Basketball player Allen Iverson has reached considerable heights in his professional sports career. The article tells about his biography and achievements.
Childhood and youth
Allen Isale Iverson was born on June 7, 1975 in the city of Hampton, which is located in Virginia. Mother, Ann Iverson, at the time of the birth of her son was 15 years old. The father, Allen Broughton, did not take care of raising his son, so the basketball player carries his mother's surname.
At first, Iverson was not interested in basketball. At school, he seriously became interested in football and was thinking about the professional career of a football player. But after spending time in the camp with his colleagues on the football team, Allen was imbued with the game of basketball. The young athlete quickly gained momentum and, already a middle-level student, represented both school teams in which he was a member at the Virginia Championship.
However, in February 1993, there was one very unpleasant incident that almost put an end to the promising career of a young athlete. In one of Hampton's bowling alleys, Iverson was involved in a fight with a group of white teens, which subsequently resulted in racial conflict. Allen Iverson and his comrades, also black, were arrested as adults, although at that time they were no more than 17 years old. Allen was then sentenced to 15 years in prison, of which he was supposed to serve 5 in a prison cell, and 10 - suspended sentences. This misconduct suffered serious consequences - the guy had to miss the graduation class, which could affect his further progress. His sporting merits played a role, thanks to which Iverson was enrolled at Georgetown University on the recommendation of John Thompson.
First steps in the NBA, Philadelphia Seventi Sixers
The first step towards becoming Iverson was to include him in the Philadelphia Seventy Sixers as a point guard. Among this team, he immediately became famous as the fastest stunted player in the history of the National Basketball Association. He had no equal in super-speed dribbling. Allen Iverson stood out for his quick learning and, not hiding his greatness, showed brilliant performance, which led to misunderstanding on the part of his teammates. Despite such significant merits, other players spoke uncomfortably about the newcomer. For tribune fans of Philadelphia, Allen immediately became an idol, which can not be said about his teammates. They were upset that the “green” player was still so pretentious in public, criticizing rivals and veterans of the NBA.
In early summer 1997, Philadelphia underwent some changes in its composition - new ones appeared in the team. Also, Larry Brown, an NBA veteran who immediately took over the training of a frisky young man, came to the post of lead coach Johnny Davis. This, of course, played a role in the development of the athlete. And already in January 1999, the guy signed a new contract with the Philadelphia Seventi Sixers for a period of six years. Iverson was then transferred to the position of an attacking defender, where his excellent skills fell into place. Allen Iverson was repeatedly recognized as the best player in the team by the number of points he scored.
Denver Nuggets
In December 2006, a basketball player was included in the Denver Nuggets team, trying on the role of the second scorer of the association. On December 23 of the same year, he had the opportunity to show his talents in the game against the Sacramento Kings, where he scored 22 points and 10 assists. He immediately helped Denver go on to play off, where in the first round they won, losing the next four San Antonio Spurs.
Detroit Pistons
In November 2008, Allen Iverson was included in the Detroit Pistons, where he did not have a relationship with a coach who limited the player in actions. He also had to play the role of a point guard in place of his usual role as an attacking defender, which also caused discontent. At the end of the season, the team’s lead coach, Michael Curry, expelled Allen from the starting five, putting Rodney Staki in his place. Iverson soon loudly expressed his displeasure, saying that he would rather put an end to his professional career, rather than sit expectantly on the bench. In the summer of 2009, Allen left the Detroit Pistons as an NBA free agent.
It is also worth noting that Allen Iverson was rightfully considered the shortest NBA player to be awarded such striking grandiose achievements in his sports field. Its height is 1 m 83 cm. In accordance with statistical indicators, it is still placed in III place, ahead of existing basketball players in the number of points accumulated over their careers.
Memphis Grizzlies
Then, on September 10, 2009, he signed a one-year contract with Memphis Grizzlies. As part of this team, he spent relatively little time. On November 7, citing personal reasons, he left the team, having played only three games as a reserve player, and on November 16 he already terminated the contract. On November 25 of the same year, not finding a suitable club for himself, Iverson announced that he was preparing to end his player’s career.
Return to Philadelphia
Shocking for the fans was the news that the leadership of the Philadelphia basketball club was considering returning Iverson to the team. The club made the decision in favor of the player, and on December 2, an agreement with Allen was already concluded. In the starting five of Philadelphia, Allen Iverson was appointed to the position of Louis Williams, who broke his jaw at the beginning of the game season. Photos of his masterfully worked out gears and shots demonstrate remarkable athlete talents.
In February 2010, Allen had to leave the club due to his daughter’s illness, the care of which, according to the basketball player, took a lot of time. In this regard, he missed five games of the club and the All-Star Game, for which he was specially chosen by the leadership. On March 2 of the same year, Philadelphia admitted that the basketball player would not return to the playground.
Finally
To date, Allen Iverson is the key player in the NBA. The biography of his sporting achievements cannot be indifferent - he takes third place in the number of points scored in the history of his professional activity. Each of his actions was unpredictable for the opponent. He possessed remarkable speed and competently approached the game. That is exactly what the basketball player remained in the hearts of his fans, no matter what. Allen is now forty, but no one dares to doubt his professionalism. Perhaps he will return, anything happens.