Well said. Whether he is one of the 50 greatest is debatable. His playing style did hinder winning a championship not because he's inefficient, but because his game didn't mesh well with another star player. But he is definitely a legend because of his fame. Pistol Pete is a legend even though he was not a very efficient player who played winning basketball. In fact, I would argue that Robert Horry was a legend because of all those big shots he made. A legend is someone who makes unusual achievements.
Because he played bad in Europe's second level the Eurocup (level below Euroleague), and had bad stats and his team was losing. Then he started quitting on the team, not wanting to practice, then he got injured and left the team and would not return to it. Interestingly enough, the team got better right after he left it. Just as a comparison, Beverely played in the same league and was named MVP, while Iverson was nearing scrub status at that level. In all truth, not a single team in Europe would ever touch Iverson again.
A notch below Isiah Thomas. AI's game didn't mature much, however he never played with the talent Zeke was surrounded with.
By the look of all the tattooed and cornrowed basketball players in the modern game, I'd have to concur. He accelerated the merger of the hip hop culture and the NBA.
I agree. This was one of the most beastly player I ever seen. Single handedly lead the sixers to the finals. I remember when he almost single handedly overcame a 40 pint deficet by scoring 32 in a qaurter I think. One of the best games I ever seen.
I he had kept his quickness, (you do know shorter people are quicker right. If Michael Bradley had 5 times his quickness he would have been a MVP. (do you see how absurd and useless those statements are?) He didn't play with scrubs, he didn't play with the best offensive players, but they were not scrubs. Iverson couldn't play together with another ball dominant offensive player (all those players got traded away players). Iverson knew one way to pay the game, and it is a inefficient way. You never win a championship with that type of basketball (for the people who say he went to the finals, you do know how terrible the east was in those years) Iverson is not a legend, he is one of the most overrate players, people loved him because he was small and fearless.
No he wasn't. He was a poor defender, was undersized, overall an inefficient player that also wasn't a great example setter. There are easily 50 players better than him.
He wasn't that inefficient, he posted some pretty high efficiency ratings at his peak. Basically the problem with perception of Iverson is that if he averages 30 points and 6 assists, people think he's some kind of a failure because he had the body of a point guard. He wasn't - he was a shooting guard, just like Kobe, Dwyane Wade, etc etc. He posted all-star numbers consistently for about 10 years. He was what he was.
We'll see if he becomes a Texas Legend. He's obviously a basketball legend. He did lead his team to the finals pretty much all by himself.
Iverson Declines D-League Offer, Admits Actions Ended Career Early Jan 29, 2013 10:21 AM EST Allen Iverson wrote on Twitter that he has declined an invitation to join the D-League's Texas Legends. The Legends have been pursuing Iverson throughout the season. "I thank Donnie (Nelson) and Dallas for the consideration and while I think the D-League is a great opportunity, it is not the route for me," wrote Iverson. "I realize my actions contributed to my early departure from the NBA, should God provide me another opportunity I will give it my all," Iverson continued. Iverson's post was his first in 57 days. Via RealGM Staff Report
