Tag: Allen Iverson

Sixers legend Allen Iverson expresses being hurt not being on Redeem Team

Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson expresses hurt over not being selected for the Redeem Team in the 2008 Olympics.

Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson is one of the best players the league has ever seen. Standing at just 6 feet tall, Iverson took on all of the giants in the game and he had himself one amazing career which has led him to the Hall of Fame.

One of Iverson’s very few failures in basketball was the 2004 Olympics in Athens. The Answer was on a team full of some of the best players in the NBA has to offer, but they couldn’t mesh at all and they came up short in the games. They only won a Bronze medal which led to a complete overhaul of the men’s national basketball team.

Team USA returned in the 2008 games led by LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, and others and they avenged their 2004 failures by winning the gold medal in 2008. The biggest name not on the team, of course, was Iverson.

Iverson hopped on “Cold as Balls” with comedian Kevin Hart and he expressed how hurt he was that he wasn’t on the Redeem Team of 2008:

Obviously, you think you put together a bunch of pros and we supposed to beat any team you put out there on the floor, but that wasn’t the case, obviously. That summer, everything started happening overseas. So me and Tim Duncan were the only ones that agree to go. I wanted to go, but I wasn’t invited and then they put together, obviously, the team that ended up winning.

It was out of my control, you know what I mean? I definitely didn’t want to make a big deal about it out of respect for the guys that they did choose. Those were my guys, you know what I mean? I rooted for rooted for them till the end, but deep down it bothered me. It hurt.

Despite not winning the gold medal in the Olympics, it doesn’t change the fact that Iverson built up one helluva career. The gold medal would have just been another accomplishment to add to his already impressive resume.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01f5k5xtr64thj7fw2 image=https://sixerswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[listicle id=71688]

[lawrence-related id=71727,71695,71691]

Ty Lue recalls being stepped over by Sixers legend Allen Iverson in the finals

Los Angeles Clippers coach Ty Lue recalls being stepped over by Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson in the finals.

One of the most iconic plays in the history of the Philadelphia 76ers is Allen Iverson stepping over Los Angeles Lakers guard Ty Lue in the 2001 NBA finals. Iverson was sensational as he led the Sixers to a Game 1 win on the road.

The play everybody remembers came in overtime when Iverson was defended by Lue in the corner with Philadelphia leading by two points. Iverson then crossed over Lue, stepped back, drilled a tough jumper and then stepped over Lue as the Sixers went on to win.

Lue joined former Sixers guard JJ Redick on his “Old Man and the Three” podcast as he recalled the play:

It’s crazy because I’ll say, first of all, just growing up, and he’s only like two years older than me, but I still idolized him. Just coming into league, he was already in the league two or three years before me. It was Jordan then it was AI. That’s who I looked up to. 6-foot, braids, fast, so I don’t think I’ve ever said that, but I looked up to him. So having an opportunity, a chance to play against him in the finals, and he made the move and step over, but it wasn’t really a big deal. Like, people go crazy. He crossed me over, I fell down, then he shot, and he stepped. I mean, he snatched it back, I contested it, I fell and he stepped over me. I fell when I contested it. I fell into his foot, like, I rolled my ankle a little bit, fell down, he made a shot, and stepped over me like ‘Oh! That’s a step over!’ I’m like, ‘Okay, well, I mean, it’s AI’. That’s my guy, but like it’s not—he crossed me over, I fell, rolled over, he shot it, stepped over me. I mean, but no, it is what it is, but I think Doug Collins put a lot on it too though. Like ‘Oh! He stepped over him!’ and that add an extra to it and it became more and more but you know, it is what it is. You play hard, you’re gonna get dunked on, you’re gonna get crossed over, you’re gonna get a lot of things. And then guess what? I’ll always be in NBA history. They’re gonna show it all the time. So I’m always gonna be relevant no matter what happens!

Iverson mentioned he doesn’t like the video of him stepping over Lue because they are good friends. It’s good to see both sides are such good sports about the play in NBA history.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01f5k5xtr64thj7fw2 image=https://sixerswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[listicle id=70112]

[lawrence-related id=70120,70090,70084]

Pelicans coach Willie Green has admiration for Sixers legend Allen Iverson

New Orleans Pelicans coach Willie Green discusses his admiration for Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson.

Before becoming coach of the New Orleans Pelicans before the 2021-22 season, Willie Green played 12 seasons in the NBA, including his first seven with the Philadelphia 76ers.

