Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson both entered the league in the legendary 1996 NBA draft, with AI coming in as the No. 1 overall pick while Kobe was taken 13th overall. Their early careers mirrored each other’s, with some playoff frustrations before the Lakers figured it out and won a three-peat with Kobe and Shaq, beating A.I. in the NBA finals in the process.
The two shared a strong bond though, with Iverson paying an emotional tribute to Bryant when he passed away tragically and on a few occasions after that. AI got emotional once again recently when a fan shared a poster of him and Kobe for the NBA legend to sign. Iverson asked the fan if the poster was his and went on to say that he needed one himself.
"Man, I need one of these" ❤️
Allen Iverson’s reaction to a poster of him and Kobe is everything
(via kkcameron/IG) https://t.co/b9m1AcECQX
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 31, 2022
Iverson: “Damn, who’s is this? It’s yours? Man, you gonna give me one? You got another one for me? Man, I need one of these.”
The Answer has always been one to wear his emotions on his sleeve, so it’s no surprise to see him react this way. Considering that the 2nd anniversary of Kobe’s passing was just last week, it’s no surprise that it was a special and emotional moment for the former player to see a poster from when the two were in their prime.
Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant met each other in one of the most celebrated series in NBA history when AI carried a Sixers team without any other superstars to the finals against the dominant Kobe-Shaq Lakers. The Sixers even won a game behind a monster performance by Iverson that involved him stepping over Ty Lue. Even though AI never went on to win as many titles or accolades as Bryant, the respect the two legends had for one another was constant and the memories they gave all the fans that followed that era of NBA basketball are a huge part of the league’s history.
