HAMPTON, Va. – Hall of Famer Allen Iverson came to define 2000s basketball. His ferocious and flashy play on the court combined with a fiery personality made him a fan favorite in the City of Brotherly Love.
Iverson was born on June 7, 1975, in Hampton. It didn’t take Iverson long to find the spotlight. He was a star football and basketball player at Bethel High School and was well-known in the area. Funnily enough, Iverson was more of a football player, taking his team to the state championship in his junior year. At 17, Iverson was arrested for allegedly starting a brawl in a bowling alley, which became the subject of a 2010 ‘30 For 30′ documentary titled “No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson.” The incident and his conviction, which could have derailed the budding superstar’s career, were later overturned due to lack of evidence.
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John Thompson, the head coach at Georgetown, was known to pass on troubled players. In 1994, Iverson’s mother spoke with the coach, and she pleaded with him to help Iverson start a new chapter in his life. Thompson offered AI the scholarship, but he required that he complete high school.
When Iverson arrived at Georgetown, he was the subject of intense media scrutiny, but with the Hoyas, he balled out. Over two years, the traditionally undersized Iverson averaged 23 points a game. The Philadelphia 76ers drafted him first overall in 1996.
Iverson’s signature crossover and shot and finishing ability made him a strong guard in the league. AI won Rookie of the Year honors and became an NBA icon due to on and off-the-court moments.
“We talking about practice,” Iverson said in a now infamous 2002 press conference. It’s a phrase that has become all too quotable for sports fans and truly encapsulates who Iverson was as a person, on and off the court. Bold, funny and unafraid to speak his mind, it’s why Iverson was considered to be a trendsetter in the league.
Four years after this infamous rant, Iverson was shipped off to Denver in 2006. In 2007, he became the fifth fastest player to score 20,000 points, a testament to the 6-foot guard’s skills.
Iverson always had a strong desire to play for a contender and expressed these desires, but toward the end of his career, his outspoken nature became too much for some teams to handle. While playing for the Memphis Grizzlies, the team that would be his last stop in the league, Iverson left after just playing three games. The 34-year-old was frustrated with his limited playing time, and the Grizzlies terminated his contract.
Iverson played in Turkey for a cup of coffee after ultimately retiring from the sport in 2013. Three years later, however, Iverson was elected into the Hall of Fame.
Iverson, now 49 years old, has not forgotten his hometown, and his hometown has not forgotten him. There is a street named after him in Hampton and AI holds the “Iverson Classic,” a game that features NBA prospects and celebrities.
The 11-time All-Star and one-time MVP left an indelible mark on the game and continues to leave his mark on the sport and the community he grew up in.