One of Allen Iverson‘s most popular moves was the crossover, which even managed to put the legendary Michael Jordan on skates in 1997. The Philadelphia 76ers guard’s iconic move against MJ in his rookie year gained a lot of notoriety and is still vivid in the memory of fans. Apparently, Iverson has been planning the move for a long time.
Advertisement
AI’s lethal crossover jumper on Jordan was meant to create a statement. On The Knuckleheads Podcast, Iverson revealed,
“I was telling all my friends and family that if I ever got a chance, if he [Michael Jordan] ever guarded me, I was gonna try my move on the greatest player that ever played…So I knew I was gonna do it.”
The former Sixers guard admitted that he didn’t feel nervous while trying the move. “I was young and just confident. So my heart did one thumping or nothing like that I won’t. I did it like I would do it any other time,” the 2001 MVP added.
It seems like Iverson was indeed able to make a statement against Jordan with this move. Years later, during an appearance on Shannon Sharpe’s show, the former guard described one of his encounters with His Airness at a Charlotte Hornets game. AI jokingly admitted to Sharpe that the Bulls legend is still bitter over the infamous move.
While drinking in the backroom, AI told Jordan that he loved him. However, the 6x NBA champion replied, “You don’t love me, you lil bit**. You wouldn’t have crossed me up like that if you did.”
But Iverson did have love for MJ as a kid who grew up in the late 80s and early 90s.
Allen Iverson’s love for Michael Jordan knew no bounds
Iverson is perhaps the greatest Michael Jordan fan among the best NBA stars of his time. The star Sixers guard has never failed to reiterate his love for the Chicago Bulls legend every time he was asked to speak about his influences in basketball.
In his Hall of Fame Speech, the ‘Answer’ said, “You wanna be fast like Isaiah, shoot like Bird, rebound like Barkley, pass like Magic, be dominant like Shaq. But man, I wanted to be like Mike.”
Michael Jordan also admitted to considering Allen Iverson as an elite point guard. However, he never stopped expressing his honest opinions on the Sixer star’s game.
In an early assessment of Iverson’s rookie career, Jordan noted that AI wasn’t efficient in handling the ball, which was evident from his high number of turnovers. However, the latter greatly improved in that department, creating somewhat of a similar legacy as Jordan’s after a glorious NBA career.
