Is it Over for the Answer?
Posted by Johnny Goodtimes on November 9th, 2009
Looks like Allen Iverson’s NBA career could be over, as he has walked away from the Memphis Grizzlies and is not expected to return. There are conflicting reports as to what is going on, with the owner of the Griz calling it a personal leave and others hinting that AI may retire. Iverson was vocal with his displeasure of his usage in the three games he played. “Go look at my resume and that will show you that I’m not a sixth man. I don’t think it has anything to do with me being selfish. It’s just who I am. I don’t want to change what gave me all the success that I’ve had since I’ve been in this league.”
Actually, it has everything to do with Iverson being selfish. And what success, exactly, is he referring to? It is Allen Iverson success, not the success of any of his teams. Except for a couple of years in Philadelphia when the entire team was structured around him, he has never failed to make the players around him worse, and why in the world Memphis wanted a Me-first guy to destroy the chemistry of a young team is beyond me. While Iverson is venerated around Philly (understandably), his lack of discipline and bad attitude prevented him from becoming one of the great players of his generation. I simply refuse to put him in a category with KG, Kobe, Tim Duncan, or Dwyane Wade.
The sole remnant of the Iverson trade to Denver, btw? Jason Smith. The 76ers used one of the picks they got from Denver to get Daequan Cook, who they then traded to Miami for draft pick Smith, who is currently averaging 3.4 ppg for the Sixers.
November 9th, 2009 at 11:56 am
While I admit that you (JGT) were never the biggest AI fan, I do recall you admonishing people who (correctly) pointed out that Iverson was ALWAYS for himself, not the team, and that the Sixers could have been great had he not forced out every other No.1 pick who needed to touch the ball. Even toward the end, you asked people to appreciate what they had in Iverson:
http://johnnygoodtimes.com/2006/11/goodtimes-prediction-sixers-win-it-all/
Now while Bubbachuck made it to the Finals, because Larry Brown saw how to put an entire team around him that would play the defense he would not, his career must be deemed a disappointment from any kind of critical analysis based on his contribution to team success. I can’t see much of a future in basketball for Iverson if he goes out this way, either.
November 9th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
I just wanted to follow that up with a list of guys who could not play with Iverson and soon were “otta here,” to quote the dear departed Harry:
Jerry Stackhouse
Clarence Weatherspoon
Larry Hughes
Speedy Claxton
Keith Van Horn
Matt Harpring
Chris Webber
and…although Iguodala is still there, he was the guy who Iverson bitched about his last year, imploring the Sixers to get him someone who could play with him. Pretty good team of guys—and I’m not even including the dogs, especially the Big Dog. The Sixers have had a lot of talent during the Iverson era. What they all have in common is that none of them could play with him.
November 10th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Well, move past that to the guys Iverson tried to play with elsewhere. Carmelo Anthony, Kenyon Martin, Tayshaun Prince, Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace. How many did he blend with nicely and form a solid 1-2 combination? Zero.