Well, it looks like you can stop wondering where Allen Iverson is going to land next.
Apparently it’s going to be on his couch at home, as according to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, Iverson is calling it quits after 13-plus seasons in the NBA.
After ending his fling with the Memphis Grizzlies after playing only three games, Iverson was linked with the New York Knicks last week. However, that didn’t pan out, as the Knicks decided against signing the 10-time All-Star. And given that his options were slim to none after the Knicks pulled back, this isn’t exactly a surprising decision.
Is it final? Judging from his displeasure at the playing time that he received in his brief stint with the Grizzlies, Iverson doesn’t seem to be content with being a bit-part player for anyone, and that will severely limit his options if he decides he’s not done.
If this is indeed the end, it’s been quite a ride.
There’s no disputing his place as one of the most controversial talents to grace the league, whether it was his clashes with the law, David Stern and the NBA office, or his relationships with Larry Brown and the Sixers organization. His infamous practice-filled rant definitely has its place in sports rant history.
But there’s also no disputing his place as one of the greatest talents to grace the league.
Career averages of 27 points and six assists, four seasons in which he averaged more than 30 points per game.
Iverson topped the 24,000 point mark at Golden State on the 4th, and he’s 17th all-time in scoring (24,020 points) and 12th all-time in steals (1,965).
That career 31.3 three-point percentage is an eyesore, certainly, but he certainly made his share.
Along with his MVP award in 2001, his Rookie of the Year award in 1997, and being voted to the All-Star team in 10 straight seasons from 2000-09, won four scoring titles, was named to the All-NBA First Team three times, and was the All-Star Game MVP in 2001 and 2005.
Ultimately, the one real stain on his career is the lack of a ring, and lack of chances at one, for that matter. There was the lone appearance in the NBA Finals in 2001, when the Lakers dispatched of the overmatched Sixers in five games, and each of his last three postseason appearances ended in the first round.
One can only speculate how things would have turned out had things been a little different in Philadelphia, though that certainly won’t prevent him from being inducted into the Hall of Fame in short order after he becomes eligible. But naturally, if this is the end of the line for A.I., you can’t help but wonder what could’ve been.
What was, however, was a career that certainly won’t be forgotten anytime soon, for many, many reasons.
Such kind of career path won't last long