We all have shortcomings some more than others and the man they called the "Answer" as it soon turned to A.I. in Philly was big time. Yes he spent some time for a Brawl he and 100 other kids were in but since he was Allen Iverson the 2-Sport HS Star he took the hit in Juvenile Detention Center. He still ended up attending ABCD All-American Camp to showcase his Skill Set as after his short stay in Juvenile John Thompson of Georgetown University aka Hoya Paranoia granted him a full scholarship and the Big East and G'Town would never be the same.
He collided often with a young man from Dalzell, South Carolina Hillcrest H.S. named Ray Allen of UConn as they went at it for every honor in the Big East. Iverson was a Phenom and he wasn't point guard he was what they call HS Football Players that play numerous Positions or really don't have a position but dominate in "ATH" which means Athlete. He was an under-sized Scoring Guard and if he was 6'4" he would have probably been hands down one of the Top 10 players ever in the Logo as he played with that rare "Dawg" very few have like Dr. J, Bird, Magic, Air Jordan, and Kobe.
Then came the #1 Overall Pick A.I. in that talented 1996 NBA Draft with the likes of the Black Mamba, NASHty, Employee #8, Camby Man, Sugar Ray Allen, Starbury, Jeramine O'Neal, John Wallace, and Shareef Abdur-Rahim among others. Look Marcus "Camby Man" Camby was a dominant 7-Footer at UMass under current UK Coach John Calipari and the Sixers made no bones and no hesitation taking a 6-Footer playing out of position over a 7-Footer and that in itself speaks volumes of the kind of talent A.I. was. Out of the 1996 Group there was Three NBA M.V.P.'s in the Black Mamba, NASHty, and the Answer so the Sixers did get it right.
The Accolades playing for the Sixers came in bundles as hew took Philly and the Broad Street Hoop Contingent back to prominence. Not since Sir Charles, Dr. J, Moses, Doug Collins, Bobby Jones, McGinnis, World B. Free, the Chocolate Thunder, and that Late 70s Sixers Teams was Philly going nuts over the Sixers as people and kids would flock to the new Spectrum to see A.I. get down or cross someone over. Speaking of that Killer Crossover the one crossover on Air Jordan put the "Answer" on the Logo Map and even Jordan was like Damn!
A.I. took the Sixers to the 2001 NBA Finals as won the NBA M.V.P. and that validated any shortcomings he had as he took care of business on the hardwood. Iverson's Accolades accumulated over time are astonishing and he played both ends of the Floor as he was Offensive and Defensive MVP in the Big East in back to back years. Yes he played for a few more NBA Teams but his name and game will always be Philly.
Allen "the ANSWER" Iverson
Hardware
11-Time All-Star
1997 NBA Rookie of the Year
2 x All-Star Game M.V.P.
4 x Scoring Champ
3 x Steals Champ
3 x 1st Team All-NBA
3 x 2nd Team All-NBA
Top Career Numbers
14 Seasons
914 Games
24,368 Points (24th All-Time)
1,983 Steals (12th All-Time)
2001 NBA M.V.P.
41.12 Minutes per Game 4th Highest All-Time
Simply mind-bottling as then Truth Paul Pierce, Duncan, and Sugar Ray Allen should pass Iverson in Scoring in the 2013-14 season moving A.I. back to 27th a spot ahead of Sir Charles Barkley on the All-Time List.
The Three Players ahead of A.I. in All-Time Minutes played per game is Russell of the C's, the Late Great Wilt 20K, and the Big O...that is priceless.
360 Degrees...I believe the Chicago Bulls have a no-Headband Rule partly because of Allen Iverson bringing it to the Logo his way and for A.I. that's a compliment..Lol! Iverson was the Rucker in the Logo and he did it his way with NO PRACTICE!
Bluedude and Bluedude Sportstalk salutes you as you did it your way with flare as Rucker Park met the Logo on every night and you did it talking about PRACTICE!
Put all that Movement and Athleticism at Corner in the NFL...Revis Island Who?
Note: Numbers and Accolades from Basketball-Reference.com
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