Allen Iverson

Basketball Player

• Born: June 7, 1975
• Birthplace: Hampton, Virginia

Basketball player

Until his 2013 retirement, Iverson was a professional basketball player whose quick, fearless drives to the basket made him a star in the National Basketball Association. However, he was nearly as well known for his fiery persona as for his stellar play on the court.

Area of achievement: Sports: basketball

Early Life

Allen Ezail Iverson was born on June 7, 1975, and raised in trying circumstances. His mother, Ann, was only fifteen years old when he was born. He had little contact with his biological father. When Iverson was young, Michael Freeman moved in with the family, and he and Ann had two daughters, Brandy and Aiesha. Although he was devoted to the family, Freeman was frequently incarcerated. The family lived in poverty in the Hampton/Newport News area of Virginia.

Iverson was a star athlete at Bethel High School in Hampton, Virginia. In football, he excelled as a quarterback, kick returner, and receiver. In basketball, he played point guard, leading his high school team to the state championship. Off the court, however, Iverson found himself in trouble. On February 14, 1993, Iverson was involved in a brawl outside a bowling alley. Although Iverson maintained that he was not involved in the actual fighting, he was tried as an adult, convicted of a felony, and sentenced to fifteen years in the state penitentiary, with ten years suspended, a punishment that aroused controversy. Iverson was only seventeen years old and, after four months in prison, he was pardoned by Virginia governor L. Douglas Wilder. However, he was prohibited from further participation in high school athletics. (His criminal conviction was reversed in 1995.) Iverson earned his high school degree from the Richard Milburn High School.

Iverson was recruited to play basketball for Georgetown University by legendary coach John Thompson. Iverson excelled on both defense and offense in his first two years as a Georgetown Hoya. He was named Big East Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He also set a school record for scoring average at twenty-three points per game. Eager to attain professional success, Iverson decided to enter the National Basketball Association (NBA) draft after only his sophomore year. Although he generated controversy with his cornrowed hair, ostentatious jewelry, and tattoos, and for nicknaming himself “The Answer,” his talent could not be overlooked. At barely 6 feet tall and 165 pounds, Iverson always was one of the smallest players on the court. However, his combination of speed, agility, ball-handling, and shooting ability were perhaps unequaled in basketball. He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the first overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft; Iverson was the shortest player ever picked first in the draft.

Life’s Work

In his first season, Iverson won the NBA rookie of the year award, averaging 23.5 points and 7.5 assists per game. However, Iverson also was labeled a selfish player who was interested mostly in his own statistics. In the 1997 offseason, he was convicted of carrying a concealed weapon and possession of marijuana.

In his third year in the NBA, Iverson moved from point guard to shooting guard, allowing him to focus on scoring more than playmaking. He won the scoring title with an average of 26.8 points per game. Iverson amazed fans and players with his ball handling, lightning-quick penetration to the basket, and ability to shoot over and around taller defenders. With his quick hands, he accumulated numerous steals on defense. His high cross-over dribble threw numerous defenders off balance. He led the league in steals in three seasons. The 76ers paid him $71 million for a six-year contract extension. In the 2000 offseason, Iverson recorded a rap single called “40 Bars” under the stage name Jewelz. Because of the inflammatory nature of the lyrics, he was criticized by the NBA commissioner. “40 Bars” was not released, and Iverson’s career as a rapper came to a quick end.

On the court however, Iverson elevated his game to a new level. In the 2000–2001 season, he led the league in scoring, averaging 31.4 points per game, and was voted the NBA most valuable player. The 76ers had the league’s second-best record and made it to the NBA Finals, where they were defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers, but only after Iverson scored 48 points in a stunning overtime upset in the first game. On August 3, 2001, he married his longtime girlfriend, Tawanna Turner.

Iverson continued his torrent of scoring over the next few seasons, but the 76ers’ team performance lagged. Iverson had run-ins with 76ers coaches and was reprimanded for missing practice. In the off-season, he was involved in well-publicized disputes at various Atlantic City casinos. In 2005–2006, Iverson averaged a career-best 33 points per game, as well as 7.4 assists. Nevertheless, he was traded the following season to the Denver Nuggets. In his first full season with the Nuggets, Iverson played in every game of the season, averaging 26.4 points per game and helping the Nuggets reach the play-offs. However, Iverson also found himself in a dispute with referees over officiating, for which he was fined twenty-five thousand dollars. On November 3, 2008, he was traded to the Detroit Pistons. Iverson was still perceived as a superstar, but with advancing age, injuries, and his reputation for trouble, he began to look like a journeyman player as well. Although he played some good games with the Pistons, Iverson eventually lost his role as a starter. For the 2009–2010 season, he signed on with the Memphis Grizzlies, but played only three games. He finished out the season with the Philadelphia 76ers. In the fall of 2010, with the league’s interest in him waning, Iverson began playing for the Turkish Beşiktaş team in the European professional league. He played ten games with Beşiktaş before returning to the United States in 2011 following a calf injury; this was to be his last outing in professional basketball.

By 2010, Iverson and Tawanna were the parents of five children; however their marriage was strained, and they divorced in early 2013. His association with rap music continued to garner interest. In 2010, he began producing songs for rapper Ty Gracie. A documentary, No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson (2010), was made about Iverson’s high school arrest, trial, and incarceration.

Iverson announced his retirement from basketball in October 2013. The 76ers retired his number at a halftime ceremony on March 1, 2014, in the presence of 76ers legends like Julius Erving and former team president Pat Croce. In 2016 Iverson was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Significance

Iverson was one of the top-scoring guards in the history of the NBA. For a basketball player, he was undersized at 6 feet, but Iverson compensated with quickness and a high tolerance for rough, physical play. He had outstanding penetration and dribbling skills and a legendary crossover dribble. A gritty, tough player, Iverson attracted controversy both on and off the court. He was determined to stay true to his roots and not adopt a more bland persona for public consumption. For that decision, he was criticized by some and admired by others for his authenticity.

Bibliography

Babb, Kent. Not a Game: The Incredible Rise and Unthinkable Fall of Allen Iverson. New York: Atria, 2015. Print.

Grange, Michael. Basketball’s Greatest Stars. New York: Firefly, 2010. Print.

Platt, Larry. Only the Strong Survive: The Odyssey of Allen Iverson. New York: Regan, 2002. Print.

Smallwood, John, Jr. Allen Iverson: Fear No One. New York: Pocket, 2001. Print.

Stewart, Mark. Allen Iverson: Motion and Emotion. Nass: Milbrook, 2001. Print.