I recently posted an article ridiculing team executives on their insane contract signings regarding unworthy players. This time around I’m going to dedicate this article to bonehead fans and media members alike, who have the stones to question the unquestioned leader of the reigning hip hop and sports culture of tattoos, fashion, and all around bravado. The question is who and the answer is Allen Iverson.
If guys like Gary Payton, Dominique Wilkins, Bernard King, John Stockton, Karl Malone, and Charles Barkley are qualified for Hall of Fame induction, then we might as well just lick and seal the envelope that contains Iverson’s name. Within the past five to ten years, we’ve witnessed players being selected as lottery picks in the NBA Draft and turn out to be mediocre players or total BUSTS! Greg Oden (Portland Trailblazers, Miami Heat), Darko Milicic (Pistons, Knicks, Magic), Kwame Brown (Wizards, Lakers, Bobcats, Sixers), Austin Rivers (Hornets/Pelicans), Hasheem Thabeet (Grizzlies, D-League, OKC Thunder), Perry Jones (OKC Thunder), Adam Morrison (Bobcats, Lakers) and countless others have all been labeled as the “next” whoever just to fall miserably right before our eyes.
Following a stellar collegiate career at Georgetown University that saw Iverson become a 2 time First Team All-American, 1st Team All Big East, Big East Rookie of the Year, and Big East Defensive Player of the Year, he opted to enter the 1996 NBA Draft as an underclassmen. The reason I listed Iverson’s accomplishments at the collegiate level was because of the countless arguments I have been involved in the last four to six months. For people to even suggest that Tracy McGrady deserves the Hall nod, over Allen Iverson, is LUDICROUS! McGrady’s selection in the NBA Draft was based solely on his potential and not his credentials.
While I believe that he should receive some consideration for the Hall of Fame, I also believe that we have to stop giving away tremendous honors instead of having them be earned. In my opinion, all McGrady has done in career was be a dominant scorer and explosive finisher. With the exception of the San Antonio Spurs and those early Raptor teams, all of McGrady’s teams have been mediocre to middle of the pack at best. Even those Raptor teams that gave the Knicks, Sixers, and Bucks a run for their money were powered by another dominant player not named McGrady. Vincent Lamar Carter was the resident superstar and anchor on those teams with McGrady playing second fiddle. When he got the chance to be “the man” on his own team, the results weren’t so stellar. For many to say that he needed help is simply ridiculous and untrue! When the Orlando Magic made him their franchise player and rewarded him with a $100 million contract, he was surrounded by a good supporting cast even with the great Grant Hill sidelined for 2 seasons.
Courtesy: Bleacher Report
I say all of that to remind people that Allen Iverson NEVER had a stacked team and was always the focal point for opposing defenses, yet he always found a way to lead his team to success. Until he was paired with Carmelo Anthony in Denver, Iverson never had the pleasure of playing with a guy that averaged at least 20 ppg or was a dominant factor on offense during his career. His stats read as follows: #1 Overall selection in 1996 NBA Draft, Rookie of the Year, 8 playoff appearances, 1 Finals appearance, 11 time All-Star, 2 time All-Star MVP, 4 time Scoring Champion and a league MVP trophy. Along with those outstanding accolades are his mind boggling career numbers. For his 14 year career, Allen Iverson averaged 26.7 ppg, 6.2 apg, and 3.7 rpg. His 24,368 career points ranks 22nd all-time behind fellow Georgetown alum, the great Patrick Ewing.
You see unlike Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson scored a ton of points but he also won along the way. He put the forgotten Philadelphia 76ers on his small but strong shoulders and carried them back to NBA relevancy. While he may not have been the best role model off the court, we do not select players for their perspective sports Hall of Fame based on their private lives. They’re inducted based on the body of work they put forth during their careers. Although many of you may have frowned when Iverson showed up during his second NBA campaign sporting cornrows and bod ink(tattoos), there’s no denying that Iverson started the fusion between the popular hip hop culture and sports in general. His Sixers jersey had been the top seller amongst all NBA players for six consecutive seasons. Not only was Allen Iverson a great basketball player, he was also an icon and cult figure among his peers and the youth as well. For all his arguments about “practice? C’mon man, we’re talking about practice”! He always showed up when it counted and that was during games. Where the lights were the brightest and the stakes were the highest. For all the questions about his commitment and dedication to his craft, Allen Ezail Iverson always was and always had the “Answer”! Congrats on an outstanding career and hopefully a Hall of Fame induction.
