Allen Iverson joins Sixers royalty with his own statue at the 76ers' practice facility! 🙌
An emotional Friday for every Philadelphia 76ers fans, as the legendary Allen Iverson was honored with a statue by the franchise who drafted him back in 1996 and saw him become one of the NBA's most beloved icons.
Iverson played in Philadelphia nearly 11 years, from the 1996-97 campaign to the 2006-07 season, when he was traded to the Denver Nuggets. He returned to his "home" to play a few more games in the 2009-10 season, after that he decided to play overseas, in Turkey, before retiring.
Allen was perhaps the most exciting player to watch back in the day. In a league filled with amazing talents such as Shaquille O'Neal. Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady to name a few, Iverson was a clear standout. He was a relentless scorer who wasn't affraid of getting beated up when attacking the rim. Listed at 6-0 and 165 lbs, Allen Iverson was fearless, playing his heart out in every possession despite being one of the smallests and skinniest players at that time.
He was lightning fast and had nearly every move on his bag. Most of basketball fans remember his killer crossovers and his flashy moves finishing at the rim.
AI reached his peak in the 2000-01 NBA season. That year 'The Answer' won the MVP and carried the Sixers all the way up to the Finals when they faced the mighty Kobe & Shaq's Lakers, who at the time were the reigning champions and had never lost a game during those playoffs. Iverson scored 48 points at the Staples Center to steal game 1 of the Finals, but the Sixers had no way to stop Shaq and LA ended up taking the series.
Despite having a rollercoaster career, with some remebered feuds with his former coach, Larry Brown, Iverson is remebered today as the greatest basketball player, point-to-pound. His controversial style and his genuine personality made him the figure that he is, passing now to inmortality in Philadelphia with the unveiling of his statue.
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