Forget LeBron James, Magic Johnson and even Michael Jordan. For many basketball fans around the world, Allen Iverson is the player they idolised.
Known as ‘The Answer’, Iverson enjoyed an iconic 14-year career in the NBA, primarily starring for the Philadelphia 76ers despite having the odds firmly stacked against him. Standing six-feet tall, he became the shortest MVP in league history after sensationally leading the 76ers to the 2001 NBA Finals in one of the greatest virtuoso runs.
Iverson is often regarded as one of the greatest scorers and one of the most influential players in NBA history. He made as big a mark off the court as he did on it, staying true to his charismatic character and fashion style as he ensured NBA basketball remained in touch with its urban heart.
The 47-year-old was selected by the 76ers with the first pick of the 1996 NBA Draft, which featured the likes of Ray Allen, Steve Nash, and Kobe Bryant among others. Iverson was named Rookie of the Year and went on to win the NBA scoring title in four seasons, firmly establishing himself as one of the game’s great scorers despite his stature - his regular season scoring average of 26.7 points per game ranks seventh all-time, while his playoff average (29.7) is behind only Jordan.
But before he single-handedly redefined NBA culture and became perhaps the most influential figure in league history, Iverson balled in Hampton, the seventh-most populous city in Virginia. Hampton is renowned for its national-leading aeronautics and space exploration program, which perhaps makes sense given Iverson used his otherworldly talent to reach the NBA and beyond.
Iverson was in the United Kingdom to unveil the London Coaches Program alongside Mayor Sadiq Khan and Ralph Rivera, the NBA Europe and Middle East managing director. Amid all the lights and glamour of the announcement, the legendary shooting guard admitted he never thought his career would take him from Hampton to London.
“It’s crazy,” Iverson exclusively told Mirror Sport. “I never thought when I was working hard to make my dream come true and reach the NBA that basketball would ever take me to places like this.
“It’s cool to be able to help these kids play and understand that their dreams can come true if they put in the work. They can achieve anything. This is about making sure basketball continues to grow around the world, including here in London, and I’m glad to be a part of it.”
The London Coaching Fund will support the training of around 500 coaches over the course of three years. The event housed over 200 aspiring coaches and figures from local basketball, along with local school children who took part in on-court activities led by Iverson, who spoke of the importance of coaching as Mike Bailey (his coach at Bethel High School coach), Josh Thompson (Georgetown) and Larry Brown (76ers) influenced him immensely.
Frankly, Iverson’s accolades speak for themselves. An 11-time All-Star, a league MVP, a two-time All-Star Game MVP, and a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame entrant after he was inducted in 2016. He was also named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, which honoured the top 75 players in NBA history three-quarters of a century after the league was born.
When asked which moment of his career stands out for him, Iverson said: “The moment that sticks out to me the most, honestly, was just getting drafted. The circumstances of where I’ve come from, what I’ve been through in my life and how hard it was to make my dream come true. That was probably my most memorable moment because it took a lot.
“One thing about my career and what I’ve been through in my career is I realised I didn’t do it by myself. I had an amazing support system. My family, friends, coaches, teammates, fans - I didn’t become a Hall of Famer and accomplish the things I accomplished in my career by myself.
“There’s so many people that helped me get there. All the success I had is a tribute to those people.”
