Allen Iverson was in a class by himself. Truly. The former Philadelphia 76ers guard was a trailblazer in the NBA, due to his role in bringing about a culture that emphasizes the strengths of a guard, in a time where ‘Big Men’ were given predilection.
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Iverson entered the league as the number one overall pick in a talent-packed 1996 draft class. This included the likes of Ray Allen, Steve Nash, and most notably, Kobe Bryant.
At the time, the game revolved around the paint and ‘Big Men’. As their size made it convenient to score. At 6’1, ‘AI’ redefined the game, with his agile, mobile, and nimble style of play. Iverson relied on his pace and extensive skillset to outsmart defenders.
In spite of this, ‘The Answer’ never captured a championship. And a large part of that was due to his lifestyle. His former NBA counterpart, Gilbert Arenas gave an insight into just how unpredictable his lifestyle was, which helped him prosper.
Gilbert Arenas spills the beans on Allen Iverson’s secret!
Gilbert Arenas was a clinical scorer during the 2000s. The former Washington Wizards guard played against some of the very best NBA players to ever step foot on the hardwood.
However, none like Iverson. Arenas once shared a magnificent story of just how ludicrous Iverson’s lifestyle was. Arenas was also of the impression that his way of life magnified his abilities to perform on the court.
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Gilbert said:
“What ends up happening is, he takes two weeks..They was like. ‘Man if you averaging this, this and this drinking and partying every night, imagine if you didn’t do that. Imagine if you ate clean and did this..So two weeks, went to sleep early, ate, didn’t drink..worst two weeks of his career. Man said ‘Hell Naw’..Went out there, got drunk, 50!”
While these traits of Iverson enabled him to be the version we witnessed, one can’t help but wonder, what an Iverson with the mindset of Kobe Bryant could have achieved in the game.
Perhaps, had Iverson maintained a stringent diet regime and focused his attention on mastering his body and craft, we might have witnessed the greatest basketball player, all things considered.
Allen Iverson: The Answer!
In spite of his frolics, the American established and solidified himself as a top player in the league. The 47-year-old could go toe-to-toe with the most superlative players in the league. This was highlighted in his rookie year when he crossed Michael Jordan for a ridiculous bucket.
Throughout his NBA tenure, Iverson averaged 26.7 points per game and 6.2 assists per game in 14 seasons. Extraordinary.
Had the Answer captured an NBA championship, with the rosters he was surrounded by, we might have been looking at perhaps the greatest guard, considering he was merely 6’1.
