Allen Iverson is retiring...Vol: Lets make it a tribute thread, 1996-2009

[doublejs07]

I have a strong feeling that he isn't done. Well, at least I hope.

He's my all time favorite player. I've followed the dude since Doug Wilder gave him the pardon and he was able to attend G'Town. Iverson (to me) isthe most amazing athlete to ever grace a NBA hardwood. We'll NEVER see another 6'0" scoring guard taken #1 overall. Just think about the"clones" over the years...SirValiant Brown, Luis Flores, Troy Bell, Keydren Clark, Marcus Hatten, etc...all of those dudes were DYNAMIC at thecollegiate level, but none were either drafted (sans Bell and Flores), or made an impact on the NBA level. In retrospect, these guys failures should reallymake one appreciate what Iverson did night in, and night out.

This guy was as tough as they come in the NBA. He MAAAAAYBE weighed 160 pounds, but he never let any bump/bruise deter him from getting to the rack andinitiating contact. He's a warrior. It's real easy to pile on to what Iverson became after he left Philly (in essence, going to DET...he was a greatplayer in Denver). People will look at his final 2-3 years in the league rather than looking at the whole picture. Iverson is, and always will be amazing. Allthese issues came to surface after he was dealt to Detroit. He will go down as one of the greatest talents to ever play in the NBA, regardless of the sideshowhis career has become. If you follow hoops, you know how amazing his career is. It's a shame that due to the "what have you done for me lately"nature folks have, AI is IMO being unfairly criticized, and that criticism is what is driving people to make rash judgments on his WHOLE career. Look at thewhole picture when discussing AI...not just the past 2-3 years that have crippled his legacy in many folks' eyes...

This is a sad day for me, because like I said...he's my all-time favorite player. I really hope this isn't the last we hear of him. In a perfect world,he'll get a ring and hang it up. I just don't want to believe he's done

 

[ThaxbyChamblis]

Originally Posted by rockforlight

Correct me if I'm wrong, but since when has Iverson been all 'kids come first' type of dude?

Since he came into the league.

 

[tupac003]

Man AI was my favorite player when I was in high school. I had every colorway of the questions and it sadness me to see him leave like this. While I don'tbelieve he really is going to retire it's a shame that no team wants to take a chance on him. But I do understand why. I really think he needs to take astep back and look and know that hey you can't start anymore. I would love to see him come off the bench in LA. Could you imagine our second unit with AIand LO? Plus I would love to see AI leave with a chip....

Hope to seen him back in the L soon....

 

[hugo]

Originally Posted by mike23theking

Originally Posted by JPZx

The only uniform I ever enjoyed watching him in...

It was fun while it lasted, AI.... thanks for the memories. (at least the good ones...)

my fave of my grials 12s

 

[krazy88s]

Originally Posted by DoubleJs07

I have a strong feeling that he isn't done. Well, at least I hope.

He's my all time favorite player. I've followed the dude since Doug Wilder gave him the pardon and he was able to attend G'Town. Iverson (to me) is the most amazing athlete to ever grace a NBA hardwood. We'll NEVER see another 6'0" scoring guard taken #1 overall. Just think about the "clones" over the years...SirValiant Brown, Luis Flores, Troy Bell, Keydren Clark, Marcus Hatten, etc...all of those dudes were DYNAMIC at the collegiate level, but none were either drafted (sans Bell and Flores), or made an impact on the NBA level. In retrospect, these guys failures should really make one appreciate what Iverson did night in, and night out.

This guy was as tough as they come in the NBA. He MAAAAAYBE weighed 160 pounds, but he never let any bump/bruise deter him from getting to the rack and initiating contact. He's a warrior. It's real easy to pile on to what Iverson became after he left Philly (in essence, going to DET...he was a great player in Denver). People will look at his final 2-3 years in the league rather than looking at the whole picture. Iverson is, and always will be amazing. All these issues came to surface after he was dealt to Detroit. He will go down as one of the greatest talents to ever play in the NBA, regardless of the sideshow his career has become. If you follow hoops, you know how amazing his career is. It's a shame that due to the "what have you done for me lately" nature folks have, AI is IMO being unfairly criticized, and that criticism is what is driving people to make rash judgments on his WHOLE career. Look at the whole picture when discussing AI...not just the past 2-3 years that have crippled his legacy in many folks' eyes...

This is a sad day for me, because like I said...he's my all-time favorite player. I really hope this isn't the last we hear of him. In a perfect world, he'll get a ring and hang it up. I just don't want to believe he's done

Agreed.

