Allen Iverson never played by the rules, and that’s exactly what made him special. Standing at just six feet tall in a league dominated by size and length, he carved out a Hall of Fame career through sheer toughness and a handle tighter than anyone had seen before. His crossover wasn’t just a signature move, it froze defenders mid-stride and brought the soul of the playground straight into the biggest arenas.
Iverson has never been shy about recognizing greatness when he sees it. Over the years, he’s named Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Shaquille O’Neal as his all-time starting five.
Recently, during a conversation with Ball Magnets’ Tom Mitchell, Iverson was asked to take it a step further and build his second all-time starting lineup.
“Everybody in their prime? T-Mac [Tracy McGrady], Vince [Carter], Melo [Carmelo Anthony], Tim Duncan, [Nikola] Jokic.”
That is a dangerous lineup right there. Nikola Jokic runs the show from the center spot, a seven-footer who sees the floor like a point guard and sets up plays before defenses can react. Tim Duncan holds down the power forward position with his usual quiet dominance, protecting the rim and hitting that reliable bank shot.
Carmelo Anthony takes over on the wing, living in isolation and finding his spots with ease. Vince Carter brings athleticism and shooting at the two-guard, while Tracy McGrady glides between positions, dropping 30 points without breaking a sweat.
Iverson’s eye for explosive talent comes through clearly here. McGrady and Carter defined his era, Anthony shared his scoring mentality, Duncan anchored everything, and Jokić represents the modern evolution of basketball brilliance.
When Iverson assembled this second all-time starting five, Jokic was the only active player who made the cut. That fact alone speaks volumes about how the Denver Nuggets center is viewed around the league. Iverson didn’t select Jokic simply because of the numbers or the MVP trophies.
He pointed to impact and influence. In his view, Jokic has transformed the league in his own right, much like Stephen Curry did with shooting. Just as Curry forced defenses to stretch beyond their comfort zones, Jokic has redefined what a big man can do with his passing, court vision, and ability to control tempo.
“I like Jokic, I mean, he remind me of the way I look at Steph Curry and the way he changed the game and elevated it.”
Iverson holds plenty of respect for both Curry and Jokic, but that admiration didn’t play a role in a different lineup exercise. Last year, the Hall of Famer participated in the “82-0 or Die” challenge, where the objective is to build the strongest possible starting five under specific conditions.
The catch was that one does not get to pick freely. A team appears on screen, and they select the best fit from that franchise by position. Iverson’s choices turned heads, particularly because LeBron James didn’t make the lineup.
He went with Penny Hardaway at point guard for the Orlando Magic, Dwyane Wade at shooting guard for the Miami Heat, Michael Jordan at small forward for the Chicago Bulls, Magic Johnson at power forward for the Los Angeles Lakers, and Patrick Ewing at center for the New York Knicks.
That is another formidable group that would strike fear into any opponent. But if Iverson gets a free hand to choose any lineup without restrictions, Jordan would almost certainly be his first pick every time. Even with his deep appreciation for LeBron as one of the most complete players the game has ever seen, Iverson has made it clear where he stands. For him, Jordan is the greatest of all time.
