Allen Iverson is certainly among the most loved and adored NBA veterans out there, highly regarded by fans across generations. The Philadelphia 76ers legend recently sat down for an interview with Slam, where he discussed his unique relationship with his fans even today, years after retirement. AI admitted that he has had many flaws, but his fans have always loved and accepted him despite all that.
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Iverson’s flaws and past mistakes make him human like everybody else. Though he might not be the perfect player or person out there, his fans have still stuck by him because of his relatability, according to the AI.
Pouring his heart out in the interview, Iverson said, “My fans, man like…they…my flaws, who I am, the ups and downs in my life, like bruh, they always stick with me. I know the true Allen Iverson fan, they know I’m not perfect, they know I’m just like them.”
Iverson further stressed how proud he was of his relationship with his fans. They are aware of his struggles, his emotions. This unwavering support from his fans has helped Iverson be comfortable in his skin and proudly be himself everywhere.
Several instances have shown how fans have stood with AI, especially when his flaws have been exposed for the world to see. In 2002, Iverson delivered one of the most memorable rants in sports history, uttering the word practice almost 22 times in his speech. However, true fans of Allen Iverson knew well that his remarks will largely be misunderstood.
Another instance would be Iverson’s poor spending habits. Despite earning almost $200 million from his NBA contracts, the NBA star drained his earnings by 2012. He subsequently had to file for bankruptcy and currently has around $1 million in net worth.
These instances prove that Iverson learned valuable lessons in life after facing many hurdles and struggles. However, his fans’ support and unwavering love has kept him going over the years.
Allen Iverson talked about the influence of Michael Jordan in his life
Iverson has always reiterated that he is the biggest Michael Jordan fan out there. We can definitely see Jordan’s influence in AI’s actions and style statements as well. Jordan’s influence was also seen in Iverson building his brand of shoes, eventually becoming the poster child of shoe endorsements in the early 2000s.
In the SLAM interview, Iverson further said, “I think I will be the poster child of relationships with shoe brands forever. Obviously, I was the biggest Michael Jordan fan ever….And I tried to emulate it [Jordan’s style] in my own style. I think our relationship with Reebok, we did it. We did it to death.”
Perhaps Jordan paving the way for shoe brand partnerships inspired Iverson to build a lasting relationship with Reebok. Iverson even admitted using his influence from Jordan to create his first signature shoe, the Reebok Question, one of the most popular shoes of its time.
