Jason Levin Reflects on ABA Icons, Pushes for Wilt-Kareem 1972 Playoff Film
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LOS ANGELES — Soul Power contributor Jason Levin recalled the moment a teenage viewing of an American Basketball Association playoff game ignited his lifelong fascination with the league, detailing memories of Julius Erving, Connie Hawkins and Willie Wise in a recent interview.
The first lightning bolt
Levin said a Saturday morning telecast on CBS introduced him to the ABA when he was 12. Watching rookie Julius “Dr. J” Erving of the Virginia Squires face Rick Barry and the New York Nets, Levin was struck first by the red-white-and-blue ball, then by Erving’s coast-to-coast dunk. “I’d never seen anything like that,” he said, adding that he bought the tricolor ball the next day and began following the league through The Sporting News.
Comparing Dr. J and Connie Hawkins
Asked about ABA predecessor Connie Hawkins, Levin noted similarities in hand size and ball control between Hawkins and Erving but emphasized Hawkins’ showmanship learned with the Harlem Globetrotters. He argued that injuries and a six-year absence from serious competition prevented fans from witnessing Hawkins’ true prime.
Willie Wise: a 1970s Kawhi Leonard
Levin likened Utah Stars forward Willie Wise to modern star Kawhi Leonard, citing Wise’s defense-first mentality, ability to guard elite scorers for a full 48 minutes and consistent playoff production from 1970 to 1974. “He was as good as anybody in the game at forward,” Levin said, listing Dr. J, John Havlicek and Rick Barry among the contemporaries Wise routinely battled.
The ABA’s lasting imprint
Levin stressed that ABA players matched NBA talent despite inferior infrastructure, early-morning travel and subpar arenas. He credited the rival league with accelerating the sport’s evolution through the three-point shot, dunk-centered highlights and a freer style of play.
Next story to tell
Looking ahead, Levin called for a documentary on the 1972 Western Conference Finals, spotlighting Wilt Chamberlain leading the Los Angeles Lakers past defending champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Milwaukee Bucks. With the Lakers coming off a string of Finals defeats and Chamberlain chasing a second title late in his career, Levin believes the pressure-packed series “deserves its own documentary.”
Levin can be found on X at @jasonlevin18. Hoops Wire’s Andy Roth conducted the interview.
Source: Hoops Wire
