1996 was a special year for the NBA. The draft that year produced many talented players, including Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Ray Allen, and Stephen Marbury. The outstanding players who participated in the draft that year were also called the "Golden Generation of 96". Among them, the top pick was Allen Iverson, a 183 cm small guard from Georgetown University. He is the shortest No. 1 pick in NBA history and the shortest scoring champion in NBA history. He seems out of place in the league full of ordinary people. The best record of his career is only one finals. However, around the world, his popularity is no less than Kobe. After watching him play, countless people have decided to embark on the path of loving his life. So how attractive are Iverson's skills and personality charm? What charm does he have that makes the world love him so much? Today, let us walk into Iverson's road to becoming a god of war.
Allen Ezell Iverson was born in Hampton, Virginia on June 7, 1975. He was born with long arms and legs, and his mother, Ann Iverson, thought he was gifted and suitable to be an athlete. Ann was only 15 years old at the time, and she was a single mother because Iverson's biological father was a prodigal who abandoned his family. Ann then met a new boyfriend, Michael Freeman, who became Iverson's adoptive father. Iverson's place has always been full of drugs and gun battles, and his family environment is very poor. Later, Freeman was even arrested and imprisoned for drug possession. Fortunately, Iverson is indeed talented in sports. In high school, he served as the absolute core of the school football team and basketball team, and led the school football team to win the state championship in 1992. Iverson, who is outstanding in ability, gathered a group of friends to show off at a young age, but he got into trouble on Valentine's Day in 1993.
In a bowling alley, Iverson and his friends had an argument with other customers, and the conflict gradually escalated and eventually turned into a fight between whites and blacks. Iverson was arrested by the police afterwards because he was accused of hitting a girl with a chair, but the relevant details and testimony were ambiguous and difficult to distinguish between true and false. In the end, Iverson was paroled after four months in prison. Abandoned by his biological father since childhood and witnessing his adoptive father in prison, Iverson was already full of caution and resentment towards the whole world. After this incident, he became more and more rebellious and casual, cherishing brotherhood and enjoying the fun of the market. Although his reputation was damaged by his past imprisonment, few universities invited him after graduating from high school in 1994. However, Ms. Ann showed extraordinary courage and determination. She took the initiative to contact John Thompson, the head coach of the Georgetown University basketball team, and begged her son to give him a chance to prove himself. Coach Thompson, as the soul of Georgetown University basketball, has trained tough players such as Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning and Dikembe Mutombo. Based on his unique vision for talent, he finally accepted Ann's request and opened the door to the higher-level basketball stage of NCAA for Iverson. Thompson never expected that this decision would be like a rebirth in Iverson's heart. This also marked the beginning of the deep mentor-apprentice relationship and father-son relationship between Thompson and Iverson.
Iverson had a distinct personality and often got into trouble. Coach Thompson defended him from rumors and gossips outside, and questioned him privately and severely, trying to awaken his sense of responsibility and asking him if he was willing to continue this kind of life and let his mother suffer. Facing this young player who longed for his father's love, Thompson's harsh admonition touched Iverson's tough heart. Thompson played the dual role of a strict teacher and a kind father, teaching Iverson more about the philosophy of life rather than simple basketball skills. He always said lightly: "I just hope he can be more mature and avoid being hurt." Then, he would quietly turn around and wipe away the tears from the corner of his eyes in a corner where no one noticed.
Iverson showed extraordinary strength in his freshman season, averaging 20.4 points, 4.5 assists and 2.97 steals per game; in his sophomore year, the data jumped to 25.0 points, 4.7 assists and 3.35 steals per game. Since Iverson was already regarded as the top guard in the United States, Thompson did not restrict the development of his basketball skills. At that time, it was generally believed that only Ray Allen, the elegant shooter of the University of Connecticut, could match him. During Thompson's coaching career, most of his disciples had to complete four years of study before they could participate in the draft. Mourning and Mutombo followed this example. However, in 1996, Iverson had to participate in the NBA draft in advance because his sister was seriously ill and needed medical expenses. For this special situation, Thompson not only did not stop it, but personally made connections and introduced it to the famous agent David Falk, which eventually led to the Philadelphia 76ers selecting Iverson with the first pick, paving the way for his career. When Iverson waved goodbye to Philadelphia, Thompson was full of reluctance. He had hoped to stay with Iverson for two more years to teach him how to deal with the media who took his words out of context. However, at this point, Thompson could no longer suppress his emotions and expressed his concern for his beloved disciple. Due to Iverson's flamboyant personality and aggressive expression, people often misunderstood his intentions. This is exactly what I was most worried about, but I didn't expect it to come true.
