UNSCRIPTED: Allen Iverson will Forever Be Known as...“THE ANSWER”

Unscripted By Keith Edmonds
FWIS Contributing Writer

“ I don’t think that I should have to defend myself anymore, I’ve done enough of that in my life. I’m a villain to those that don’t rock with me, and a superhero to those that do rock with me.” ~Allen Iverson

Competitive sports gives us thrills, excitement, and memories that last a lifetime. We hope our favorite teams compete and do well, and we latch on to player(s) that give us that little something “extra” that makes us continue to root, support, and make us become so engaged and excited that people call us FANS (which is short for FANatics)! I’ve been a fan of teams and players for all of my life and certainly have my favorites too! I am often intrigued by athletes that are so good, so passionate about how they compete that they push the boundaries of what is exciting and what is unacceptable each and every time they step onto their chosen field(s) of play. Their skillset is extraordinary, and their love of what they do is never questioned but “how they do it” is. One of the things that intrigues me the most are athletes that society looks at as controversial, or unconventional in their approach to their craft. Stop for a minute and think about who that would be in YOUR mind... Dennis Rodman, John McEnroe, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, the list is endless of athletes that were so good, so dominant, and so off the cuff that we couldn’t define just how good they were/are! Could we say that they were. ICONIC?

Now, with that being said, what picture comes to mind when someone says to you “Hey, how good was Allen Iverson”? Was he really the best point guard in NBA history? Some would say YES! Was he one of the best scorers from the guard position ever? Some would say YES! Now when the question is posed as to was he “one of the most controversial athletes to ever play professional sports? That answer would unequivocally be HECK YES! (insert your own word for HECK) Why, you ask? Because he is one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, but his impact went beyond just his play on the court. Iverson has gone down as a cultural icon for the way he dressed, his tattoos, and his appearance in general. He also famously went against the grain by not wearing suits to games and who could ever forget his press conference when after being asked why he chose not to practice before a particular Philadelphia 76ers game he was quoted as saying “I’m supposed to be the Franchise player and you guys are questioning me about practice? Not, a game, not a game, but...PRACTICE”? Iverson was iconic not only for how he played as his 26.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 2.2 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game for his career. He was also named MVP in 2001 and also won four NBA scoring titles! But his impact reached further beyond the court when he clashed with David Stern on how he DRESSED to come to games! With his trademark cornrows in his hair and baggy jeans and sweatshirts, Iverson was NOT what the NBA envisioned when their athletes were viewed entering arenas and is caused an uproar! His hip-hop wardrobe and language changed the NBA culture, but he took a BEATING for it personally. NBA commissioner David Stern was so enraged by Iverson’s approach that he instituted a “dress code” for players to follow on game days of suit and ties or collared shirts, because many players were influenced by Iverson’s gear. Wow! Iverson was quoted as saying “I ain't never went to the gym wearing a suit, so why would I wear a suit to a game? To play basketball? I feel like it's not what's on the outerwear, it's that heart, man, it's who you are outside of the clothes. Clothes don't make nobody”!

That statement made new commissioner Adam Silver adopt a more “relaxed” policy for players in today’s game. (Have you seen the fashions that are sported to NBA games these days)? They range from suits to oversized garbage bags! Ha ha ha!! Who do they have to thank for that? The ANSWER of course! Iverson, (who is now 50 years old) is still beloved and respected by fans, and players. He’s made the news recently because of his ridiculous lifetime deal with Reebok (and his shoe The Answer) which pays him over $800,000 per year and will pay him 32 million in the final year of his deal when he turns 55. Folks, that is some ICONIC stuff!

Allen Iverson Hall of Famer, global icon, and one of the best players to EVER play this game is a man who stayed true to who he was (and still is) and that’s why when his name comes up in conversations of who was one of the best to ever lace them up at the guard position, The correct response most often will be THE ANSWER!

ALLEN IVERSON RESUME

(14 Seasons)

• Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame (2016).

• Named to NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team,

• 11-time All-Star (MVP in 2001 & 2005)

• 2001 League MVP,

• 3X All-NBA First Team selection.

• 1997 Rookie of the Year.

• 4X NBA Scoring Champion.

• 24,368 Career Points in the NBA (19th All-Time)

• Led the NBA in steals 3X

• Made over $155 Millions Dollars while playing in the NBA