But for me, none of them quite compare to Allen Iverson.I'm not going to argue that Allen Iverson is the best player in the league. That debate comes down to Bryant or James, dependant upon your point of view. I'm not even going to argue that, at this point, Iverson is one of the 10 best players in the league. He's been in the game since 96, he's aging, and he's likely been passed up by some of the kids of the great draft classes in the last 5 years. What I am going to argue is that Iverson might be the baddest, toughest, most iron willed player in the league today.
Over the years I've written several columns extolling Allen Iverson's greatness. Just as he has himself, I've always acknowledged his failures and mistakes (the rap album, the infamous"Practice?!" press conference, among others) while celebrating his excellence. And there is a LOT of excellence to celebrate.In his 14 seasons in the NBA, Iverson is a 4 scoring champion and a 9 time All Star. He won an MVP trophy in 2001 and Rookie of the Year in 1997. He has averaged over 30 points per game in a season 5 times and 22 or more every year of his career.
For his career, he has third highest points per game average in NBA history, behind only Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain. He is one of the most feared scorers in the league today and it has been that way since he did this to MJ himself. And contrary to the belief that Iverson is a ball hog who only scores, he has averaged over 6 assists per game each of the last 6 seasons and over 2 steals per game 11 times in his career. He is a dominating, devastating player that is among the most respected the league has ever had. Above all of these accomplishments, however, at least for me, is his resiliency.Iverson is an incredibly gifted athlete, but unlike Kobe, Lebron, Michael, etc. he isn't a physical specimen. Iverson clocks in at a GENEROUS 6 feet tall and 180 pounds after a big Thanksgiving dinner. He's tiny by NBA standards. Most players of that size who experience long term success in the league are perimeter players, true point guards, guys who don't get knocked around too much. Iverson is not that guy. Instead of hanging around the perimeter, Iverson is routinely in the paint, mixing it up with the big guys, hanging out among the trees.
He doesn't play above the rim but he does play around the rim. It takes tremendous intestinal fortitude to do that, to willingly go into the paint and take the physical punishment that Iverson does each night. I would be willing to bet that no one in this league today has seen the floor up close as many times as AI. In his career, Iverson has averaged over 9 free throw attempts per game. That's an ASTOUNDING figure for the uninitiated. No point guard in the history of the league has come anywhere near that figure.In short, Allen Iverson has given his team every single thing he's had every single night, 832 times in his NBA career. I've seen him play with broken bones. I've seen him play with a dislocated shoulder. I've seen him play with a seriously messed up elbow. I've seen him take hits that might have sent some players to the hospital then jump up, get in the guy's face, and calmly sink his free throws. I've seen him strike fear into the heart of opponents, teammates, and referees alike. When he walks onto the floor, everyone in the gym RESPECTS him in a way that few men anywhere can understand. He is the toughest dude in the game today.
Tonight Iverson will make his debut with the Detroit Pistons. He was recently traded from the Denver Nuggets, a team going nowhere, to the Pistons who might just be the favorite to win the championship these days. In his illustrious career, the only thing missing from AI's resume is a title. He's hungry, he's determined, and he's willing to do ANYTHING to win. And I can't wait to see what he does in Detroit.
No comments:
Post a Comment