Allen Iverson – The Basketball David Who Slew Giants

Were you to ask me who is the greatest basketball player, ever, I would say, subjectively, it’s Allen Iverson, even though I know, objectively, stats-wise, it’s Michael Jordan. I chose Allen Iverson (hereinafter, AI) because night after night AI was like the Biblical David… slaying giants. Look at AI, he is tiny compare to the behemoths that play or played the game of basketball. I expect the like of Shaq, Duncan, LeBron… and Mello to put the ball in the basket with force; but look at AI size compare to most of his contemporaries, his stature is akin to that of a gnat, yet, for over a decade, he held his own… taking a pounding during his stay on the main stage. Like all artists, AI had his demons and they often accompanied him on the court and to the locker room. It was AI who gave us the memorable and often quoted, ‘practice!?’ 

AI had many detractors which is the reason, in my humble opinion, for him not getting the props that he so richly deserves. Such disrespect is evident in the fact that AI is currently lacing up his shoes for a Turkish team... and it is being reported that AI let teams know that he was available, but because of his baggage of not wanting to practice or his refusal to take a lesser role of not being the ‘star,’ no team considered him. There are  those who are going to say, oh, how the mighty has fallen, but it would not be warranted because AI basketball stats are stellar and conspicuous, which match up against the past and current giants of the game. I do not know what is propelling AI to play in Turkey – I hope that it is borne out of his love for the game… showing the teams that passed on his availability their folly.

It is said that no man is an island, but the Christ and even He had his twelve disciples. In that vein, AI never had a supporting cast, yet he reached the basketball promised land… only to be thwarted by Kobe… preventing AI from wearing the coveted scepter. I had hoped to see AI still playing on American soil, but if it is not to be... so be it. I say to AI, take heart, because if those of us who love B-ball are objective, we have the jaw-dropping memories of your defiance of gravity, your walking on air, and, your slaying of giants. Practice… not for one whom the game of basketball seemed to come to so naturally – farewell, AI!  

-Verily Prime