Tommy Paul Names Most Fascinating Sports Personality and It’s Not Andre Agassi or Michael Jordan

Apart from his wizardry on the basketball hardwood, Allen Iverson is popular amongst the American sporting community for being a cultural icon. While Iverson never won the prestigious NBA championship across a 14-year career, he still had a lasting impact on his fans. Tommy Paul was among the many kids who were influenced by the 2001 NBA Most Valuable Player. So much so, that Paul would happily switch lives with the Hall-of-Fame basketball player over the likes of Michael Jordan and Andre Agassi.

ATP Tour released a video on their official YouTube account where certain players were asked the question, “Which historical figure would you switch lives with and why?”

After giving it a bit of thought Tommy Paul revealed that he’d want to switch lives with Allen Iverson. Paul’s reasoning for the same? He felt like AI was having a “good time” during his prime.

“Switch with somebody… Maybe Allen Iverson in his prime. I feel like he had a good time doing whatever he was doing (laughs).

The World No.16 picking Iverson makes a lot of sense. Just like how he claims the NBA legend has a “good time”, Paul is also known for enjoying his time off the court. Additionally, according to multiple sources, Tommy is a huge fan of the Philadelphia 76ers – the same team Iverson represented for 12 long seasons.

The 26-year-old wasn’t the only one to pick a basketball player to switch lives with. Zhang Zhizhen also thought for a while before naming NBA legend Yao Ming. Speaking about how “good” it would be to stand 2.43 meters tall, Zhang said:

“Yao Ming… Yao Ming is too tall. Maybe I can try for Yao Ming because 2 meter 43, you go everywhere you feel you are taller than anyone… Everyone you see, it’s like, so small. That’s good, should be good.”

Ultimately, Zhang backtracked on his comments and humbly claimed that he just wanted to be himself.

“I don’t wanna be anyone, just wanna be myself,” the China star said.

Tommy Paul and Zhang Zhizhen might not be the Allen Iverson and the Yao Ming of the tennis world, but they surely are two tough players on the ATP Tour.

Tommy Paul, Roger Federer and Nick Kyrgios Are Among Many Allen Iverson Fans

Allen Iverson isn’t one of the contenders for the prestigious GOAT title. However, the 6ft undersized guard did have a huge impact on the sport. On the floor, Iverson redefined how the modern point guard can be creative with the ball in his hands. However, Iverson’s biggest contributions come to the sport for his off-court antics.

The Virginia native single-handedly brought a cultural change to the NBA. Seen dressing up in baggy clothes, snapbacks, durags, and being filled with tattoos and jewelry, Iverson is responsible for the NBA being synonymous with the hip-hop culture. Hence, the Hall-of-Famer is often recognised for having a lasting influence on the sport and its fans.

This is why the likes of Tommy Paul, Roger Federer and Nick Kyrgios are huge Allen Iverson fans.