Everyone Keeps Saying Iverson Can't, How Long Until He Says He Can?

by indeedproceed on Jul 16, 2009 9:54 PM EDT Comment 16 comments

Everyone says Iverson can't come off the bench. Everyone says Iverson can't play a supporting role. I mean everyone up to and including Iverson. He says he'd retire before he's a bench player.

What else does Iverson say? 'I can still sell tickets' 'I still have it' 'I can still be a franchise player'

Money? One would think he has enough. Over the course of his life, he's made ba-gillions of dollars. His last contract paid him 22 million last season.

Achievements? There aren't many player specific awards he could win anymore. He's been an Rookie of the Year, he's been a 10x Allstar, 2x Allstar game MVP, 7 time All-NBA team, and Most Valuable Player.

He's gained some other notoriety lately. He's always been a sulker when things didn't go his way. He didn't finish the season when he was benched last year.

He's washed up, supposedly. He's played 72% of his possible 1230 games, at an average of 41 mins per. I've said, and I'm not alone, that because of his size and playing style and resilience on the court, he is one of the toughest players in the NBA. That takes a toll. They say he's lost a step or two (but I wouldn't be surprised to see some fireworks here tonight..place it, 5tp's), and maybe he has. He's never made his money Ray Allen or Reggie Miller style, he defines high impact.

So what are his options? Hope someone terrible signs him to sell tickets? That might work. He might even get paid 5.8 million dollars to do it. If he takes less money, he could even play somewhere like New York, where he'd be worshipped for two weeks then booed. Europe? Sure, he could do that. But what does Allen Iverson care about a Euro chip right now? He doesn't need their money. No one here will care that he wins across the pond. Reebok might not even care.

He never climbed the mountain. He got to the cusp, and failed against the Lakers, losing 4-1. That was almost 10 years ago. Since then he's had some good individual seasons, but no good team season.

How long until Allen Iverson hears enough? How long until he looks at his body of work, then hears what his body is telling him? How long until he realizes that despite all his All-Star appearances, his scoring titles, his MVP awards, he's still missing a handy piece of hardward on his hand?

Heck, he's never won a sixth man of the year award.

Now what kind of team would he go to? Well I know a team that needs help in the back court like nobody's business. I know a team that took in Stephon Marbury like a brother despite all the baggage. I know a city that embraced Starbury, and fans that helped (at least partially) restore his reputation, and cheer him even when he wasn't playing like the player they thought he was. I know a team that has almost the pieces of a champion,

How long until he comes to Boston? Never? Next week? Who knows? Whatever happens, it makes a lot of sense.

Be respectful and keep it clean. Thanks.

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Too bad he

Wants a startin position and a large amount of money, or he could be backup pg for the Boston Celtics! Damn,

Rondo/Iverson
R. Allen/House
Pierce/ Need a Pick up
Garnett/Moore (if BBD leaves)
Perkins/Wallace

by jfarias on Jul 16, 2009 11:22 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs

Do we still even have Moore?

God he is aweful.

by stevenfuzz on Jul 17, 2009 2:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

no he is gone. we could go pick up a undrafted college player for cheaper to do what more does, pick up fouls and turn the ball over.

by NEFOOL on Jul 17, 2009 10:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It’s really such a troubling tale. I love and respect AI but you pretty much nailed how I feel about him as a player…an enigma. He’s the hardest working player but refuses to commit to the idea of team continuity. He respects the game with his effort on the court but disrespects it off of it. He’s self centered yet cries when he talks about Larry Brown. He has influenced a generation of young ballers more than ANY player of his generation with his (and I hate this word but it fits here) swagger. Kids wanted to be AI. He changed the way young players saw themselves on and off the court…crossover, corn rows, true to where you came from, say what you want when you want and apologize for nothing. At his size…how could he succeed without his ideology. In the end he STILL does not understand or care that swagger is a lonely man’s game. In the end he will always be respected but his legacy will be nothing as a player than a 20th century World B. Free. As a cultural icon he will be discussed for generations to come.
Having said all that…Do you think he would really consider Boston? (ha!)

by DJlives on Jul 16, 2009 11:43 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Great comment

Maybe one of the better ones I’ve ever read. To answer your question I don’t know, but I hope he can be as tough mentally as he’s shown he can be physically. My gut says no though. He’d rather go out like Ali than PJ Brown.

Reporter: About a year ago I asked about the Celtics-Lakers thing and you said you'd really only seen it on TV. Now you've been through it, can you talk about playing the Boston Celtics for the NBA championship?
Kobe: It Sucks.

by indeedproceed on Jul 17, 2009 12:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Heartfelt

and a great analysis of the conflictual nature of the internal workings of Iverson . . . but a little over the top. I wouldn’t consider anyone who hates practice, doesn’t take it seriously to be “the hardest working player.” He’ll be discussed as a cultural icon for generations to come????? No way. He’s already being left out of NBA discussions this summer, let alone talking about anything dealing with American culture. Cultural influence due to media overexposure has escalated the past three decades, however, it runs its course faster. So AI has already been replaced by Kobe, LeBron, Howard, and others. MJ is rarely talked about anymore. Not too many people want to be ‘just like Mike’.