Ever since he entered the league, Iverson has been praised for his talent. As a rookie, his Double Crossover double-crotch dribbling won everyone's applause, and he was hailed as the third generation Crossover master after Oscar Robertson and Tim Hardaway. However, his big gold chain, tattoos, street hip-hop style, and his eye-catching group of friends all show his rebelliousness and uninhibitedness. In contrast, Kobe, who also joined the league in his childhood, was full of fighting spirit, but had no idea of going against the entire league. Marbury was known for his unselfishness during his rookie season and was seen as a perfect match for Kevin Garnett. Ray Allen is a personable gentleman, but Iverson is different.
On November 2, 1996, in the second regular season game of Iverson's career, the opponent was Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls, who were invincible at the time. In the pre-game interview, Iverson said that he would not be afraid of anyone on the court, and he repeated this sentence to Jordan later in the game. On December 21, when he faced Jordan again, he dribbled past the basketball god to the applause of the audience. For a time, the media began to discuss the topic of respect. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the NBA, the older generation of stars came forward to speak out, and Iverson's remarks just touched their nerves. After being exaggerated by the media, these remarks were sent to seniors such as Reggie Miller and Charles Barkley, causing widespread criticism. The world was promoting his image of lack of respect and ignorance of rules. Iverson's shot past Jordan was also used as one of the evidences of his disrespect for elders. Although he won the Rookie of the Year Award with an average of 23.5 points and 7.5 assists per game in his rookie season, he never won the love of the league.
In the offseason of 1997, Iverson was arrested again because someone in the car was carrying marijuana and guns, but he insisted that it had nothing to do with him. Only Celtic star Bill Russell, who is nearly eighty years old, has a unique eye and said that he likes this young man. However, all these efforts seemed to be in vain, and he retired soon after being unable to bring Iverson to Boston. Unfortunately, not all old-school coaches have Ower Bark's personality. In 1997, Larry Brown, known for his stubbornness, iron fist and attention to detail, came to Philadelphia and began a six-year cooperation with Iverson. In early 1998, Philadelphia acquired guard Eric Snow through a trade. Coach Brown began to pair him with Iverson in the backcourt and asked Iverson to give up the main role and focus on offense. As a point guard, Iverson should be in control of the situation, but he has to run endlessly every night, waiting for Snow's pass. Iverson thought what Larry Brown was doing was crazy, and the quarrel between the two escalated, involving tactics, defensive focus and even attire. However, in four consecutive seasons starting from the 1998-99 season, despite constant disputes with the coach, Iverson still won three scoring titles, two super titles and two first-team honors. After being blocked by the Pacers from the Eastern Conference finals twice in 1999 and 2000, finally in the 2000-01 season, Iverson created what may be the most outstanding lone hero myth in NBA history. There is such a legend that before the start of the season, Iverson took the initiative to find Coach Brown and asked to be the captain. He trained hard in the offseason and increased his weight to 81 kilograms. In addition, they had a candid conversation, and despite their different personalities and opinions, the ultimate goal was the same - to win. Therefore, they put aside their conflicts for the time being. However, the outside world continues to distort Iverson's image. He wrote rap songs about the real life in the slums to share with the world. His original intention was to show his truthfulness and fearlessness, but the media almost unanimously believed that he was destroying social harmony and promoting violence. In this environment, Iverson's legendary story began. At the beginning of the season, the 76ers won ten consecutive games. While Iverson averaged 5.8 assists per game, he never scored more than 30 points in a game. Coach Brown finally smiled because he saw the correct way to play. But as the schedule progressed, his teammates' tricks were gradually discovered by his opponents, and Snow was injured, so Iverson began to take charge personally. On December 20, 2000, he scored 45 points against the Jazz. In the last game of the year against the Kings, he scored 46 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists. Entering the new year, he scored 41 and 54 points in back-to-back games. Whether he is selfless or generous, what remains unchanged is his pursuit of victory. In the All-Star Game, Iverson did not rest. He scored 25 points, helping the East team complete the comeback after falling behind by 21 points, and won the All-Star MVP. At the same time, the 76ers also finalized the deal with Mutombo, bringing this fellow player to Iverson after the All-Star Game. Mutombo's arrival is like the finishing touch, becoming a core part of the 76ers' defensive system.
