--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I started playing professional basketball…" description: "\"I started playing professional basketball in 1971, and I played professionally for five seasons before going to Philadelphia.\" — Julius Erving" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cf/julius-erving-10131_basketball_i-started-playing-professional-basketbal_1517140.jpg" --- # I started playing professional basketball in 1971, and I… ![“I started playing professional basketball in 1971, and I played professionally for five seasons before going to Philadelphia.” quote by Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cf/julius-erving-10131_basketball_i-started-playing-professional-basketbal_1517140.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cf/julius-erving-10131_basketball_i-started-playing-professional-basketbal_1517140.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cf/julius-erving-10131_basketball_i-started-playing-professional-basketbal_1517140.jpg) > “I started playing professional basketball in 1971, and I played professionally for five seasons before going to Philadelphia.” [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early professional experience shaped a lasting athletic career. **In simple terms:** Starting pro early builds a strong foundation. Key Takeaway Leverage early opportunities. Themes sports career growth Mood reflective pragmatic Type historical biographical When to use this quote - college recruitment - training regimes - career transitions - post‑career planning Key Concepts early professional experience career development Questions to Reflect On - Did early start affect your education? - What sacrifices were made? A Different Perspective Early start may limit education or personal growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Philadelphia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philadelphia/) [Seasons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seasons/) ## Related quotes > [My older brother played professionally in Europe. My other older brother went to UConn on scholarship, finished his education in political science, then he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/my-older-brother-played-professionally-in-europe-my-other-older/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [Sport must be amateur or it is not sport. Sports played professionally are entertainment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avery-brundage/sport-must-be-amateur-or-it-is-not-sport-sports-played-professionally/) [Avery Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avery-brundage/) > [I went to national piano competitions and did that whole circuit. Then I played professionally to support myself when I moved out to LA.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-witt/i-went-to-national-piano-competitions-and-did-that-whole-circuit-then/) [Alicia Witt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-witt/) > [My sister plays for PSG. My brother played, too, but not professionally. So I had no choice!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ada-hegerberg/my-sister-plays-for-psg-my-brother-played-too-but-not-professionally/) [Ada Hegerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ada-hegerberg/) > [If you have good, helpful information that you can give somebody, it doesn't really matter if you're a former player or you never played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/if-you-have-good-helpful-information-that-you-can-give-somebody-it/) [Brandon Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-crawford/) > [I mean, I was nominated McDonald's All-American, top 100 basketball players in the U.S. I played professionally for one year in Ireland. I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/i-mean-i-was-nominated-mcdonald-s-all-american-top-100-basketball/) [RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/) > [My husband actually quit his job as a civil engineer so that he could travel, so we could be together as a family while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-mendoza/my-husband-actually-quit-his-job-as-a-civil-engineer-so-that-he-could/) [Jessica Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-mendoza/) > [When I went to Philadelphia I was 26 years old and really sitting on top of the world. Family life, a professional career, plenty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/when-i-went-to-philadelphia-i-was-26-years-old-and-really-sitting-on/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [If I could be anything, it would be a professional basketball player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-palmer/if-i-could-be-anything-it-would-be-a-professional-basketball-player/) [Carson Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-palmer/) > [I know people that was playing basketball better than me. If they were in the NBA, they could be All-Stars, those people. They just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-ibaka/i-know-people-that-was-playing-basketball-better-than-me-if-they-were/) [Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) > [I have seen about every side of professional basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-havlicek/i-have-seen-about-every-side-of-professional-basketball/) [John Havlicek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-havlicek/) > [There was no professional basketball for me in the United States when I was in grade school and middle school. I could look to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-bird/there-was-no-professional-basketball-for-me-in-the-united-states-when/) [Sue Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-bird/) > [If I hadn't become a professional basketball player, I would have become a history teacher. There's so much to learn from history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/if-i-hadn-t-become-a-professional-basketball-player-i-would-have/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) > [I am focusing on the process of making my dream come true, which is to play professional basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-j-mayo/i-am-focusing-on-the-process-of-making-my-dream-come-true-which-is-to/) [O. J. Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-j-mayo/) > [It's not like being a professional basketball player where you're in a big house. Maybe three, four or five guys make a couple million…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-grillo/it-s-not-like-being-a-professional-basketball-player-where-you-re-in/) [Frank Grillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-grillo/) ## More by Julius Erving > [I liked the game, I enjoyed the game, and the game fed me enough, and gave me enough rewards to reinforce that this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-liked-the-game-i-enjoyed-the-game-and-the-game-fed-me-enough-and/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [You know, just in terms of having to have a life on the road, you know, having the celebrity aspect be a burden for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/you-know-just-in-terms-of-having-to-have-a-life-on-the-road-you-know/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [But you know, we have a very normal family. We've had our ups and downs. You know, we've had our issues, but we've had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/but-you-know-we-have-a-very-normal-family-we-ve-had-our-ups-and-downs/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [LA Clippers should come to Louisville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/la-clippers-should-come-to-louisville/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [Being a professional is doing the things you love to do, on the days