Allen Iverson “Never Expected to Play in the NBA,” Wanted to Be a Pro Football Player

Allen Iverson redefined the point guard position in the NBA during the late ’90s and early 2000s. His fierce competitiveness on the court was matched only by his swagger off it, but surprisingly, The Answer never imagined making it to basketball’s greatest league.

Iverson revealed during an interview with Slam Magazine that he truly never expected to play in the NBA. The main reason for this was his love for football; AI thought that the game of football would give him a career in pro sports.

“I miss football a lot. I never expected to be playin’ basketball. I never expected to be in the NBA playin’ basketball. I always felt that it was gonna be football,” Iverson shared.

The Answer played numerous positions for his football team at Bethel High School, including quarterback and running back due to his incredible speed. In his junior year, Iverson led the school to the state championship in football and basketball. He even considered going to college for both until he was arrested and convicted for a “maiming by mob” felony.

Fortunately, his sentence was reduced and he was able to continue playing sports.

Iverson then attended Georgetown University, where he made basketball his main focus. He played under legendary college coach John Thompson, who clearly had a massive influence on his career.

“When that happened to me—when I got incarcerated—I knew when I came out, if I went to college, I had to be with a strong coach, somebody who wanted me and somebody who was willing to look out for me. And it couldn’t have been no other better person than Coach Thompson,” Iverson stated.

After being an All-American in college, Iverson was drafted to the Philadelphia 76ers…and the rest is history.

The image of the NBA changed forever due to Allen Iverson

Allen Iverson’s impact on the NBA cannot be ignored. Not only did he create unforgettable ankle-breaking moments that landed him the MVP award in 2001, but he also changed the culture and personality of the game. He is credited with marrying rap to basketball, bringing his cornrow hairstyle mainstream, and promoting non-ceremonial tattoos into popular culture.

Iverson’s influence and playing style carried over to the next generation of basketball superstars. His signature crossover was adopted by numerous big-name players — including Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Steph Curry, James Harden and Kyrie Irving, to name a few. LeBron James would take it a step further.

During an interview with ESPN in 2013, James called The Answer the greatest who ever played the game.

“Pound-for-pound, probably the greatest player who ever played,” James told ESPN. “(Iverson) reminds me of Floyd Mayweather. You could never question (Iverson’s) heart his will to want to win. A true warrior.

Safe to say, the NBA wouldn’t have half the flavor it currently does if not for the road that Iverson paved.

About the author

Joseph Galizia

Joseph is a Las Vegas based actor and circus performer. For the last seven years he's had the pleasure of covering sports for multiple outlets, including the Lifestyles section of Sports Illustrated. In that time, he's conducted over 50 interviews with athletes, filmmakers, and company founders to further cement his footprint in the journalism world. He's excited to bring that skillset to the SportsRush, where he'll be covering the NBA news cycle.

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