Regarding playing in Boston, defensively he and Eddie on the court at the same time would be a defensive nightmare. Can you imagine all the guards who would make a living posting up the second unit? Plus, I just don’t think there’s enough minutes for AI in Boston even if he were willing to come off the bench.

by amenhotep04 on Jul 17, 2009 7:54 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

A.I. is still a great player who can take over a game

Despite what people might think he is a franchise player like he was on Sixers. Maybe he will sign with Bobcats and play for Larry Brown again to get his reputation back? I mean he could really lead that team to the playoffs if they put the right people around him.

Also his defense is good who cares about his size he might be 5’11(really doubt he is 6 foot) but he averages 2.2 steals per game so I think your wrong it would be a defensive nightmare.

by illestmcsgt on Jul 17, 2009 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don't excite me over something that won't happen

I know he’s an enigma but come on KG Ray Ray and PP, along with Sheed who will be on KGs side would keep him in check. Of course it won’t happen but it’s fun to dream. Speaking of dreaming, I think it’d be a nightmare if I saw Moore playing backup PF again…

by Lifelong KG Fan on Jul 17, 2009 3:04 AM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs

Regardless where he lands, AI deserves a second chance. He’s a talented player despite of his age and he can certainly contribute to any team he joins. But he needs to overhaul his reputation. I hope that he read Adrian Wojnarowski’s article about him being the “wrong answer” for the Clippers and all of the other bad write ups about him and use these as a motivation to prove them wrong: that he can sacrifice individual stats to team goals. C’mon AI prove them wrong.

by Wilbert on Jul 17, 2009 3:50 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

if recent history means anything, you would want to avoid ai like the plague. teams with him, i.e. philly. denv. and detr. go down until he leaves, and then they improve.

by nazzbo on Jul 17, 2009 6:34 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I sat at the garden near the floor at the garden and saw AI play (He was with Philly at the time). Bieng so close to the game was a very different perspective than bieng in one of the upper bowls. He is tiny! Cant weigh more than 165lbs yet controlled the entire flow of the game. He had everyone within 5 feet of him off balance at all times. So amazing to watch! He is a volume guy who dominates the ball when allowed…he knows nor will he commit to any other way. Seriously though as a fan I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. Love him or hate him or like me both…he is entertaining. That is not what we need. We need Stable.

by DJlives on Jul 17, 2009 7:59 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Iverson can't come off the bench

Allen Iverson is so desperate for a job right now that he’s once again saying he can come off the bench. But wait…wasn’t that part of the deal to Detroit? Iverson said he was okay with coming off the bench on his move to Detroit. But when it came time for him to ride the bench and wait his turn, Iverson was unhappy. Iverson began speaking out and before you know it, the Detroit Pistons became the Dallas Cowboys. As much as I do like him as a player, AI is just not capable of becoming a bench player.

And of course, we all know how he feels about practice. He’s talkin bout the game!

by jdgibbs on Jul 17, 2009 11:15 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

AI was forced to be the man. he wasn't given the choice

I think the thing that bother’s us all about AI is that looking at his incredible set of skills, we know he could easily be 6th man of the year on a championship team. And maybe we want for AI things that he doesn’t care as much about? But it just feels sad… I think any of the juggernauts would kill for 25 very productive ‘spark’ minutes of iverson! And of course injuries happen so he would surely get a chance for more minutes at some point durring the season.

The tough thing for AI is that it’s not only is personality that hurts him in coming off the bench, he was groomed for the first TEN YEARS! of his NBA career to be the MAN, the only man on his team! Can anyone name one other star in his prime that was on any of those sixer teams? And he still had some pretty good teams there.

Can anyone think of any other player in this era who has had as much on ball scoring responsibility as AI for as long as he did. And not only this, Philly may not have ever been an elite team in his time, but they were competitive for a while, and it was ALL because of him.

So even though we can see the skills and the ‘spark’ AI could bring, he could probably never come off the bench for a champion Spurs team or the Celtics for that matter.

But hey, with all that said…we can all still wish.

by philosoC on Jul 17, 2009 11:51 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

As long as there is at least one GM...

Who has no desire to win, and is stupid enough to pay him…AI will continue playing in the NBA, regardless of his role!

by Title 18 on Jul 17, 2009 11:55 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Name another player who has defined the hip/hop hoop connection more than AI. He is not only a cultural icon but a trendsetter. (Think late ninetees/early 2000’s). His influence on mainstream culture was very significant. I do think he will be discussed for generations to come for his irreverence, unwillingness to conform and influence on the way the game was being played in playgrounds and rec leagues all over the country (for better or worse). Also, when I said he is the hardest working player…I was reffering to “between the lines” during game time. That was my point…that his actions are often contradictory wich leaves the fan with a skewed perspective of who he truly is as a ball player and what his legacy will be.

by DJlives on Jul 17, 2009 1:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

geez AI..

i can never understand why AI will never take MLE to get a ring! he is 34 ! he cant play much longer! if i was AI i would play for the LLE to get a chance at a ring and end my career with pride!

by alonso on Jul 20, 2009 9:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs