Allen Iverson is known for his infamous “practice” rant. The 2002 tirade has gone down as one of the most iconic quotes in sports history. However, despite the impact of Iverson's most famous interview, the NBA legend has a whole list of memorable lines that further cement his legacy.
1.
“My whole thing was, just being me. Now, you look around the NBA and all of them have tattoos, guys wearing cornrows. Now you see the police officers with the cornrows. I took a beating for those types of things.”
Iverson's impact on the NBA goes way beyond the game itself. AI has had a signature look that included cornrows, tattoos, and various accessories. Iverson helped change the perception of things like cornrows and inspired a whole generation of players.
2.
“I love my fans in Philadelphia, but this is the hardest place in the world to play in. And I think it's the hardest place to play in to be a superstar. Just to be the No. 1 guy. All eyes on you – because everybody wants you to be perfect, but not themselves.”
Although he made nine All-Star appearances in 12 seasons in Philadelphia and was named league MVP in 2001, Iverson was no exception to the tough love often shown by 76ers fans. Fast forward to today and current stars Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid are going through something similar.
3.
“Everybody talks about that one when they first meet me. ‘Man, I still remember the play you shook Jordan.' Everybody gonna always remember it because it was Jordan.”
As a 21-year-old rookie in 1997, Iverson was matched up with a veteran Michael Jordan. The Chicago Bulls would end up winning the game, but Iverson was able to cross up Jordan and the play remains one of the most iconic highlights in league history.
4.
“A jump shot can get you a shoe deal, a big house, a supermodel, fancy cars, a bunch of yes men, a Swiss bank account. But none of these things can get you a jump shot.”
Iverson was one of the most lethal scores of his era averaging over 30 points per game in four separate seasons. And although he would eventually go broke after he retired, AI would turn that scoring ability into over $200 million in earnings throughout his career.
5.
“The basket looked like an ocean, and I was just throwing rocks in it.”
Short but sweet. Iverson's aforementioned scoring ability made him, at times, essentially unstoppable. With 12 career 50-point games to his name, there's no doubt that Iverson felt this way fairly often.
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