It's hard to compare the impact of the "answer."
Allen Iverson is one of the most unique players on the NBA's 75th anniversary team
When he walked up the stairs into the room, he didn't announce himself, nor was it out of disrespect. The image of his outfit has introduced him: a pillar of confidence, a combination of fluffy jacket sweatpants, and especially a silver necklace with the letter "AI" studded with ice cubes enough to stop global warming in case someone asks for an ID.
With 24,368 points in his career, not much has changed 10 years after his retirement and 46 years after living on Earth. So if you don't know who Aaron Iverson is right now, you'll never know.
And you will be in the minority. Just a few hours ago, Iverson was sitting in the restaurant at the Westin Cleveland hotel with a knife and fork. On the other side of the window on the street, a white boy of about 10 years of age didn't notice Iverson, who saw Iverson and was horrified. When Iverson surpassed Michael Jordan... Or beyond Telu... Or when he appeared at the 2001 All-Star Game, he wasn't even born yet. However, the boy, who tried unsuccessfully to get Iverson's attention, ended up taking a selfie of Iverson behind his back.
As soon as he went up the stairs and into the room, surrounded by a group of people who had come with him—Iverson still rarely went to public alone—Iverson threw himself on the couch and said kindly, "What do you want to know?" ”
He came to Cleveland to take his rightful place among the great men. During the NBA All-Star Game, when the 75th anniversary team was announced at halftime, Iverson received one of the warmest applause. Iverson had fun all weekend, mostly because he was back in basketball and the circle still loved him. He peddles Reebok, the shoe company he once carried, like the 76ers for a decade.
Iverson differs from the rest of the 75s in his loyalty to himself, to his fan base, to a generation of players inspired by him. Put it this way: The two members of the 75th class, dressed in navy blue blazers for each of them, looked uncomfortable. Dennis Rodman naturally tossed him aside. Iverson respectfully kept him in his place.
Dwayne Wade, Reggie Miller, Alan Iverson and Isaiah Thomas made the 71st NBA All-Star Game
Isn't that interesting how the NBA dress code disappeared overnight? When the trend hit, the league relaxed dress codes for coaches and players — rules that were made 20 years ago because Iverson and he prefer oversized shirts, long pants and loose pants over suits and ties.
Iverson sneered, "Right? You know what I mean? But this bittersweet is mixed. I don't understand why people would look at me in a certain way because of what I'm wearing. But it was clear that the situation was so different at the time because no one did it. I dressed like the guy I grew up with. ”
When he came on the pitch, Iverson was fearless. That's why he's 1m83 tall and weighs 165 pounds, constantly challenging big players under the basket, dribbling and luring the bag defense in a giant-lined arena. It is precisely because he is fearless that he does not care about the rules and opinions of the outside world.
Because, more than anyone else in an NBA jersey, Iverson is a basketball artist who combines suburban white kids and black urbanites, though his loot still resonates over time.
So many years on, ear of corn, tattoos, raw honesty and lifestyle wasn't for everyone, but it suited him, and, by extension, suited his crowd.
"It's not that I'm trying to create some kind of image," he said. "I am what I am. That's when people somehow entered the league. Everyone is doing the same thing. Not that it's a bad thing. Everyone wore suits, and they followed suit because of the people in front of them. The whole thing about me is, I never wear a suit to the gym, to the court. I just get dressed and go where I'm going after the race, you know what I mean?
"I think a lot of other people have always wanted to do that. I don't know if it's fear or what they don't have. When I do, it's not a big deal for me. Just like my tattoo. Before I got into the NBA, I would get more tattoos, but I couldn't afford them. ”
Nowadays, tattoos are the norm in the NBA. Some players were painted in ink from their neck to their feet. And hair? This also begins the follicle trend. Iverson has a reasonable answer to why he chose "OK":
"People were hyping about it, like thugs, but I was tired of (the hairdresser) messing up my hair on the road. If I could get a corn ear, I wouldn't have to worry about that. ”
Iverson will not be smooth sailing, and his appearance is a miracle. After all, he played with his heart and limbs. Regardless of the players who score or defend him, the greatest scorers in basketball know only one speed, one way, one pattern.
This energy made fans love Iverson because he knew he would reciprocate their emotional and financial investment in him. When he covered his ears and asked for more applause, they cheered loudly. That energy makes his teammates love Iverson, none of whom are as talented, but he does well on shooting — otherwise can they still win? It made him loved by coaches, even when Iverson drove him crazy, so did Larry Brown.
Because Iverson always shows up at kickoff. Well, he may test the team rules and be late in some exercises, but we are talking about 'turn-based practice'. Not a game, not a game, not a game he went there to die for, every game was like his last game. He never cheated on a match.
"It comes from my football pedigree," he explained. "When everyone thought it hurt when I was hit on the floor, I would laugh at it because I spent a lot of time on the football pitch getting hit and falling. The closer I got to the basket, the higher the shooting percentage, so I tried to get as close to the basket as possible. ”