There are several NBA legends in the league’s history who have had a huge impact on how the sport is viewed. Some revolutionized the game with their playing style, while others carried an off court swagger that made it hard not to envy them. Allen Iverson had both, something that has rarely, if ever, been seen in the NBA.
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When it comes to playing, Iverson was one of the most explosive scoring guards ever, with his small size adding to his flair and his dribbling skills making his style of play extremely attractive. Smaller players, who for the longest time did not really have a true star to look up to, suddenly began idolizing Iverson. Then came his connection to “the culture,” something Rich Paul recently spoke about.
Paul, the CEO of Klutch Sports and LeBron James’ agent, knows a thing or two about what it takes to be an influential superstar. He has represented the King for years, after all. In an interview, he opined on what made Iverson’s brand so successful.
“They connect to culture. A.I. had suburban kids wearing cornrows and arm sleeves,” Paul said, recalling how almost everyone tried to emulate the ‘rapper style’ look that Iverson had. “A.I. had every rapper, A.I. had Bentleys parked on the sidewalks that he forgot he even owned.”
NBA fans wanted to be like A.I., and that made him astronomically popular and a huge asset for companies looking to cash in. His shoe line with Reebok, for example, went on to become one of the most iconic and best selling of all time.
“He had the mink to the floor. He had the platinum iced out. He had everything. He connected to culture and he’s dropping 40!” Paul added.
Iverson always realized the impact he was having off the court with the way he dressed and carried himself, and he embraced it. He was also candid about its origins, once admitting that he dressed the way the guys in his neighborhood did.
“I never went to a basketball court with a suit on. Only time I remember wearing a suit was to funerals and church. My whole thing was, I was always comfortable in my own skin,” the 2001 MVP stated in an older interview.
“I used to dress like the guys in our neighborhood. It was just that I could afford the stuff that we couldn’t afford back then. The timbs, the du-rags, the hats…”
Iverson truly was an icon, for what he did to the game of basketball both on and off the court.
