"I can cross all different types of color barriers" - Michael Jordan on how Julius Erving helped him become a successful entrepreneur

Michael Jordan has explained how Julius Erving helped him become a successful entrepreneur post his playing days.

Jordan is not only considered the greatest player in NBA history, but his business resume is also one of the best ever. His accomplishments on and off the court have set a precedent for the likes of LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Kevin Durant, Steph Curry and many more.

However, Jordan was not the first NBA superstar to become a successful entrepreneur. In an article by Jackie MacMullan of The Ringer, "His Airness" owes his success to Julius Erving, who was one of the first real larger-than-life personalities the league has ever seen.

"Dr. J was one of the guys that I idolized from the business side of things, and I wanted to take that same passage, you know, and show that I was more than just a basketball player. I had a personality, and I had a business mindset. I can coordinate, and I can cross all different types of color barriers," Jordan told MacMullan.

Erving is believed to be the first NBA player to sign a basketball shoe endorsement deal, in 1976. He signed a contract with Converse and was the face of the company till the 1980s. He also had shares with Electronic Arts that became millions in the 90s before he invested in a bottling plant in Philadelphia.

Meanwhile, Jordan became the face of Nike since 1984, and that gave birth to the famous Jumpman logo used by his own Air Jordan brand. In addition to his partnership with Nike, Jordan has also made a lot of money with Hanes and Gatorade.

"His Airness" is one of the first billionaire athletes in the world. According to Forbes, Jordan has an estimated net worth of around $1.7 billion. He also owns the Charlotte Hornets, as well as the NASCAR team 23XI Racing. In 2020, he invested in betting company DraftKings.

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Julius Erving is the only player Michael Jordan 'couldn't do anything' against

Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls

When Michael Jordan entered the NBA in 1984, the dominant players were Julius Erving, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. However, among those legends, "Dr. J" is the only one Jordan 'couldn't do anything' against because of his admiration for the Sixers great.

"I had a couple of good games against Philadelphia during my first season, but I couldn't do anything when I was matched up with Julius because I had so much admiration for him. I was just happy to be on the same floor," Jordan said in his 1998 book "For the Love of the Game: My Story."

The rest of the 80s were dominated by Magic and Bird, with Erving retiring in 1987. Jordan would go on to win six NBA championships in the 1990s before hanging up his kicks for good in 2003. Jordan would go on to become the majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets in 2010.