A second-round pick in 2003, Green cut his teeth with the Sixers and played with one of the franchise’s icons, Allen Iverson. Green was a young 3-and-D player playing next to The Answer and learned a lot playing next to him.

While Iverson is obviously known for his ruthless scoring and his ability to lift the team on his shoulders whenever the time called for it, he was also a great teammate as well. He was always there for his team every night no matter how he was feeling.

In an interview with Kevin Garnett, Green explained how Iverson’s lessons help him as a coach with the Pelicans as he is teaching Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum, and Zion Williamson how to mesh together:

First of all, Allen, one of my all time favorite basketball players and teammates. Just having the opportunity to be on that team and learn from him. The one thing about him is he was relentless no matter what, he’s coming at you, but he also, he doesn’t get enough credit for this, he trusts his teammates. So I just remember one time, I’m a rookie, I get in the game, he passed me the ball, I passed right back to him, and he cussed me out. He said ‘If I give you the ball, I’m giving you the ball because I want you to do something with it. Don’t worry about getting it back to me. I’m gonna have 30 by the end of the game. You ain’t got to worry about that young fella. Ima have 30, but they’re leaving you open and I trust that you can do something with it. Go.’ and so it taught me a lot and those are some of the things that I’m sharing with Brandon, I’m sharing with CJ, Zion is like you guys gonna be elite no matter what, but you also help them become better players and you take them with you by trusting them. Because in the meat of a game, they may have to hit a shot. It’s gonna get back to your hands, but you just got to continue to make the right plays.

Iverson’s legacy in the game of basketball will always live on as he has done so much to move the game forward and he has had a huge impact on the Sixers as well. It appears that Green has done a good job of applying what he has learned from Iverson as he has the Pelicans trending in the right direction.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01f5k5xtr64thj7fw2 image=https://sixerswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[listicle id=69964]

[lawrence-related id=70012,70019,70008]

Best Philadelphia 76ers gear to celebrate the start of the NBA season

The NBA season is here and we have everything you need to support your 76ers this year.

The NBA season tips off on Tuesday, Oct. 18 when the 76ers visit the defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics.

While this 76ers team will be led by Joel Embiid and James Harden, Philly fans are ready to welcome some new faces including veteran P.J. Tucker.

Like the team itself, 76ers fans have their sights set higher than just another playoff appearance.

We are doing our part to get you ready for tipoff with a list of some of the best Philadelphia 76ers gear and apparel to get you hyped for the new season.

We occasionally recommend interesting sports products. If you purchase a product by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.

Justin Jefferson declares himself “The Answer” on Instagram

Jefferson compares himself to Allen Iverson, declares himself “The Answer”

The Minnesota Vikings got the win over the New Orleans Saints in London by a score of 28-25, but that wasn’t the big story on the day. That belonged to star wide receiver Justin Jefferson.

After a couple of games that left a little bit to be desired, Jefferson had a fantastic game against the Saints. Their star cornerback Marshon Lattimore followed Jefferson for most of the day and it didn’t matter all that much.

When covering Jefferson, Lattimore allowed seven catches on 10 targets for 93 yards. That included gaining massive separation on Lattimore.

Throughout the game, Jefferson made his presence felt by winning on all three levels, including stacking Lattimore late in the game on a deep route.

On Monday, Jefferson took to social media to snipe at Lattimore and did it with the perfect picture: the Allen Iverson stepover on Tyrann Lue from the 2000 NBA Finals.

All-time post from Jefferson who truly was the answer for the Vikings on Sunday.

Andre Miller recalls being upset when traded to Sixers for Allen Iverson

Andre Miller recalls being upset when he found out he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for Allen Iverson.

The Philadelphia 76ers began the 2006-07 season hoping Allen Iverson and Chris Webber would lead them to contention in the Eastern Conference. The two were big names and they were Hall of Fame talents that the Sixers were hoping would lead the team to new heights.

Instead, the Sixers stumbled out of the gate, and the front office realized it was time for a change. In December of 2006, they sent Iverson and Ivan McFarlin to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Andre Miller, Joe Smith, and draft picks as they began a new era.

Miller was solid for the Sixers as he averaged 15.9 points, 6.9 assists, and 4.3 rebounds in 221 games for Philadelphia and he led the team to surprising playoff appearances in 2008 and 2009.

