Allen Iverson on cover of new SLAM Magazine

[kurple]

why would he accept coming of the bench, behind Rodney ****ing Stuckey. Even I would take it as an insult, and i'm no future hall of famer

[Jailblazers7]

What are you guys talking about? He REFUSED to adjust his role and play in the system his team wanted, you know, back when he WAS in the NBA?

Or did you forget that?

You guys act like he was somehow outcast for no reason, as if a player averaging 25ppg was ruthlessly quarantined out of some personal agenda.

Get a ****ing clue, as his skills changed from what they once were, he was asked to adjust. Why do you choose to forget that he outright REFUSED to come off the bench (Pistons). And then in his final stint in Philadelphia, he exited using a "saving face" strategy, in which he used some reason about his daughter being sick. Make no mistake, that's an excuse. If your daughter is sick, you NOT playing basketball is not helping her, whatever phantom illness she had, the DOCTORS would've been the ones to help her. Unless it's literally life or death (in which case you could argue he'd want to be there at her bedside for her final moments), there's no reason to stop playing basketball. But that's a moot point, since it turned out there was no verified illness or anything medically wrong with her anyway. Let's also not forget the flyers advertising some club he was gonna be at on that game night...

Iverson was great. But just like Kobe now, he's refused to adjust. Only difference is Kobe's skills are still so good that his selfish refusal to adjust to his teammates, STILL allows him to play at god-like levels. Because when your skill set converges on infinity, "diminishment" is a mortal term.

Doesn't hurt that Kobe is 6'6" and AI is like 5'11". A player with AI's size and style doesn't have much room for error and isn't going to age well as a player.

[coin24]

He played well in his last stint with the 76ers..
That last game against the lakers was
Shame he couldn't get it together and play in the ASG.

Also, SLAM is still around?
Who the fu*k buys magazines anymore??

[coin24]

why would he accept coming of the bench, behind Rodney ****ing Stuckey. Even I would take it as an insult, and i'm no future hall of famer

This. Stuckey

[JellyBean]

allen iverson is a victim. he has been constantly scrutinized, but continues to shine. he is a mans man

You have got to be kidding me. Victim? Scrutinized? Continues to shine? How is he a victim? How is he being scruntinized? And where in the world does he continue to shine?

Come on, now. Iverson is no victim here. Love the dude. Loved his game on the court. But he brought this crap on by his own dang self. The dude was find and suspended multiple times in Philly for missing games, leaving practice, and skipping corporate events. But yet, some how, you say that he is a victim?

[STATUTORY]

You have got to be kidding me. Victim? Scrutinized? Continues to shine? How is he a victim? How is he being scruntinized? And where in the world does he continue to shine?

Come on, now. Iverson is no victim here. Love the dude. Loved his game on the court. But he brought this crap on by his own dang self. The dude was find and suspended multiple times in Philly for missing games, leaving practice, and skipping corporate events. But yet, some how, you say that he is a victim?

he was constantly being villified by the media and that negative perception never dissipated. He was a victim because he was targeted and made an example of for embracing his culture.

[kurple]

he was constantly being villified by the media and that negative perception never dissipated. He was a victim because he was targeted and made an example of for embracing his culture.

no one can argue this.

[Real Men Wear Green]

why would he accept coming of the bench, behind Rodney ****ing Stuckey. Even I would take it as an insult, and i'm no future hall of famer

Ray Allen accepted backing up Avery Bradley, a player he was arguably still better than. He didn't like it, but he did it. The reason AI should have accepted his new role should be obvious to all of you: It would have lengthened his career. Like Ray Allen, Iverson was getting old and when a player gets old they have to accept a lesser role if they want to stay in the league. It doesn't matter who they have above you in the rotation, what matters is that the team that is employing you wants you to play a certain role. If you are unwilling to play that role teams will be unwilling to employ you.

no one can argue this.

What, a bunch of stupid nonsense? Actually it's easy. Observe:

he was constantly being villified by the media and that negative perception never dissipated. He was a victim because he was targeted and made an example of for embracing his culture.

He was the first pick in the draft, made 10s of millions of dollars, several ASGs and won the MVP award. Wow, what a victim. Like he's the only player in the NBA that liked rap, baggy jeans and tats. Get a clue.

[kurple]

Ray Allen accepted backing up Avery Bradley, a player he was arguably still better than. He didn't like it, but he did it.

1) Iverson averaged 26.4 ppg on his highest FG% EVER the season before he was traded to detroit.

2) Avery Bradley isnt Rodney Stuckey

3) Allen came of the bench 4 ****ing games in Boston. how can u use this as an arguement. 12 if you count the playoffs. but still

this is like not comparable AT ALL

4) Allen averaged 14ppg the season he got "benched". not 26

[kurple]

What, a bunch of stupid nonsense? Actually it's easy. Observe:
He was the first pick in the draft, made 10s of millions of dollars, several ASGs and won the MVP award. Wow, what a victim. Like he's the only player in the NBA that liked rap, baggy jeans and tats. Get a clue.

he was loved by the fans, but hated by the league and large parts of the media

[kurple]

imagine if this happened to Kobe. or most stars for that matter.

AI knew he could play. he proved it the year before. I dont blame him for feeling disrespected by being benched for a scrub

[JellyBean]

he was constantly being villified by the media and that negative perception never dissipated. He was a victim because he was targeted and made an example of for embracing his culture.

Oh, so it was the media' fault? Stop it!!
Look, I

[Real Men Wear Green]

1) Iverson averaged 26.4 ppg on his highest FG% EVER the season before he was traded to detroit.

Doesn't matter. It's not that AI was never good, he's a HoFer and probably the best 6 ft-and-under scorer ever. His problem was that he was declining. His first year in Detroit he averaged 17.4 ppg on 41.6% (started 50 of 54 games). That's not good. Still starting in Philly 24 of 25 gameshe got 13.9 on 41.7. Again, not good. He was getting old so coaches wanted him to be a reserve. That happens to almost every player fortunate enough to play into his 30s.

2) Avery Bradley isnt Rodney Stuckey

At the time Detroit had AI Stuckey was viewed as a potentially excellent offensive guard. Bradley of last year was (and still is) an excellent defender with below-average offensive pg skills.

3) Allen came of the bench 4 ****ing games in Boston. how can u use this as an arguement. 12 if you count the playoffs. but still

In that one year (let's go ahead and include the playoffs) he came off the bench more times than AI has his entire career.

this is like not comparable AT ALL

The two capital words don't make your argument any more valid.

4) Allen averaged 14ppg the season he got "benched". not 26

Yeah, I know...shooting 41.7%.

[Real Men Wear Green]

he was loved by the fans, but hated by the league and large parts of the media

You do know that the media votes for the MVP award, don't you?

[knickballer]

he was constantly being villified by the media and that negative perception never dissipated. He was a victim because he was targeted and made an example of for embracing his culture.

Culture?