After the regular season, the team had a lot of gains: Mutombo was selected to the second team of the best team and won the title of Defensive Player of the Year; Aaron McKee won the Best Sixth Man Award; Larry Brown was named Coach of the Year. As for Iverson, he won the honors of both the scoring champion and the steals champion with an average of 31.1 points and 2.51 steals per game, and won the MVP over superstars such as O'Neal, Kobe, and Duncan. The 76ers ranked first in the Eastern Conference with 56 wins and defeated Miller and his Pacers in the first round of the playoffs. In the second round, Iverson led the team to a seven-game battle against the Raptors led by Vince Carter. In the second game, Iverson scored 54 points, breaking the single-game scoring record in the playoffs at the time. In the third game, Carter responded with 50 points, including 8 three-pointers in the first half, setting an NBA historical record. Iverson, who was inspired to fight, scored 52 points again in the fifth game, including 8 three-pointers, as if to announce to the world that his three-pointers were equally good. In the seventh life-and-death battle, although Iverson only scored 21 points, he sent out 16 assists and led the team to a narrow victory of 1 point and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Throughout the series, Iverson averaged 33.7 points and 6.9 assists per game, which was in sharp contrast to Carter's 30.4 points. However, this was not the end. In the Eastern Conference Finals, Iverson and the 76ers were confronted by their old enemy Ray Allen and his Celtics. Unlike Iverson's passion, Ray Allen shot again and again from the three-point line like a piece of thousand-year-old black ice. Those accurate three-pointers were like works of art, but they could hit the target silently. In the first game, Iverson scored 34 points, while Ray Allen responded with 31 points. In the second game, Ray Allen hit 7 three-pointers and scored 38 points, winning the home advantage for the team. In the third game, the always indestructible iron man Iverson had to leave the game due to injury, and could only watch the team fall behind 1-2.
In the fourth game, facing elimination, the 76ers let Iverson return to the court. However, he had not yet fully recovered from injuries from his shoulders to his calves. Therefore, Iverson wore protective gear all over his body, as if he was back on the football field, which shocked the audience. Nevertheless, Milwaukee fans soon stopped laughing. Mutombo went all out on the defensive end, contributing 17 points, 15 rebounds and 4 blocks; McKee scored 8 points in the third quarter to help the team open the score.
When there were 3 minutes left in the game, these key players were exhausted and could not continue to provide support. Therefore, Iverson, who was more seriously injured and exhausted, once again took up the offensive banner and scored 9 points in the last 3 minutes, which laid the foundation for victory. In addition, 2 minutes before the halftime of the game, Iverson tried to steal Ray Allen's dribble, but was hit on the lip by the latter's arm. According to regulations, Iverson must temporarily leave the court to clean up the blood before returning. He quickly treated the wound and returned to the court immediately. After the game, he admitted that he did not further treat the wound because the referee only asked him to clean up the blood, which was simple for him.
In the fifth game, Snow scored at the last minute to help the team overcome the decisive game. But in the sixth game in Milwaukee, the 76ers were defeated in the first three quarters, and at the end of the third quarter, they were 26 points behind 54 to 80, and they were about to surrender. However, the indomitable god of war stepped up again, scoring 3 points in a row through steals, layups and free throws, and scored 26 points in the last quarter, almost catching up with the game. If it weren't for the cold-blooded killer Ray Allen's two three-pointers to extinguish the 76ers' counterattack, they would have almost lost face in front of their hometown folks. Allen scored 41 points in the game, making Iverson's 46 points in vain, but the 76ers still won glory despite the defeat.
There is a saying that after the game, after seeing how his junior tried to change his fate, Mutombo suddenly became proud and laughed at the reporters, saying that we will definitely win this series. So in the seventh game, he only rested for 1 minute, scored 23 points, 19 rebounds and 7 blocks, and sent Highway home with Iverson who scored 44 points and 7 assists. I wonder what coach John Thompson felt when he saw his two beloved disciples doing so well? Three series, two seventh games, and bruises all over the body. Iverson finally led his teammates to the stage of the finals to face the invincible Lakers. The Lakers in the 2000-2001 season were one of the best teams in history. They swept through the Western Conference and made Duncan despair in the Western Conference finals.
