Losing His 76ers Franchise Over $200,000 Due To His Clothes, Allen Iverson Vehemently Disapproved The Idea Of Wearing Suits Decades Ago

Allen Iverson is undoubtedly one of the most iconic players in the history of the NBA. A trendsetter, AI made a name for himself for his unique sense of fashion and his “bad boy” personality. He was always getting in trouble for his actions, once even going so far as to disobey orders from the commissioner of the NBA himself. This once resulted in the Philadelphia 76ers having to shell out $200,000 because of his clothing. But, as revealed on Twitter, Iverson did not care, sharing the reason why he dressed the way he did back in the early to mid-2000s.

In October of 2005, then-commissioner, the late David Stern passed some new rules regarding the dress code for players. In particular, he banned some of the more fashionable items of the era including baggy shorts, jerseys, durags, and jewelry. This led to several teams and players being fined. However, this didn’t bother ‘The Answer’ at all.

Despite losing the 76ers $200,000, Allen Iverson unapologetically stuck to his fashion sense

An enigma to many, Allen Iverson was well aware of the influence he had in the NBA. His style of play coupled with his fashion sense made him an idol to many professional, and aspiring basketball players. That being said, his personality didn’t sit too well with the league itself. However, that was something ‘AI’ had no problem with.

Unapologetically himself, Iverson rejected the league’s demands for him to wear a suit. Sharing his reasoning, he revealed that he dressed like those around his neighborhood. No one wore suits in his part of town, whether it was to a basketball game or to the park. Additionally, he pointed out that most of the clothes he wears cost more than a suit.

“My thing was I dress like the guys from my neighborhood. I wouldn’t wear suits to a basketball game, I never wore a suit to the park. Everybody’s dressed up like they’re going to Sunday school. I just wore what I usually wear. I used to always say, ‘They want me to put on a suit. The outfit that I got on right now costs way more than a suit.”

It certainly is an interesting ideology. And unfortunately, it is also one that has got him and his former 76ers teammates into a lot of trouble. More specifically, during the 2005-2006 season, the Sixers were fined $200,000 after AI, John Salmons, Kyle Korver, and Kevin Ollie were caught wearing long shorts instead of suits.

Nevertheless, Iverson’s iconic fashion sense and decision to continue defying the rules had a huge impact on the league. Today, in 2023, the rules have relatively grown a lot more lax. Following allegations suggesting the dress code had racial undertones, the NBA had no choice but to allow players to express themselves as they saw fit.

Iverson is still commended for his revolutionary style of play a decade after retiring

He may have never won an NBA Championship, but Allen Iverson is undoubtedly one of the greatest players of all time. Known for his speed, quick handles, and killer crossover, AI-inspired hundreds of young basketball players. Even after retiring in 2010, his influence is still seen in today’s NBA.

Youngsters like Shaquille O’Neal’s son Shareef have expressed just how impactful a player Iverson was. And, how anyone would love to have a crossover like his.

Iverson truly was in a class of his own. His skill and ability coupled with his relentless nature made him one of the most influential players of all time.