It’s impossible to talk about NBA history without mentioning Allen Iverson’s name quite a few times. The legendary Philadelphia 76ers guard was one of the most talented ball-handlers ever, not to mention a cultural icon off the court.
His journey, however, began long before that. He was a dual athlete growing up, and he made the rounds for his football skills even more often than for what he did in the hardwood.
In a recent sitdown with South Carolina’s women’s coach Dawn Staley, she even took the liberty of admitting that she didn’t know him as a basketball player when he arrived in college.
Allen Iverson was more famous for football than basketball
“I did actually hear a lot about you, and I actually heard more about you as a football player than as a basketball player,” Staley told him. “I would watch the news and see them showing highlights of you just blazing on the field and doing what you’re doing.”
Iverson has repeatedly talked about his love for football and how he was actually a better football player than a basketball player, even despite not being the biggest kid out there.
Iverson changed the culture
Fortunately for basketball fans, Iverson wound up choosing hoops over the gridiron. As Staley let him know, he became instrumental for the city of Philadelphia, letting young and out-of-favor kids know that they could also dream big:
“When I think of you and I think about what you meant to Philadelphia, and I know you know the love that we all show you every time that you come to a game,” she said. “You were it for the young kids growing up in Philly — when you came, we identified with you.”
“I think your power as a Philadelphia 76er helped a lot of young kids, like me, who grew up in the projects. You helped us through — you gave us somebody to say, ‘If he can do it, I can do it too,‘” she added.
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Iverson may not have fulfilled his dream of being an NFL star, but one could argue that it all turned out pretty well for him. He’s more than a Georgetown or Philadelphia 76ers legend: He’s a cultural icon.