 

[executive76]

My favorite player.


Would love to see him comeback to Denver.

 

[flacobey]

Sixers shoulde retire #3

 

[krazy88s]

On another note, who else tried to do that spinning crossover from his early Reebok commercials? I know someone my age (24, 25) tried it

 

[sorkoram]

 

[pr0phecy718]

Originally Posted by krazy88s


On another note, who else tried to do that spinning crossover from his early Reebok commercials? I know someone my age (24, 25) tried it

guilty and kids at my junior high school were doing it as well lol

 

[riker]

Damn. I'm salty as hell about this.


It's not right. Just not right.

 

[krazy88s]

Prophecy props for that commercial dude

 

[carlos tevez]

No way he's staying retired.

He'll be back.

I guarantee it.

I tried that Iverson move back in the day like 50 times and failed miserably.

 

[darthska]

Lazy B:

---

Jalen Rose and Jamal Mashburn just went in on NBA Shootaround.

Mash: "Outside of 5-6 teams in the NBA the rest have no reason not to sign Iverson. They are on the brink playoff teams that are in desperate need of scoring and AI brings it. Also from a business standpoint he's only asking for $3 million. Teams are saying they are building for the future but most of these teams have no future.
Must be some reason.

I'd say attitude, but I know people don't want to believe that.

Jason Kidd is obviously past his prime and was drafted the year before Iverson, but he's still in the league.

Same with Hill.

Why is that?

Dikembe stayed in the league well past his prime. Why haven't teams been hitting Iverson up these past couple weeks?

 

[im not you]

Originally Posted by rockforlight

Correct me if I'm wrong, but since when has Iverson been all 'kids come first' type of dude? Didn't he drive around the projects of Philly in his Rolls Royce with his bodyguard to boast?

Just sayin'. Stuff like that made a good amount of people not like him.

Yeah...you definitely don't know what you're talking about

 

[gregzzy23]

Doubt he's hanging it up for real, but if winning means so much to him, why can't he publicly state he doesn't need to be a number one option andall that good stuff a coach wants to hear so a contender signs him so he can get a shot at a ring? If hes straight up sticking to its going to be my way ornothing, can't feel sorry for him at all. Makes him look a bit worse in my eye but if this is really it, no question he was one of the toughest, most funto watch ball players in my book since I've been following basketball and one of the greatest guards ever.

One thing I'll never forget about AI, is that at the height of the jersey fad in the early 2000's, EVERYONE AND THEIR MOTHERS had a Sixers Iversonjersey. Maybe it was just NY or something, but EVERYONE had a black, white or blue Iverson jersey. Champion, nike, fake, authentic, EVERYONE had one. I had toSMH when someone said something along the lines of he wasn't very popular throughout his career on ESPN.

Can't say I have real knowledge of the Mavericks roster, but I'd love to see AI and my favorite player of all time J. Kidd link up for a championship

 

[flintgrey]

Just look at the statement he gave Stephen A Smith. "Plenty left in the tank". He's done for now.....but he's not done for good.

 

[TheGift23]

I wished he would sign a one day contract with Sixers and retire that way.

 

[stoneyjax]

League wont be the same without AI

 

[MVP]

A.I. may be picked up if one of the playoff teams suffers an injury to one of their stars or something like that, but if this really is the end...like someonesaid, this may be the beginning of the end of a era. Won't be too long until Shaq, TD, KG, Kidd, Nash Ray, Paul Pierce, Dirk and Kobe (well maybe longerfor Bean) decide to hang them up.

 

[memphisboi55]

 

[160jordansdeep]

i never really post in here in the 6 or 7 years i have been on niketalk

but wow

this is sad news to see allan retire

 

[shoeking2101]

Originally Posted by LilStarZ07

I can officially say I don't care about the nba anymore ... my idol is done and I am done ... wack %@+ refs and even wacker stars ... the game will never be the same ...

Truth speaking 100 percent

 

[darthska]

Ooooh, just realized something.

Iverson crossed Jordan. You all know what I'm talking about. Top of the arc, crossed him just outside the arc, hit the shot just inside the arc.

Well, who's the premier, veteran guard of the league right now?

Iverson got Jordan.

Who's gonna 'Iverson' Kobe? And when is it going to happen? This year? Next year? Couple years from now? How's it gonna be? A dunk? Acrossover? A steal (word to Nick Anderson)?

 

[riker]

I agree with the poster above.............if only he got to sign with the Sixers...and fair well from there. That would be a ending he deserves.