Has Dr. J dropped the most in all time rankings over the years?
When I started following the NBA in the 90s, I clearly remember that Dr. J was constantly mentioned in all time top 10 discussions by magazines, TV shows and older fans.
Back then, Julius Erving still felt like one of the true giants of basketball history. Older fans talked about him almost the way people later talked about Jordan: revolutionary style, above the rim athleticism, charisma, influence on basketball culture, etc.
Today, it feels completely different. Younger fans rarely mention him in GOAT discussions anymore, and many seem to rank him much lower historically than people did in the 80s and 90s.
I also think the ABA/NBA split hurt his legacy over time. Even though the ABA is officially recognized, ABA accomplishments still feel culturally less valued in modern NBA discussions, and Dr. J was the biggest icon of that league.
Meanwhile, newer generations grew up with Jordan, Kobe, LeBron, Duncan, Shaq and Curry dominating the conversation.
So I’m genuinely curious:
Has any all time great dropped more than Dr. J in historical rankings and overall notoriety over the last 30 years?