The word inspirational comes to mind when talking about Allen Iverson. His on-court performances changed the sport of basketball forever. Plus, his persona off it made him one of the most loved NBA stars ever. South Carolina-native rapper Jeezy recently opened up on the 76ers icon and shed some light on what kind of man he is.
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Jeezy, on the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast, hosted by Carmelo Anthony, was looking back on the legend’s recent birthday celebration. Iverson was heavily vibing to a Jeezy and Bankroll Fresh song, and upon looking at it, all the 47-year-old could talk about was what a real person he was.
Immediately, Jeezy gave a shoutout to “Chuck” and pointed out how he has the same energy he did during his peak athletic days. This brought out a laugh in those present in Melo’s studio, after which the hosts asked Jeezy to describe what he was like. Of course, the fact that he was so humble despite being one of the all-time NBA greats is a standout feature, but there was more to the man than basketball.
“Chuck is just a real guy, man,” he began. “He’s just Chuck, man, we love him. And Chuck is like, he pulls up… Don’t tell him [you’re coming], cuz he’s coming… He’s a living legend, and it’s like his spirit and his energy is just…it’s a class act every time, every time, bro… For somebody to be so great at what they do and be so humble…”
Referring to Iverson’s 50th birthday celebrations, rapper Jeezy said that seeing the 11-time All-Star enjoying life and having fun made him feel good. “That’s what it’s all about,” he added. And it wasn’t just Jeezy who felt that way. Even former NBA stars, seeing how much Iverson was enjoying himself, began reminiscing about the player he was on the court.
Iverson was never the biggest. In fact, he was considered undersized at just 6 feet tall and 165 pounds. But he was fearless, constantly attacking the basket and going toe-to-toe with players much bigger than him. He won the MVP in 2001, proving to countless young ballers that you didn’t have to be tall to dominate.
Gilbert Arenas reflected on this during a segment where he paid tribute to Allen Iverson ahead of his 50th birthday. “We’ve seen what Michael Jordan was supposed to look like… and [Iverson] really just went in there, was himself, and still reached those same doors. And it made it easy for everybody behind him…”
Iverson paved the way for a whole new generation of point guards. Stars like Chris Paul, Damian Lillard, and many others have spoken about the massive influence he had on their careers. And rightly so. Now retired, Iverson is a proud and well-deserved member of the Hall of Fame.
