Speaker 1: This podcast is part of the seventy Sixers podcast network
Speaker 1: search seventy Sixers podcast Wherever you get your pots. He's
Speaker 1: an icon, a hall of famer, a seventy sixers legend.
Speaker 1: Here Julian Yeah cool on the Doctor, click that one.
Speaker 1: I'll never get into one pile, but one boult like
Speaker 1: hit Kim. But this year Julius Irving is also a
Speaker 1: first time voter. That was like, you know, you, you've
Speaker 1: been involved and you've been a player, and you've been
Speaker 1: at PARTISSU, but you really haven't voted. So now we've
Speaker 1: checked that box. In a conversation with Lauren Rosen, Doctor
Speaker 1: j discusses the importance of voting and his reaction to
Speaker 1: another doc joining his former franchise, Let's keep the J
Speaker 1: out there, Let's keep the G out there. These are
Speaker 1: so many docks throughout the v we got to give
Speaker 1: them their props too. You're cool with having two docks,
Speaker 1: Very cool with very cool with a one on one
Speaker 1: with number six The Doctor. Julius Irving on this edition
Speaker 1: of the broadcast asked how bad was that? I'm usually
Speaker 1: no good in many respects, but my zincoff needs a
Speaker 1: lot of work, a lot How you're doing out there,
Speaker 1: seventy six ers pod people, Brian Seltzer bidding you hello.
Speaker 1: Thank you as always for checking out our stuff here
Speaker 1: on the seventy six ers podcast network Feed. One of
Speaker 1: the big things that comes with the gig that I
Speaker 1: am privileged to have is you get to talk to
Speaker 1: people a lot, oftentimes informal settings in an interview, and
Speaker 1: one of the inherent challenges that I love about interviewing
Speaker 1: people is trying to uncover over the course of an
Speaker 1: interview a piece of information that someone hasn't heard before
Speaker 1: that leaves the listener coming away from it thinking, you
Speaker 1: know what I learned, something I found out, something new
Speaker 1: that I hadn't heard before. So that's one part of
Speaker 1: the challenge. The next part of the challenge is once
Speaker 1: you do uncover that compelling tidbit, you get this rush,
Speaker 1: at least I do, of excitement. You're like, yes, I
Speaker 1: found it. This is the nugget that's going to draw
Speaker 1: people in. But once you discover that, you've got to
Speaker 1: attack it. Not in a real aggressive sense, but you've
Speaker 1: got to go after it, mind it even further and
Speaker 1: try and really flush out a story. And that's one
Speaker 1: of the things that I really love about the conversation
Speaker 1: we're about to hear between our Lauren Rosen and the
Speaker 1: one and only Julius Irving here. It is if we
Speaker 1: can just start off something that I've had the pleasure
Speaker 1: of speaking with some of our current sixers and some
Speaker 1: alumni as well about, it's the importance of voting. Obviously
Speaker 1: this year feels particularly important. But when it comes to
Speaker 1: using your voice and voting and making that opportunity something
Speaker 1: that you seize, why is it so important to you
Speaker 1: to vote well? This year in particular, it's it's the
Speaker 1: most important election that you know, I've ever I've ever
Speaker 1: seen it, and I've ever thought about because of all
Speaker 1: the various things that are going on in our country today.
Speaker 1: You know, I'm I'm a senior citizen, and uh I
Speaker 1: can you know, think back to you know, the days
Speaker 1: when you know, voter suppression existed in the seventies and
Speaker 1: eighties and in different forms than what you see today.
Speaker 1: And it was an interesting time because you know, athletes,
Speaker 1: athletes usually steer clearer politics came up at a time
Speaker 1: when when athletes weren't encouraged necessary to go out front
Speaker 1: and take political stands. That was mostly what the agents
Speaker 1: fed the athletes and said, you know you uh, now
Speaker 1: you can't do both. You know, we we like democrats
Speaker 1: and Republicans. We want democrats and Republicans to wear our
Speaker 1: sneakers and to you know, where our gear and to
Speaker 1: uh to grant us endorsements or what have you. So,
Speaker 1: I know, in my in my twenties and thirties, when
Speaker 1: I was a professional basketball player, uh, you know, there
Speaker 1: were only a couple of times I think, you know,
Speaker 1: I really liked the Kennedy family. Uh, so I was
Speaker 1: public in terms of supporting the Kennedy's. Uh you know,
Speaker 1: they were somewhat you know, my heroes during the day.
