PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Former 76ers star Allen Iverson carved out a Hall of Fame NBA career and displayed a raw honesty seldom seen from superstar athletes. Yet in his new memoir, Iverson said the image of him that has been presented is warped.
Flanked by podcast hosts Gillie and Wallo, Iverson discussed his life and career in a frank fireside chat at Theatre of Living Arts on South Street Tuesday night, as well as his new book “Misunderstood.”
Iverson said he wanted those who read the book to feel like they could relate to the former NBA MVP and 11-time All-Star.
“I’m just like you, I’m no different from you. When you read the book, [you think] ‘AI went through that? Man, I'm going through the same thing. If he can overcome it, then I can,’” he said. “It’s a confession of me being human.”
Iverson’s time behind bars after a bowling alley brawl in high school nearly killed his career before it began. His clothes, hair, tattoos, and expression were all true to his Hampton, Virginia roots — but he was often branded a “thug” and was made an example by an NBA that now embraces player empowerment and Black culture.
Still, he inspired a generation of athletes and fans to remain true to their origins. These days, he said, he’s happy to see that athletes aren’t always subjected to the same criticisms and prejudices he faced.
“It’s bittersweet. I’ve matured so much in my life and I’ve been able to let the bad taste in my mouth go away because you should feel good about what you had to go through for somebody to not have to go through it,” Iverson said.
“Now the media is embracing guys’ personalities, who they are, and getting the chance to understand who they are before they judge a look, or a soundbite, or anything like that. It’s just a great situation.”
The crowd received Iverson with warmth and reverence. Jordan O’Neill is a Philly native who looked up to him as a kid.
“You look at a young African-American man with tattoos, saggy jeans, jersey hanging half-off, and you judge him by that. But his peers, they’ve all noticed and said that he’s a one-of-one person and has truly a big heart,” O’Neill said.
Clyde Bayard came all the way from St. Louis to see Iverson. “They kinda said he was like a thug,” he said, “but it made me feel like you can be yourself and still be an outstanding person.”