dr. J, started his 76ers career in 1976-77. Erving was an all-star in the ABA for five seasons and 11 years with the Sixers.
In Philadelphia, Erving was the silent captain. In his time with the Philadelphia 76ers, he averaged 22.0 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Each year of his career, he led his clubs to the playoffs. In the 1983 NBA Finals, Erving led the Philadelphia 76ers to a sweeping victory against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Barkley, like Erving, had a lot of success on the court in Philadelphia. Despite never winning an NBA championship, he averaged 23.3 points and 11.6 rebounds in eight seasons with the Sixers. When Erving retired, he and Maurice Cheeks took over as co-captains.
Barkley, unlike Erving, was a big talker both on and off the court. That landed him in trouble on occasion, but it never troubled the 1984 NBA Draft’s fifth overall selection. Barkley was a guy in his own right. Erving was also a leader, but they were two very different kinds of leaders.
Following a victory early in the 1985 season, Sixers owner Harold Katz slammed the squad.
In November 1985, after the 76ers beat the Warriors to move to 6-5, Katz slammed the club for squandering a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter, Philadelphia had a 99-86 advantage and had to hustle to keep the game alive. Katz didn’t hold back his views once it was done.
According to United Press International, Katz stated after the game, “If they can be pleased with themselves, they’re just deceiving themselves.” “This was a tainted win to say the least.
“I’m not pleased with what I’m seeing. We’re playing basketball in slow motion. We’re not in a hurry.
Katz said that he was not blaming head coach Matt Goukas for the situation. He was dissatisfied because of the players.
“I’m not blaming Matty,” Katz said. “I’m just dissatisfied with the squad.” They are well aware of this. They’ll get a call from me. I’m not sure when that will be.”
In the 1985-86 season, Erving was still the Sixers’ captain. Barkley was in the midst of his second NBA season. They each took a different strategy when it came to reacting to Katz’s remarks.
Erving was tactful.
According to UPI, Erving said, “He owns the team, and he has the right to say anything he wants.” “Harold is a sensitive individual. He’s engrossed in every game he watches, and he has a list of things he’d want to see. Obviously, tonight was not on his list of things to see.”
In true Barkley form, he wasn’t nearly that polite.
He said, “Why doesn’t he coach the team?” “We don’t need anybody to tell us we’re terrible players. We’re well aware that we’re not playing well, and we need assistance more than anything else. Everyone appears to be slicing us apart. It’s the equivalent of spitting on a downed guy.”
On the court, Erving and Barkley were a match made in heaven, but not so much off it.
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The harold katz family is a response to the Sixers owner Harold Katz, who blasted the team after they won. This was entirely different than what Charles Barkley and Julius Erving had said about their team.
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