A sculpture of Allen Iverson was unveiled by the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday at their practice facility.
New Jersey’s Camden (AP) — Yes, there is something quite ironic about the fact that Allen Iverson was captured in his crossover posture at the Philadelphia 76ers’ practice court, of all places.
Practice. Not where the Sixers are supposed to play. Practice.
Not too dissimilar from Ted Lasso, almost 22 years after AI boasted about “practice” 22 times in a frequently staged press conference, even Iverson was excited about the sculpture’s placement on the team’s Legends Walk, where it joins the likes of Wilt Chamberlain, Charles Barkley, Maurice Cheeks, and Julius Erving. The Sixers have welcomed the Hall of Famer who introduced the phrase “talking about practice” into popular culture.
“I could miss a practice,” Iverson remarked following the event. “Lead me in the activities.”
Iverson, who led the Sixers to their most recent trip to the NBA Finals in 2001 and won four scoring titles and an NBA MVP award, was one of the best players in the team’s games.
With his stats, he cemented his place among the NBA’s greatest.
With his tattoos, throwback jerseys, and braids, the small player with the supersized heart made the hip-hop aspect cool in the NBA. In fact, the NBA even implemented a clothing code, largely in an effort to undo Iverson’s effect. His legacy went beyond the court. To this day, players such as Tyrese Maxey of Philadelphia, Russell Westbrook, and Ja Morant have all modeled their play after his unwavering approach.
But never, ever a duplicate.
A celebration to honor Iverson almost equaled his election into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Pat Croce, Billy King, Rasheed Wallace, Eric Snow, Aaron McKie, and other former Sixers teammates and executives lauded and photographed with AI. Even Terrell Owens, a former NFL receiver, recorded the homage on camera and took pictures of the monument. There was former coach Larry Brown, who had a well-known falling out with Iverson over the years.
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