This podcast is part of the seventy Sixers podcast network search seventy Sixers podcast Wherever you get your pots. He's an icon, a hall of famer, a seventy sixers legend. Here Julian Yeah cool on the Doctor, click that one. I'll never get into one pile, but one boult like hit Kim. But this year Julius Irving is also a first time voter. That was like, you know, you, you've been involved and you've been a player, and you've been at PARTISSU, but you really haven't voted. So now we've
checked that box. In a conversation with Lauren Rosen, Doctor j discusses the importance of voting and his reaction to another doc joining his former franchise, Let's keep the J out there, Let's keep the G out there. These are so many docks throughout the v we got to give them their props too. You're cool with having two docks, Very cool with very cool with a one on one with number six The Doctor. Julius Irving on this edition
of the broadcast asked how bad was that? I'm usually no good in many respects, but my zincoff needs a lot of work, a lot How you're doing out there, seventy six ers pod people, Brian Seltzer bidding you hello. Thank you as always for checking out our stuff here
on the seventy six ers podcast network Feed. One of the big things that comes with the gig that I am privileged to have is you get to talk to people a lot, oftentimes informal settings in an interview, and one of the inherent challenges that I love about interviewing people is trying to uncover over the course of an interview a piece of information that someone hasn't heard before that leaves the listener coming away from it thinking, you know what I learned, something I found out, something new
that I hadn't heard before. So that's one part of the challenge. The next part of the challenge is once you do uncover that compelling tidbit, you get this rush, at least I do, of excitement. You're like, yes, I found it. This is the nugget that's going to draw people in. But once you discover that, you've got to attack it. Not in a real aggressive sense, but you've got to go after it, mind it even further and
try and really flush out a story. And that's one of the things that I really love about the conversation we're about to hear between our Lauren Rosen and the one and only Julius Irving here. It is if we can just start off something that I've had the pleasure of speaking with some of our current sixers and some alumni as well about, it's the importance of voting. Obviously
this year feels particularly important. But when it comes to using your voice and voting and making that opportunity something that you seize, why is it so important to you to vote well? This year in particular, it's it's the most important election that you know, I've ever I've ever seen it, and I've ever thought about because of all the various things that are going on in our country today.
You know, I'm I'm a senior citizen, and uh I can you know, think back to you know, the days when you know, voter suppression existed in the seventies and eighties and in different forms than what you see today. And it was an interesting time because you know, athletes, athletes usually steer clearer politics came up at a time when when athletes weren't encouraged necessary to go out front and take political stands. That was mostly what the agents fed the athletes and said, you know you uh, now
you can't do both. You know, we we like democrats and Republicans. We want democrats and Republicans to wear our sneakers and to you know, where our gear and to uh to grant us endorsements or what have you. So, I know, in my in my twenties and thirties, when I was a professional basketball player, uh, you know, there were only a couple of times I think, you know, I really liked the Kennedy family. Uh, so I was
public in terms of supporting the Kennedy's. Uh you know, they were somewhat you know, my heroes during the day. They followed you know, my my my love of Abraham Lincoln, and you know, my love of several political figures, giant political figures which were you know, great in my eyes. But you know, today it's it's different. Uh, you know, the having a platform and and speaking out on it, going out of your way, uh, reaching in your pocket,
and donating to the cause that you believe. And you know, these are all things that athletes and entertainers alike move towards instead of moving away from. You've talked about this a little bit when the players were in the bubble. But when you talk about how guys from your generation were maybe not encouraged to make their views public, it seems like this generation of NBA players has sort of tossed that to the side. For the most part. There are a lot of guys that have been really vocal,
especially this year. Are you proud to see that? What does it make you feel when you see the younger guys being so vocal and outspoken. I feel a great sense of prime I think that you know, this has been something that has evolved out of many, many circumstances, many many conversations, many meet and greeds, many you know, situations where incidents have occurred that have affected family members.
So you know, there's there's so many athletes who are out front because you know, they've they've been scarred, you know, by some of the social injustice issues, some of the political politicizing of situations, and you know, this generation, you know, they're standing on the shoulders of previous generations. And I think those previous generations have you know, allowed them to have pretty good job security and and a lot of free time with what to think about what they want
to do. And what they could be doing with their lives. One of the Sixers who's been pretty outspoken is Matis's Bible, and I had the pleasure of going to vote with him and some of our other Sixers staffers this weekend, and something we discussed was how important it is to step into the booth educated and just make sure that you do your research on the candidates that you're voting for and the questions on the back of the ballot.
How important is that research component to you? Well, you know, I think for the major elections, you know what, you're the White House and the Senate um and then as you go down the line and you deal with the sheriff of the county and a controller and the tax collector or whatever many down the line, stuff is no branding because there's only one person in the ballot, so
you so you only have one choice. But in terms of the major choices, and I voted yesterday by mail, so I was just kind of happy to, you know, fill out my ballot and I go over to the post office and I was gonna put it in the mailbox, but the post office was still open and when they saw me come up, you know, heykay, whatever. It's a one guy. You know, he comes out and he looks at it and whatever. He said, I'm going to take special care of this and make sure it gets to
where it's supposed to go to. So that was. That was. It's a great moment and make you feel like you know you're you're you're an insider versus an outsider, because I can't say for sure over the years that I've been really you know, all that dedicated to casting a vote. You mentioned your levels of dedication to casting a vote. Do you remember the first time that you voted yesterday? Wow? And why is that? Uh? For some of the things that I said previously, and and I wasn't so sure
that the vote counted, that an individual's vote counted. That you know, obviously an endorsement, you know, stuff that people could be inspired by, people could question or support. And uh so, so my my politics were somewhat limited to that, you know, where I would try to be an inspiring inspiration force if I like someone, I just didn't go
strictly down the party line or whatever. So you know, I've been to White House a number of times for a variety of reasons, and the last time was while President Barack Obama was there and we were granted an audience and you're in the Oval office, and my family and I you know, spent quality time with him. So the voting piece, Yeah, it really didn't hit me till
you know, last well the last four years. In the last four years, I was like, you know, you you you've been involved and you've been a player and you've been a participant, but you really haven't voted. So so now we checked that box. I think you bring up a really unique point because you have been very vocal, and you've been active in the community, and you've made a lot of change and supported some really important figures.