Speaker 1: They followed you know, my my my love of Abraham Lincoln,
Speaker 1: and you know, my love of several political figures, giant
Speaker 1: political figures which were you know, great in my eyes.
Speaker 1: But you know, today it's it's different. Uh, you know,
Speaker 1: the having a platform and and speaking out on it,
Speaker 1: going out of your way, uh, reaching in your pocket,
Speaker 1: and donating to the cause that you believe. And you know,
Speaker 1: these are all things that athletes and entertainers alike move
Speaker 1: towards instead of moving away from. You've talked about this
Speaker 1: a little bit when the players were in the bubble.
Speaker 1: But when you talk about how guys from your generation
Speaker 1: were maybe not encouraged to make their views public, it
Speaker 1: seems like this generation of NBA players has sort of
Speaker 1: tossed that to the side. For the most part. There
Speaker 1: are a lot of guys that have been really vocal,
Speaker 1: especially this year. Are you proud to see that? What
Speaker 1: does it make you feel when you see the younger
Speaker 1: guys being so vocal and outspoken. I feel a great
Speaker 1: sense of prime I think that you know, this has
Speaker 1: been something that has evolved out of many, many circumstances,
Speaker 1: many many conversations, many meet and greeds, many you know,
Speaker 1: situations where incidents have occurred that have affected family members.
Speaker 1: So you know, there's there's so many athletes who are
Speaker 1: out front because you know, they've they've been scarred, you know,
Speaker 1: by some of the social injustice issues, some of the
Speaker 1: political politicizing of situations, and you know, this generation, you know,
Speaker 1: they're standing on the shoulders of previous generations. And I
Speaker 1: think those previous generations have you know, allowed them to
Speaker 1: have pretty good job security and and a lot of
Speaker 1: free time with what to think about what they want
Speaker 1: to do. And what they could be doing with their lives.
Speaker 1: One of the Sixers who's been pretty outspoken is Matis's Bible,
Speaker 1: and I had the pleasure of going to vote with
Speaker 1: him and some of our other Sixers staffers this weekend,
Speaker 1: and something we discussed was how important it is to
Speaker 1: step into the booth educated and just make sure that
Speaker 1: you do your research on the candidates that you're voting
Speaker 1: for and the questions on the back of the ballot.
Speaker 1: How important is that research component to you? Well, you know,
Speaker 1: I think for the major elections, you know what, you're
Speaker 1: the White House and the Senate um and then as
Speaker 1: you go down the line and you deal with the
Speaker 1: sheriff of the county and a controller and the tax
Speaker 1: collector or whatever many down the line, stuff is no
Speaker 1: branding because there's only one person in the ballot, so
Speaker 1: you so you only have one choice. But in terms
Speaker 1: of the major choices, and I voted yesterday by mail,
Speaker 1: so I was just kind of happy to, you know,
Speaker 1: fill out my ballot and I go over to the
Speaker 1: post office and I was gonna put it in the mailbox,
Speaker 1: but the post office was still open and when they
Speaker 1: saw me come up, you know, heykay, whatever. It's a
Speaker 1: one guy. You know, he comes out and he looks
Speaker 1: at it and whatever. He said, I'm going to take
Speaker 1: special care of this and make sure it gets to
Speaker 1: where it's supposed to go to. So that was. That was.
Speaker 1: It's a great moment and make you feel like you
Speaker 1: know you're you're you're an insider versus an outsider, because
Speaker 1: I can't say for sure over the years that I've
Speaker 1: been really you know, all that dedicated to casting a vote.
Speaker 1: You mentioned your levels of dedication to casting a vote.
Speaker 1: Do you remember the first time that you voted yesterday? Wow?
