Long before Julius Erving became one of the most beloved icons of the NBA, he was a young man enjoying the things that came with being a professional athlete. At 21, Dr. J was already experiencing the attention that followed his rise in the ABA. The women, the fame and the lifestyle were all new for Doc.

At one point, Erving decided to experiment and test himself. The ABA showman set an unusual goal of sleeping with different women on “eight” consecutive nights.

Given his magnetic charisma, Dr. J unsurprisingly accomplished it.

However, Erving candidly admitted that the feat did not leave him only feeling macho and satisfied. Instead, he eventually felt a sense of guilt and regret, questioning the kind of person he was becoming.

“There is something wrong about how I treat women,” he wrote in his book, “Dr. J: The Autobiography.” “When I went on that run of eight women in eight days, it left me feeling like I had failed at something, was in some ways a disappointment to my mother.”

The Doctor owns up to his mistakes
For a man whose legendary career was built on extraordinary confidence, that kind of admission revealed a much more vulnerable side. The side of Dr. J that many people did not know.

On the court, Erving was totally in control of his body and mind. Off it, he struggled with temptations.

Julius married Turquoise in 1972, right at the time when his basketball career was beginning to take off, but marriage did not immediately end Doc’s womanizing ways.

During his marriage, Erving had an affair with sportswriter Samantha Stevenson. Their relationship resulted in the birth of Alexandra Stevenson in 1980.

Alexandra eventually became a professional tennis player and made international headlines in 1999 when she reached the Wimbledon semi-finals at 18 years old. The achievement was remarkable on its own, but the attention intensified when Erving publicly acknowledged that he was Alexandra’s biological father.

In his book, Dr. J reflected on the consequences of his choices, particularly after becoming a father. He took accountability for some of the attention and circumstances Alexandra never chose.

“I’ve paid a terrible price for my sins, and there is some justice in that. But should Alexandra have had to pay a price? What sin did she commit?” the Hall of Famer further opened up.

Never too late to make the right choice

Erving’s first marriage eventually ended in divorce in 2003. He gave himself another chance in love and married Dorys Madden five years later, They have built a family together.

Doc’s relationship with Alexandra also evolved. After years apart, she reached out to him in 2008 and the two began rebuilding their relationship. Erving even attended one of Alexandra’s matches once, which signaled that their story was no longer defined by the mistakes of his younger years.

Today, Dr. J is remembered first for what he gave basketball. He revolutionized the game with his otherworldly athleticism, creativity and elegance. However, Erving’s life away from the hardwood tells another story.