“The No.1 QB ahead of Peyton Manning”: When the legendary Allen Iverson was considered a great NFL prospect and nearly became a quarterback

Nithin Joseph | 16/05/2022
"The No.1 QB ahead of Peyton Manning": When the legendary Allen Iverson was considered a great NFL prospect and nearly became a quarterback instead of an NBA superstar

Allen Iverson was one of the highest-rated quarterbacks in high school football, one rank higher than NFL legend Peyton Manning!

The Philadelphia 76ers drafted a perennial superstar in Allen Iverson back in 1996. Hailing from Georgetown University, AI was the consensus No.1 pick in his class.

Known for his elite ball-handling skills, Iverson wowed basketball fans around the world for 15 seasons. He played for a number of teams, including the 76ers, Pistons, Nuggets, and Grizzlies.

Retiring in 2011, The Answer ended his career averaging close to 27 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists a game, and even won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award in 2001!

Also Read: “With my first pick in the NBA All-time draft, I select Allen Iverson!”: When the Inside Crew lost it at Charles Barkley selecting AI over Michael Jordan in the NBA all-time draft

AI is one of the greatest guards of all time. It’s hard to imagine that he nearly didn’t pursue a career as a basketball player

Allen Iverson was considered to be a higher rated QB than the legendary Peyton Manning

Before turning to basketball, Allen Iverson’s preferred sport of choice was not actually basketball. In fact, he liked the feel of the pigskin in his hands a lot more.

Yes! AI once considered a career in football over one in basketball. Unfortunately, a 15-year prison sentence saw all the offers he had to play college football disappear.

A pity, as Iverson was considered the No.1 high school QB prospect, ahead of Super Bowl Champion and NFL Hall of Famer, Peyton Manning!

Also Read: “Allen Iverson partied for 3 days straight before a game!”: When the 76ers legend lived his best life for 72 whole hours right before All-Star 2001

Fans to this day debate about Iverson’s chances in the NFL. Unfortunately for football fans,  ‘The Answer’ to that question is something we will never know.

Post Edited By: Jeet Pukhrambam
Allen Iverson NBA Peyton Manning

About the author

Nithin Joseph

Nithin is a content writer at The SportsRush. Like his favorite athlete Kobe Bryant, the company has helped Nithin elevate his writing skills to a whole new level, especially as an NBA content writer. With over 1500 articles to his name, Nithin's love for the sport knows no bounds. And, as he continues to watch the sport on a daily basis, he hopes his fascination with the NBA, especially the Miami Heat will inspire more and more readers to give the sport a chance. Perhaps, one day making basketball in India as big as it is in the United States.

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