I think it’s unfair when people use the number of NBA rings a player has as the most significant criterion in determining the greatness of that player and whether he deserves the title of “winner” or not. Allen Iverson only got one shot at a championship and walked away from the league without one. But, there’s no question that one of the most influential athletes off the court was a winner on the court. He was just as scary taking the last-second shot as he was making the move before it. Many “analytics experts” will disagree with that statement. They will also disagree with every NBA legend and great defender who played with and/or against Iverson and couldn’t care less what those “experts” think.
Thanks to Iverson superfan pennyccwai, we now have 14 minutes of evidence showcasing how cold-blooded AI was in the clutch.
And if you don’t have 14 minutes, here’s a four-minute video showcasing 10 game-winners by AI.
And if you have a lot of spare time and think 14 minutes isn’t long enough, here’s an hour of AI being clutch.
LEGENDS ON ALLEN IVERSON
Kobe was so obsessed with Allen Iverson that he once said he used to study how sharks hunted seals to prepare for Allen Iverson.
VIA THE PLAYERS’ TRIBUNE
I had to study this man maniacally.
I obsessively read every article and book I could find about AI. I obsessively watched every game he had played, going back to the IUPU All-American Game. I obsessively studied his every success, and his every struggle. I obsessively searched for any weakness I could find.
According to Kobe, it started on November 12, 1996. Kobe was frustrated because Dell Harris only played him five minutes.
He turns on the TV and hears the SportsCenter anchors say Iverson just scored 35 at MSG. Kobe got so mad he broke the television and trashed the hotel room.
Then in 1999, Iverson dropped 41 on Kobe in his hometown of Philly.
A year later, Kobe finally got revenge when he was assigned to guard Iverson in the second half of a game. AI went scoreless on 0/10 shooting and finished with just 16 points. Kobe finished with 18 points, 7 assists, and a career-high of 5 blocks.
“Revenge was sweet,” Said Kobe. “But I wasn’t satisfied after the win. I was annoyed that he had made me feel that way in the first place.”
Read more about Kobe’s top revenge games here.