Allen Iverson has created a peak on the NBA mountain on his own as he stands there alone to this day. Following his unthinkable influence on the league and its culture, the iconic figure recently revealed his role models. He candidly revealed Michael Jordan and Michael Jackson as the two names who inspired him the most in his journey.
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The 48-year-old shared a post on Instagram, which was a collage of those two featuring himself in the middle. It put forward his respect for the legends as he expressed his gratitude toward them publicly. The Virginia-born conveyed his thoughts with the caption,
“My childhood dream was to be like these two! I tried my best jack!”
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Undoubtedly, the 2001 MVP succeded to a large extent in making his dream come true with his endeavours on and off the court. His ball-handling skills combined with his ability to find the basket earned him an All-Star spot 11 times alongside four scoring titles. The NBA recognized his contributions as they recently included him in the league’s 75th anniversary team.
Not only his basketball skills but his way of dressing and conducting himself on and off the court left a mark on the aspirants and followers. AI is often credited for popularizing arm sleeves, tattoos, and headbands in the NBA further proving his impact on the culture. Thus, his goal of emulating two MJs turned into a reality as he changed the game like Mike while reversing the lifestyle as the King of Pop did.
How Michael Jordan and Michael Jackson influenced Allen Iverson
Iverson showered flowers for Jordan in his Hall of Fame speech as he openly declared, “I wanted to be like Mike”. “I literally seen his aura,” the Answer mentioned while recollecting meeting him before adding, “It looked like he was glowing… It was my idol, it was my hero,” he stated to highlight Michael’s impact on his career on one of the biggest occasions of his life.
Previously, the former shooting guard revealed the same for Jackson, highlighting, “It was just all Michael Jackson”. “Guys couldn’t figure it out why I would get myself amped up, tied up by listening to Michael Jackson,” the former 6′ star mentioned. Amidst the raised eyebrows, he stayed loyal to the acts of the infamous artist and it paid off later in his life.
So, his words acknowledging the legends come across as no surprise. In fact, his attachment to them even after all these years serves as a benchmark for the younger generation to follow.