This was the first and only time in Allen Iverson's 19-year career that he faced a major psychological challenge. Facing the OK combination that had already achieved tacit understanding, Iverson bravely faced Goliath and placed himself in the sea of purple and gold. The first game was held in Los Angeles. After the Lakers started with a 2-5 deficit, they went on a 16-0 run and it seemed that victory was within reach. However, Iverson, who scored 12 points in the first quarter, stabilized the situation and reversed the momentum in the second quarter, leading the team to overtake the score. By the third quarter, the 76ers were leading by 15 points at 73-58. But O'Neal was not an ordinary person. He adjusted his strategy in time and replaced Tyrone Lue, who had the same hairstyle and height as Iverson. Lue began to pester Iverson, trying his best to prevent him from receiving the ball, and successfully brought the 76ers' offense to a standstill. The Lakers gradually narrowed the gap and then fought to overtime. By the middle of the overtime, the Lakers were leading by 5 points. The 76ers were on the verge of losing. Fortunately, the 76ers' first-year rookie Roger Bell made a two-pointer to save the game, and then the God of War returned. Iverson first made two free throws to catch up to one point, and then made a three-pointer to overtake the score.
When the 76ers attacked again, Iverson faced off against Lue at the baseline. After breaking through, Iverson made a quick stop and stepped back to knock Lue down. Iverson made a steady jump shot and then turned back to step over Lue. This scene became a classic moment. At this point, the overall situation was decided. Iverson scored 48 points in the game, setting the sixth highest score in a single game in the Finals. The 76ers had a hard-won victory in the redbud frenzy in Los Angeles. Although they were out of ammunition and food and eventually lost four games in a row and missed the championship, Iverson, who averaged 35.6 points in the series, was worthy of the name of the God of War. Although Larry Brown didn't like Iverson, he had to sigh that he was a fighter and a great player. The story ended here. Iverson never reproduced the glory of the spring and summer of 2001. But the world will not forget that he had given his all to the invincible Lakers with scars all over his body after playing against top guards such as Carter and Ray Allen, and gave them their only defeat. Throughout his career, Iverson averaged 26.66 points per game, ranking eighth in NBA history. If the sample is put into the more difficult playoffs, his average of 29.73 points per game is third in history, second only to Jordan and Dantley. So, in addition to his signature changes of direction, crossovers and speed, what is the secret of Iverson's high scoring? First of all, when Coach Brown forced Iverson to give up the ball, although the fans complained, it did hone his off-ball skills.
In fact, he may be the only player on that 76ers team who has the threat of playing without the ball. In addition, in the ball mentioned above where Iverson shook off Lue, Lue actually performed quite well as a defender and even successfully blocked Iverson's right-hand breakthrough route. However, Iverson finally chose to solve the problem with a jump shot. Therefore, compared with his historically famous breakthrough ability, Iverson's mid-range shooting is not top-notch, but it is also very threatening. Speed alone cannot gain a foothold in the NBA. What is more important is rhythm, explosiveness and the feel of the mid-range shot. When we look at the data, we will find that Iverson's hit rate is only about 40%, and his true hit rate is about 50%, which is far lower than the level of today's superstars such as Durant and Curry. But it is unfair to think that Iverson is not strong enough because of this. Because in Iverson's peak period (1999-2005), the NBA environment at that time was not friendly to breakthrough players. There was no "no hand check" rule at that time, and there was no protection of the whistle. The space was very crowded, and the moneyball theory could not be implemented at all. Slow speed, narrow space, and many single-player games were the style of the NBA at that time. Moreover, few people realize that there is no shortage of small superstars in the history of the NBA. Whether it is Paul or Isaiah Thomas, or even Curry, who set off the craze of the small ball era, they all have to rely on pick-and-roll to find mismatch opportunities and attack as an orthodox point guard. Only Iverson, with a height of 183 cm, can single out on the two wings and play like a swingman. This style of play can even be said to be challenging the traditional basketball rules on his own. However, think about it, from the media to the fans, from Jordan to the OK combination, from basketball skills and tactics to social values, what is there that Iverson dare not challenge? If possible, countless Iverson fans may want to take a time machine back to the years when he passed Jordan. That fake move passed not only the god of basketball, but the immortal youth in your heart and mine. After more than ten years of fighting, covered with scars, but never forgetting the iron-blooded spirit in his heart. We love him for life, he is the real god of war.