Sports Media with Richard Deitsch First Look: A new doc shows the Julius Erving you never saw — when he was like Michael Jordan every night
Feb 12, 2026
Kenan Kamwana Holley, an Emmy-winning documentarian who directed the four-part ABA series Soul Power, talks archival treasures and rare interviews. He describes finding Julius Erving footage that shows Dr. J at his athletic peak. Holley explains using unseen photos and experiential sessions to capture emotional reactions and the ABA’s tight-knit brotherhood.
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Finding Dr. J Through A Podcast
- Kenan Kamwana Holley recounts discovering Julius Erving via a podcast and arranging interviews where Erving saw unseen photos.
- Holley describes Erving emotionally reacting to images, especially rare photos after the ABA's final game.
Use Experiential Interviews
- Use experiential interviews by showing subjects unseen visual materials to elicit genuine emotion and stories.
- Holley says this method produced unique, organic reactions he hadn't achieved in prior films.
Brotherhood Born From Adversity
- Holley and players emphasize the ABA created a deep brotherhood because of financial and media pressures.
- That camaraderie explains why former ABA stars speak about the league with reverence.