Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson was known for being one of the most dynamic scorers in NBA history. He led the league in scoring four times and he won an MVP in 2001 while guiding the ragtag Sixers to the NBA Finals. The guy seemed invincible.
The thing that endeared him to the city of Philadelphia was his fearlessness. No matter how many times he got knocked down, he always got back up. He did this all while being only 6-feet tall and weighing 165 pounds. He was as bony as they come and when it came to the idea of lifting weights, he scoffed at that.
In an oral history of his “practice” rant done by The Athletic’s Rich Hofmann, Iverson did not care for lifting. Former Philadelphia Inquirer beat writer Ashley Fox said:
He was infamous for not lifting a weight. And he even said it in that answer. He’s like, “I won the MVP bony as hell.” And he was (at 6 feet and 165 pounds)! But that was also part of his thing. Here’s this little guy who plays fearlessly and drives to the basket and gets clobbered, makes the shot, steps back up and knocks down the free throw. So it was almost like a badge of honor to be like that. He didn’t believe in lifting weights or riding the bike after the game.
There was also one type of food that Iverson loved to eat and that was Taco Bell. The MVP really loved to down himself some burritos and then get right back at it.
As former Comcast SportsNet sideline reporter Dei Lynam put it:
You know the food that he loved to eat? Taco Bell. There was a reason we took him there when they would do the “Fan Day” (events), where they would stick players in different parts of the city.
Author of “Only the Strong Survive” Larry Platt added:
There’s also a moment where he disappears from practice because his guy Gary Moore had Taco Bell outside in the little hallway, which was at St. Joe’s (where the Sixers practiced). Allen goes out, downs a few burritos and then comes running back in and rejoins the scrimmage.
Iverson’s way of doing things was quirky, but he was blessed with talent and he used that to his advantage every night. Even if he did not feel like lifting weights or eat a lot of Taco Bell. Iverson was always a guy who fans could count on to lead the way for the team. [lawrence-related id=30601,30585,30593]