Allen Iverson will forever be one of the most influential players the game has ever seen. Yes, he was a great guard, but what truly set him apart was his fearless style of play, which gave smaller guards someone to look up to and model their game after. Among the many who idolized Iverson was Brandon Jennings, who eventually called him the best, even though he initially admired Kobe Bryant’s relentless training routines.
Advertisement
Jennings, who was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2009, was a guest on one of Gilbert Arenas‘ streams. It was a play-off watch-along, and at one point, he had to answer who his favorite player of all time was. He had no hesitation in saying Iverson, and then Kobe.
He didn’t just talk about Iverson on the court, however. Jennings pointed out that his entire persona made him an appealing figure, which is a thought that many share. He was flashy, styled his hair differently with cornrows, and brought a certain type of ‘hip-hop’ influence to basketball that many youngsters related to back in the day.
“I mean, you know, the tattoos, Iverson, the aura… he gave us small guards some hope,” Jennings said on No Chill Gil. “Got his own Reeboks. This whole swag was just different.” And many would second Jennings’ claim. But Iverson wasn’t just an aura farmer either.
At just 6 feet tall and 185 pounds, Allen Iverson was considered far too small to make a real impact in the NBA. But he defied the odds, routinely bullying bigger defenders with his lethal crossovers and ankle-breaking moves. There was no one like Iverson in the league—that’s what made him an MVP, an 11-time All-Star, a Naismith Hall of Famer, and, more importantly, one of the most beloved players in NBA history.
For Jennings, though, the early inspiration came from Kobe. The “Black Mamba” was widely regarded as one of the hardest workers the game has ever seen, and his legendary workouts bordered on myth. Jennings was so inspired by Kobe’s relentless drive that he started replicating it as a kid, going so far as to ask his mom to take him to LA Fitness at the crack of dawn.
“He was the reason why I made my mom wake up every morning, take me to LA Fitness to work out at 5 o’clock. Because I heard he was doing it,” Jennings revealed on a podcast with Dwight Howard.
Safe to say, it was a blend of Bryant’s work ethic and Iverson’s electrifying style that helped shape Jennings into the player who made it to the NBA. Iverson and Bryant were two very different personalities and players. But when it comes to impact, they’re both in a league of their own.
