Allen Iverson is considered one of the most iconic figures in NBA history. Iverson was part of the historic 1996 NBA Draft class and was drafted 1st overall to the Philadelphia 76ers.
He made an immediate impact in the league, even crossing over Michael Jordan in his first encounter with the GOAT. On top of that, he established himself as an All-Star almost immediately and showed that he was on the road to superstardom in the near future.
As the 2000s came around, Iverson truly became one of the league’s greats. He won an MVP in 2001 and led the Philadelphia 76ers to the 2001 NBA Finals. In Game 1, Iverson pulled off one of the most iconic moves to get the last-minute game-winner for the 76ers, before stepping over Ty Lue.
While the 76ers would end up losing to the Lakers, Iverson showed that he belonged on the biggest stage the NBA has to offer. Iverson wouldn’t make it back to the NBA Finals. But his impact on the NBA extends far beyond that.
Stephen Jackson once told Iverson what he meant to the culture and the game of basketball (2nd Slide). During an episode of ‘All The Smoke’, Jackson told Iverson that he was too important to the world because of what he did to impact and influence those who needed it.
Jackson also beautifully told AI that the world cannot lose him the way they lost Kobe Bryant. Iverson means more to the world than he truly even realizes, something that brought AI to tears.
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Iverson is truly one of the first players to bring flair into the game. Not only did AI bring flair on the court with his flashy offensive moves and dribbles. But off the court, Iverson became a fashion icon. In fact, Iverson’s headband became a signature look in the NBA that many players replicated for years to come.
Iverson is considered one of the most influential players in the NBA. The flair and flash he brought to the game still live on this day, with several NBA players incorporating those moves and innovating their own to be like him.