However, he wasn’t exactly thrilled when he first heard he was traded to the Sixers before he warmed up to the idea. Miller hopped on the “Knuckleheads” podcast hosted by former NBA players Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles and Miller spoke about his time in Philadelphia.

Sixers legend Allen Iverson calls LeBron James ‘The One’ in GOAT debate

Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson leans toward LeBron James in the GOAT debate.

The GOAT debate is one of the biggest in basketball. Some say it’s Michael Jordan. Others say it’s LeBron James. Still others bring up Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird or someone else.

Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson played against a number of amazing players in his career, and when asked who he thought was the GOAT, Iverson leaned toward James.

Considering Iverson was the top pick of the stacked 1996 NBA draft, he came up in a time when seemingly everyone was trying to be the next Jordan and copy his game.

Iverson stated:

As much as I love Jordan, LeBron James is the one, dawg. He the one, man.

The GOAT debate will always rage no matter what any one person thinks or says. Both James and Jordan have serious arguments to be the greatest basketball player of all time and have obviously made a huge impact on the game. There is no doubt they are two of the best the game has ever seen.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01f5k5xtr64thj7fw2 image=https://sixerswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[listicle id=68205]

[lawrence-related id=68248,68208,68162]

Allen Iverson: LeBron James is ‘The One’ in GOAT debate

Count Allen Iverson among those who seem to think LeBron James is the greatest NBA player ever.

Everyone seems to have an opinion on who the greatest NBA players of all-time are.

Many still seem to think it’s former Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan, but a growing number of observers are casting their vote for LeBron James.

One of them is former NBA star Allen Iverson, who professed his love for Jordan but seemed to give James the nod as the GOAT, at least in his mind.

Via Lakers Nation:

“As much as I love Jordan, LeBron James is the one, dawg. He the one, man.

[pickup_prop id=”27650″]

Iverson, the top pick in the famed 1996 NBA draft, came up in a time when seemingly everyone was trying to be the next Jordan and copy his game. Iverson eventually created his distinct legacy and attracted something of a cult following among some fans.

[mm-video type=video id=01gaw7q51cepg51pw6tf playlist_id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01f5k5xtr64thj7fw2 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gaw7q51cepg51pw6tf/01gaw7q51cepg51pw6tf-3c9dfa13232b0900f6cbe6622d3122fe.jpg]

[listicle id=85345]

Sixers legend Allen Iverson’s crossover ranked 2nd-best signature move

Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson’s crossover is ranked as the 2nd best signature move in the history of the NBA.

Every NBA legend has a signature killer move. That move they go to in order to throw off defenders who can’t recover to make a play. Some have the fadeaway jumper, some have the Euro step and some have the killer crossover.

Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson had one of the best crossovers in the history of the game. The Answer has one of the best highlights in crossover history when he shook Michael Jordan out of his sneakers to free himself up for an open jumper. The move is shown on highlight tapes to this day.

Bleacher Report put together a ranking of the best signature moves in NBA history and Iverson’s crossover comes in second on the list. Right ahead of Tim Hardaway Sr.’s crossover:

Iverson may have borrowed from or been influenced by Hardaway for his crossover, complete with the hesitation (or carry, if you’re so inclined), but that doesn’t make it any less filthy.

On the contrary, few players in the history of the game handled the ball with as much style as Iverson. That and his unrelenting grit are what made him one of the most influential players of all time.

Iverson is one of the greatest players to ever play the game and the Sixers benefitted greatly from having him on the floor. He lifted the franchise on his bony shoulders in order to get them to success and he is one of the more respected players in the history of the NBA.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01f5k5xtr64thj7fw2 image=https://sixerswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[listicle id=68015]

[lawrence-related id=68087,68084,68026]

List of the sidekicks Sixers employed next to superstar Allen Iverson

Here is a list of the sidekicks the Philadelphia 76ers employed next to superstar Allen Iverson during his era.

When one remembers Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson, one will remember two things: his elite scoring ability and his willingness to put his body on the line every night and play through injury in order to help his team win.

Iverson averaged 27.6 points and 6.1 assists in his career for Philadelphia and he ended up winning four scoring titles. He won an MVP award in 2001 and he led the team to the NBA Finals in 2001.

What was even more impressive about Iverson’s run in 2001 was that he did so without a bonafide sidekick next to him. Philadelphia struggled to find the right Robin to Iverson’s Batman all throughout his career as they made moves that were expected to help The Answer get the Sixers to the top and Sixers Wire is going to list the sidekicks Iverson had in Philadelphia.