Speaker 1: And why is that? Uh? For some of the things
Speaker 1: that I said previously, and and I wasn't so sure
Speaker 1: that the vote counted, that an individual's vote counted. That
Speaker 1: you know, obviously an endorsement, you know, stuff that people
Speaker 1: could be inspired by, people could question or support. And
Speaker 1: uh so, so my my politics were somewhat limited to that,
Speaker 1: you know, where I would try to be an inspiring
Speaker 1: inspiration force if I like someone, I just didn't go
Speaker 1: strictly down the party line or whatever. So you know,
Speaker 1: I've been to White House a number of times for
Speaker 1: a variety of reasons, and the last time was while
Speaker 1: President Barack Obama was there and we were granted an
Speaker 1: audience and you're in the Oval office, and my family
Speaker 1: and I you know, spent quality time with him. So
Speaker 1: the voting piece, Yeah, it really didn't hit me till
Speaker 1: you know, last well the last four years. In the
Speaker 1: last four years, I was like, you know, you you
Speaker 1: you've been involved and you've been a player and you've
Speaker 1: been a participant, but you really haven't voted. So so
Speaker 1: now we checked that box. I think you bring up
Speaker 1: a really unique point because you have been very vocal,
Speaker 1: and you've been active in the community, and you've made
Speaker 1: a lot of change and supported some really important figures.
Speaker 1: But to now sort of level with everybody else, maybe
Speaker 1: people that don't have as much influencer pull in the
Speaker 1: world the way that you do, and just vote and
Speaker 1: just make sure that your voice counts the same way
Speaker 1: as every single one of them. How does that make
Speaker 1: you feel to sort of be a part of things
Speaker 1: on a high level, but then also boil it down
Speaker 1: and do what everybody else is doing. Yeah, yeah, I
Speaker 1: think it's uh, you know, being at one with the masses.
Speaker 1: And you know, if you think about the forefathers in
Speaker 1: this country, and you know that the goal was to unite,
Speaker 1: to be the United States of America, to you know,
Speaker 1: be everybody, to be you know, harn a common level
Speaker 1: with common goals and common opportunities. And so when you
Speaker 1: go out and voting, you know, yours is one of
Speaker 1: even though it's you know, tens of millions of votes,
Speaker 1: it is putting you on a level with the masses.
Speaker 1: You talk about those masses. What do you have to say?
Speaker 1: Do you have a message to maybe the young docs
Speaker 1: out there that don't think that the that the voice
Speaker 1: counts or aren't planning to vote, Um, would you try
Speaker 1: to persuade them otherwise? Uh? You know, I think at
Speaker 1: this stage the action is louder than the words, but
Speaker 1: the words are still necessary. And I mean it's not
Speaker 1: necessarily something that I want to make a pivot and
Speaker 1: devote my life too. But in terms of time, timing
Speaker 1: and opportunity like this, uh, you know, to to get
Speaker 1: on and do this inter be with you And I
Speaker 1: think this is a great thing. And I think those
Speaker 1: who hear it, and you know, they'll they'll judge in
Speaker 1: their own way in terms of how they're affected by it,
Speaker 1: but hopefully they have a positive effect, Well, you're doing
Speaker 1: this with us today has been really special. And if
Speaker 1: I may shift years just a little bit, somebody else
Speaker 1: who has been very outspoken when it comes to speaking
Speaker 1: up for what's right is Doc Rivers, the new head
Speaker 1: coach of the seventy six ers. What was your reaction
Speaker 1: when you found out that Doc was coming aboard? Fell
Speaker 1: out of my chair. I was like, whoa man, that's awesome,
Speaker 1: I think, you know, for him to be available and
Speaker 1: for the decision we made so quickly, it was a
Speaker 1: no brainer to get him in. We worked together before.
Speaker 1: You know, I was a senior VP of the Orlando
Speaker 1: Magic while Doc Rivers was a coach down there, so
Speaker 1: he was getting his speed wet and we got a
Speaker 1: chance to know one another pretty pretty well, living in
Speaker 1: Orlando and spending some time out of the golf course
Speaker 1: and spent a lot of time in the gym with
Speaker 1: the guys. So so I am amped absolutely that he
Speaker 1: is a coach of the Sixers. You know, had a
Speaker 1: great relationship with Brett Brown. He did a fine job
Speaker 1: and it was just time to move on with no regrets.