you don't feel like doing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/being-a-professional-is-doing-the-things-you-love-to-do-on-the-days/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [I think I was chosen by basketball, although I never really physically got drafted to any team that I played for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-think-i-was-chosen-by-basketball-although-i-never-really-physically/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [As a kid, I played a lot of one-on-none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/as-a-kid-i-played-a-lot-of-one-on-none/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [Goals determine what you are going to be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/goals-determine-what-you-are-going-to-be/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [I demand more from myself than anybody could ever expect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-demand-more-from-myself-than-anybody-could-ever-expect/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [I think that my God-given physical attributes, big hands, and big feet, the way that I'm built, proportion-wise, just made basketball the most inviting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-think-that-my-god-given-physical-attributes-big-hands-and-big-feet/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [I've always tried to tell myself that the work itself is the thing, that win, lose, or draw, the work is really what counts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-ve-always-tried-to-tell-myself-that-the-work-itself-is-the-thing/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [When I went to Philadelphia I was 26 years old and really sitting on top of the world. Family life, a professional career, plenty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/when-i-went-to-philadelphia-i-was-26-years-old-and-really-sitting-on/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [When I played, the owners had the power. The prisoners are running the prison now, not the warden. The warden is strong and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/when-i-played-the-owners-had-the-power-the-prisoners-are-running-the/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [If you don't do what's best for your body, you're the one who comes up on the short end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/if-you-don-t-do-what-s-best-for-your-body-you-re-the-one-who-comes-up/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [I always try to keep a pretty conservative demeanor on the court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-always-try-to-keep-a-pretty-conservative-demeanor-on-the-court/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) [Explore all 67 Julius Erving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) ## More Basketball quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [There is no doubt in my mind and I know in my time, there will be a Canadian basketball player playing for Toronto Raptors, 100%](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/there-is-no-doubt-in-my-mind-and-i-know-in-my-time-there-will-be-a/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [I learned so much from Sue about the Xs and Os of the game of basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/i-learned-so-much-from-sue-about-the-xs-and-os-of-the-game-of/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [ I failed, I think, seven \[or\] eight times before I finally got my first \[championship\]. It was just, you know, just about me growing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-before-i-finally-got-my-first/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [It's not how big you are, it's how big you play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-s-not-how-big-you-are-it-s-how-big-you-play/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Basketball isn't just a sport to me ; it's my ecstasy !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamira-robinson/basketball-isn-t-just-a-sport-to-me-it-s-my-ecstasy/) [Jamira Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamira-robinson/) > [It's similar to basketball: when you go to different gyms and win or lose, you learn something new. So when kids get out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-iguodala/it-s-similar-to-basketball-when-you-go-to-different-gyms-and-win-or/) [Andre Iguodala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-iguodala/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) > [And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a famous figurehead that gets a job because he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-i-want-to-do-it-the-right-way-like-everybody-else-not-just-a/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Well, you can certainly teach free-throwing. And you can teach the boys to pass at angles and run in curves. - University of Kansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-dawkins/well-you-can-certainly-teach-free-throwing-and-you-can-teach-the-boys/) [Darryl Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-dawkins/) > [Practice to beat the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bennett/practice-to-beat-the-best/) [Dick Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bennett/) > [I'm a competitive person. I love the game of basketball. I'm a gym rat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/i-m-a-competitive-person-i-love-the-game-of-basketball-i-m-a-gym-rat/) [Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/) > [I am both humbled and honored to receive the Honda Sports Award for women's basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittney-griner/i-am-both-humbled-and-honored-to-receive-the-honda-sports-award-for/) [Brittney Griner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittney-griner/) > [What I've talked about the entire series and throughout this playoffs is about intensity and effort, desire and will of our players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-laimbeer/what-i-ve-talked-about-the-entire-series-and-throughout-this-playoffs/) [Bill Laimbeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-laimbeer/) [Browse all 5,387 Basketball quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I started playing professional basketball in 1971, and I played professionally for five seasons before going to Philadelphia.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Julius Erving" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-started-playing-professional-basketball-in-1971-and-i-played/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-started-playing-professional-basketball-in-1971-and-i-played/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cf/julius-erving-10131_basketball_i-started-playing-professional-basketbal_1517140.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cf/julius-erving-10131_basketball_i-started-playing-professional-basketbal_1517140.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cf/julius-erving-10131_basketball_i-started-playing-professional-basketbal_1517140.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I started playing professional basketball in 1971, and I played professionally for five seasons before going…” — Julius Erving", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Julius Erving", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I started playing professional basketball in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-started-playing-professional-basketball-in-1971-and-i-played/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-started-playing-professional-basketball-in-1971-and-i-played/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```