Allen Iverson [un]Retirement

[WillJ]

The discussion around Iverson's retirement just makes me want to shout that, while an incredible talent on many dimensions, his value to a team was never all that high even during his prime. Iverson was ridiculously quick and athletic, a good shooter and had an fantastic handle - all to the good. The problem was that he used all that skill badly, always focusing on getting himself acrobatic but low-percentage shots and never using his skill to set up his teammates. It's true that he led a team to the finals one year, but the 2001 (?) Sixers were one of the worst teams ever to make a finals and got clobbered by the Lakers. For the most part, the teams he played on didn't get any better when he joined them and, in several cases, got worse.
It's a shame, really, because I recall a game in 2002 or so when, for whatever reason, he decided to play point guard.....I mean really play point guard, i.e., penetrating, dishing to teammates, exhibiting some patience. He was fantastic at it, but his brain just would not allow him to function in that capacity on a regular basis. I was reminded of something Coach K said about former Duke player Tony Moore which, paraphrasing, was that "Tony can be a very valuable defender and rebounder for us, if he wants that role." Tony didn't and so he wasn't valuable to Duke. Iverson had that problem at a higher level.

[jipops]

My guess here is AI is waiting for next year's free agency to shake out. Opportunities aren't there this season and he obviously doesn't want to be playing for Memphis. Whoever becomes the likely title contender and can give him a good potential fit with a lot of minutes, that's where he'll try to make his move. This guy wants a ring and he wants to play a lot too. Just my guess.

AI does have a ton left in the tank. In terms of basketball skill he is one of the best we've seen. In terms of being a teammate, he never really got around to figuring that one out.

[Indoor66]

I doubt that AI ever laces them up again in the NBA. Too much baggage and age diminishing skills.

[sagegrouse]

Allan Iverson is not going to retire.

He can still play; I believe he wants to; and at $3.0 million, he isn't too expensive.

I also expect the next couple of weeks will be a soap opera.

sagegrouse

[JaMarcus Russell]

I wonder if Iverson's decision will be analyzed non-stop by ESPN the next few weeks, much like the Brett Favre retirement saga the past couple of summers. I can see it becoming another huge story for the media, especially if Larry Brown continues to show an interest in Iverson and the Bobcats ultimately offer him a contract.

[feldspar]

C'mon guys. We're talking about retirement. We're talking about retirement. We're not talking about the game. We're talking about retirement. When you come to the arena, and you see me play, you've seen me play right, you've seen me give everything I've got, but we're talking about retirement right now.

[BD80]

C'mon guys. We're talking about retirement. We're talking about retirement. We're not talking about the game. We're talking about retirement. When you come to the arena, and you see me play, you've seen me play right, you've seen me give everything I've got, but we're talking about retirement right now.

That speech sounds like it took lots and lots of practice. That's what I'm talking about.

[Devilsfan]

I love Larry Brown's comment on he's willing to council him but NOT necessarily sign him. Good enough to have on a squad as long as it's someone elses.

[theAlaskanBear]

I love Larry Brown's comment on he's willing to council him but NOT necessarily sign him. Good enough to have on a squad as long as it's someone elses.

If Charlotte had any interest in being a better basketball team, they would sign him.

They traded Raja and Vlad for Acie Law and Stephen jackson. Jackson, Gerald Wallace, and Iverson is a pretty good three-headed scoring combo. I love Gerald and hope he gets every chance to succeed in Charlotte, but I dont think there is any question that Iverson makes Charlotte a better team at this point.

Iverson has some baggage, but Stephen Jackson is way worse.

[Indoor66]

Iverson has some baggage, but Stephen Jackson is way worse.

Iverson does not have baggage, he has trunks and trunks he bring with him.

[BD80]

Iverson does not have baggage, he has trunks and trunks he bring with him.

AI and his posse travel in a fleet of all black, pimped-out Mayflower moving vans, compete with spinners.




Reminds me of fifth grade, when I told my dad I missed the word "posse" in the spelling bee. He said: "Spell it? Hell, you can't even pronounce it!"

[darthur]

It's true that he led a team to the finals one year, but the 2001 (?) Sixers were one of the worst teams ever to make a finals and got clobbered by the Lakers.

Allen Iverson definitely has his shortcomings as a player, but that year was an amazing accomplishment. His support cast was weak, the team's record in the regular season was a very respectable 56-26 so the run to the finals was hardly a fluke, and as I recall, they did better against the Lakers than anyone else did during the playoffs.

[Spam Filter]

Iverson didn't "retire", the NBA retired him.

And that's where he'll stay. He's a shell of his former self at this point and he really isn't that useful any more.

[WillJ]

Allen Iverson definitely has his shortcomings as a player, but that year was an amazing accomplishment. His support cast was weak, the team's record in the regular season was a very respectable 56-26 so the run to the finals was hardly a fluke, and as I recall, they did better against the Lakers than anyone else did during the playoffs.