Speaker 1: Understanding that you know, the ultimate goal is the ultimate goal,
Speaker 1: trying to win the championship and Doc has been there,
Speaker 1: and I think he's going to provide the right type
Speaker 1: of leadership and decision making that will get the Sixers
Speaker 1: over to Hump. And when the two of you were
Speaker 1: in Orlando together, that was obviously the beginning of his
Speaker 1: career as a head coach and that it's been a
Speaker 1: very illustrious career. What did you see him early as
Speaker 1: a young head coach in this league? Well, you know,
Speaker 1: a guy who's not afraid, for one thing, I think
Speaker 1: he I think he made it as as a player
Speaker 1: because of his driving, his determinations as well as his talent,
Speaker 1: and he's not afraid to succeed. So uh, you know,
Speaker 1: when the big moment comes, I think he'll do his
Speaker 1: part and we just need to, you know, condition the
Speaker 1: others so that everybody's doing their part. You know, front
Speaker 1: officers doing their part because ends up doing their part,
Speaker 1: and you know, everybody's everybody's doing their part and that's
Speaker 1: how that's what makes it all come together. And this
Speaker 1: group of players in particular, what do you hope that
Speaker 1: they gain from Doc's wisdom? I think a sense of
Speaker 1: pride for one thing. You know, it was it was
Speaker 1: a great disparity between how team played on the road
Speaker 1: versus playing at home. You know, amped up, excited, enthusiastic
Speaker 1: at home and you know, winning ninety plus percentage of
Speaker 1: the games, then going on the road and land eggs
Speaker 1: and the Eggs gotta go, you know, I mean, you
Speaker 1: have to defend the Ford at home, but you have
Speaker 1: to you know, defend your own personal pride and your
Speaker 1: record in your position in the playoffs when you go
Speaker 1: on the road. So so to become road warrior is
Speaker 1: I think if he could instill that in them and
Speaker 1: encourage better performances on the road, you know that that'll
Speaker 1: be huge just in terms of win loss record in
Speaker 1: our position being in the top four in the in
Speaker 1: the East. And on a more personal note, obviously Doc's
Speaker 1: nickname is a direct homage to you and your success
Speaker 1: and talked about how he's been such a big fan
Speaker 1: of yours. Is that like wild to you to think
Speaker 1: about the impact you've had and now having it come
Speaker 1: full circle in Philadelphia. Well, you know, there were a
Speaker 1: lot of docks before me. So the fact that advocate
Speaker 1: you know, doctor J and Heath, doctor G with doctor
Speaker 1: Glenn or whatever. That that's that's how that's why that's
Speaker 1: how we're gonna have to do it in Philadelphia. You know, it's, uh,
Speaker 1: let's keep the J out there, let's keep the G
Speaker 1: out there because it's so many docs throughout the world
Speaker 1: and we got to give them their props too. So
Speaker 1: if we go with doctor JA and doctor G, you're
Speaker 1: cool with having two docks in Philadelphia. Very cool with that,
Speaker 1: Very cool with that. I mean, there's space for everybody. Okay. Well,
Speaker 1: all I have left to say is I personally really
Speaker 1: appreciate you having this conversation, and I think that the
Speaker 1: folks that listen to and watch this are going to
Speaker 1: feel the same way. So thank you so much once
Speaker 1: again for doing this today. Well you're welcome, and it
Speaker 1: was enjoyable. Thank you. Love that a full endorsement. Two doctors.
Speaker 1: It's okay, it's kosher copasetic. Everyone's cool with it. From
Speaker 1: doctor J to doctor G. I think we can now
Speaker 1: finally consider the matter case closed, no more debate. We
Speaker 1: can call him doc as I think we should. That's
Speaker 1: my stance on it, Doc Rivers, Doctor Julius Irvin. There
Speaker 1: is room, as doctor J said, for two all right,
Speaker 1: great chat between Lauren and doctor Jay covered a lot
Speaker 1: of important matters, the foremost of which is making sure
Speaker 1: that you vote, drop off your ballot at a box
Speaker 1: in your designated area, or get to the polls on
Speaker 1: November third, this coming Tuesday. Crazy that the election is
Speaker 1: upon us, this soon. Also crazy that in a matter
Speaker 1: of days we are going to be sitting right on
Speaker 1: the doorstep of the twenty twenty NBA Draft, and starting
Speaker 1: next week, be on the lookout for the beginning of
Speaker 1: our draft coverage here on the seventy six ers podcast network.
Speaker 1: I'm excited about that. Be well, stay well, talk to
Speaker 1: you next time here on the broadcast. See you