But to now sort of level with everybody else, maybe people that don't have as much influencer pull in the world the way that you do, and just vote and just make sure that your voice counts the same way as every single one of them. How does that make you feel to sort of be a part of things on a high level, but then also boil it down and do what everybody else is doing. Yeah, yeah, I think it's uh, you know, being at one with the masses.
And you know, if you think about the forefathers in this country, and you know that the goal was to unite, to be the United States of America, to you know, be everybody, to be you know, harn a common level with common goals and common opportunities. And so when you go out and voting, you know, yours is one of even though it's you know, tens of millions of votes, it is putting you on a level with the masses. You talk about those masses. What do you have to say?
Do you have a message to maybe the young docs out there that don't think that the that the voice counts or aren't planning to vote, Um, would you try to persuade them otherwise? Uh? You know, I think at this stage the action is louder than the words, but the words are still necessary. And I mean it's not necessarily something that I want to make a pivot and devote my life too. But in terms of time, timing and opportunity like this, uh, you know, to to get on and do this inter be with you And I
think this is a great thing. And I think those who hear it, and you know, they'll they'll judge in their own way in terms of how they're affected by it, but hopefully they have a positive effect, Well, you're doing this with us today has been really special. And if I may shift years just a little bit, somebody else who has been very outspoken when it comes to speaking up for what's right is Doc Rivers, the new head coach of the seventy six ers. What was your reaction
when you found out that Doc was coming aboard? Fell out of my chair. I was like, whoa man, that's awesome, I think, you know, for him to be available and for the decision we made so quickly, it was a no brainer to get him in. We worked together before.
You know, I was a senior VP of the Orlando Magic while Doc Rivers was a coach down there, so he was getting his speed wet and we got a chance to know one another pretty pretty well, living in Orlando and spending some time out of the golf course and spent a lot of time in the gym with the guys. So so I am amped absolutely that he is a coach of the Sixers. You know, had a great relationship with Brett Brown. He did a fine job and it was just time to move on with no regrets.
Understanding that you know, the ultimate goal is the ultimate goal, trying to win the championship and Doc has been there, and I think he's going to provide the right type of leadership and decision making that will get the Sixers over to Hump. And when the two of you were in Orlando together, that was obviously the beginning of his career as a head coach and that it's been a very illustrious career. What did you see him early as
a young head coach in this league? Well, you know, a guy who's not afraid, for one thing, I think he I think he made it as as a player because of his driving, his determinations as well as his talent, and he's not afraid to succeed. So uh, you know, when the big moment comes, I think he'll do his part and we just need to, you know, condition the
others so that everybody's doing their part. You know, front officers doing their part because ends up doing their part, and you know, everybody's everybody's doing their part and that's how that's what makes it all come together. And this group of players in particular, what do you hope that they gain from Doc's wisdom? I think a sense of pride for one thing. You know, it was it was a great disparity between how team played on the road
versus playing at home. You know, amped up, excited, enthusiastic at home and you know, winning ninety plus percentage of the games, then going on the road and land eggs and the Eggs gotta go, you know, I mean, you have to defend the Ford at home, but you have to you know, defend your own personal pride and your record in your position in the playoffs when you go
on the road. So so to become road warrior is I think if he could instill that in them and encourage better performances on the road, you know that that'll be huge just in terms of win loss record in our position being in the top four in the in the East. And on a more personal note, obviously Doc's nickname is a direct homage to you and your success and talked about how he's been such a big fan of yours. Is that like wild to you to think about the impact you've had and now having it come
full circle in Philadelphia. Well, you know, there were a lot of docks before me. So the fact that advocate you know, doctor J and Heath, doctor G with doctor Glenn or whatever. That that's that's how that's why that's how we're gonna have to do it in Philadelphia. You know, it's, uh, let's keep the J out there, let's keep the G out there because it's so many docs throughout the world and we got to give them their props too. So if we go with doctor JA and doctor G, you're
cool with having two docks in Philadelphia. Very cool with that, Very cool with that. I mean, there's space for everybody. Okay. Well, all I have left to say is I personally really appreciate you having this conversation, and I think that the folks that listen to and watch this are going to feel the same way. So thank you so much once again for doing this today. Well you're welcome, and it was enjoyable. Thank you. Love that a full endorsement. Two doctors.
It's okay, it's kosher copasetic. Everyone's cool with it. From doctor J to doctor G. I think we can now finally consider the matter case closed, no more debate. We can call him doc as I think we should. That's
my stance on it, Doc Rivers, Doctor Julius Irvin. There is room, as doctor J said, for two all right, great chat between Lauren and doctor Jay covered a lot of important matters, the foremost of which is making sure that you vote, drop off your ballot at a box in your designated area, or get to the polls on November third, this coming Tuesday. Crazy that the election is
upon us, this soon. Also crazy that in a matter of days we are going to be sitting right on the doorstep of the twenty twenty NBA Draft, and starting next week, be on the lookout for the beginning of our draft coverage here on the seventy six ers podcast network. I'm excited about that. Be well, stay well, talk to you next time here on the broadcast. See you