We're probably mostly in agreement, but that was the only year his team won 50 games and they beat Toronto (in 7 games) and Milwaukee (in 7 games) before losing 4-1 to the Lakers in the finals. The East was very weak that year so, while he performed his style of play at an extremely high level that year, it did not lead to an overwhelming team performance.

[darthur]

We're probably mostly in agreement, but that was the only year his team won 50 games and they beat Toronto (in 7 games) and Milwaukee (in 7 games) before losing 4-1 to the Lakers in the finals. The East was very weak that year so, while he performed his style of play at an extremely high level that year, it did not lead to an overwhelming team performance.

Yeah, Iverson's no Steve Nash or LeBron James. That's for sure. But the 01 Sixers compare quite favorably to anything that say Gilbert Arenas (a similar kind of player) has accomplished.

[dukebballcamper90-91]

who cares about AI, this does not deserve any type of discussion on this board. Please get this out of here before I puke and delete my account.

[jipops]

who cares about AI, this does not deserve any type of discussion on this board. Please get this out of here before I puke and delete my account.

He may warrant discussion because he has a career playoff scoring average of about 30 per game which I believe may be 2nd all time. You may not like him as a person but as a player he's quite a talent. And I really don't think he's dropped off to where he can't make a big impact for someone. He can still score on anyone in the league right now.

[Indoor66]

He may warrant discussion because he has a career playoff scoring average of about 30 per game which I believe may be 2nd all time. You may not like him as a person but as a player he's quite a talent. And I really don't think he's dropped off to where he can't make a big impact for someone. He can still score on anyone in the league right now.

There never was a question about his ability to score. The question is about his ability to be part of a team that wins. There is no evidence that he can do that.

[jipops]

There never was a question about his ability to score. The question is about his ability to be part of a team that wins. There is no evidence that he can do that.

He's provided some with the '01 Sixers making the Finals. But I do agree he struggles to fit in with a team, notice how much better Denver (and Carmello) became once Billups showed up. He is the size of a point guard but he has never wanted to be a distributor of the offense. He hunts his own shot.

I do believe there is a team(s) out there that can use him. But it's going to have to be a role he's willing to accept.

[phaedrus]

Yeah, Iverson's no Steve Nash or LeBron James. That's for sure. But the 01 Sixers compare quite favorably to anything that say Gilbert Arenas (a similar kind of player) has accomplished.

Nash has never made the Finals and Lebron has never won a game in the Finals (the '01 Sixers won Game 1 behind Iverson's 48). So I'd say his 2001 season compares quite favorably with what both of those players have done as well.

I'm not an Iverson fan, but recognition of his shortcomings make '01 stand out all the more. The East was weak that year, but the Sixers roster was terrible. This was a team where Eric Snow and Aaron McKie played large roles.

[darthur]

Nash has never made the Finals and Lebron has never won a game in the Finals (the '01 Sixers won Game 1 behind Iverson's 48). So I'd say his 2001 season compares quite favorably with what both of those players have done as well.

Iverson did better in the playoffs that one year, but both Nash and Lebron turned bad teams into year-in year-out powerhouses. And neither of those two have benefited from nearly the same kind of rosy playoff competition AI got to see in 01. Anyway, that's mostly beside the point. I brought them up as examples of players known for making the rest of their teammates better, which was never one of Iverson's strengths.

[phaedrus]

Iverson did better in the playoffs that one year, but both Nash and Lebron turned bad teams into year-in year-out powerhouses. And neither of those two have benefited from nearly the same kind of rosy playoff competition AI got to see in 01. Anyway, that's mostly beside the point. I brought them up as examples of players known for making the rest of their teammates better, which was never one of Iverson's strengths.

I agree with you, but the fact that he was able to drag his team to that level of success without being a team player is remarkable in its own way. Facilitators like Nash and Lebron naturally make their team better and that, of course, leads to team success. If you play like Allen Iverson or Stephon Marbury or Gilbert Arenas, you have to be superlatively good to carry your team to success. You're defying the natural laws of basketball.

[jipops]

Nash has never made the Finals and Lebron has never won a game in the Finals (the '01 Sixers won Game 1 behind Iverson's 48). So I'd say his 2001 season compares quite favorably with what both of those players have done as well.

I'm not an Iverson fan, but recognition of his shortcomings make '01 stand out all the more. The East was weak that year, but the Sixers roster was terrible. This was a team where Eric Snow and Aaron McKie played large roles.

Ahh, don't diss on Aaron McKie now. I really liked that guy as a player on both ends of the floor. No he wasn't an all-star but did a nice job of filling up the stat sheet. He, Eddie Jones, and Stan Brunson made Temple into quite a squad some years ago.

The Sixers also had Mutumbo who was still quite the player in '01. Eric Snow was an excellent fit in the backcourt as it often forced the other teams 2 guard to defend him leaving the pg on Iverson.

I wouldn't call that Sixers team terrible. They were filled with a lot of role players who could score. They also had great defenders in Mutumbo, Mckie, Tyrone Hill and AI.