The Answer

Now, I've made no secret for my Laker love on this blog, especially about a certain #24. But, today was the birthday of one of my all-time favorite players, Allen Ezail Iverson. I did an post on AI last month, but this one is different. That one was more about the repercussions of one of his actions, this one is more about AI as a whole. He gave us 14 years of thrills and excitement on the court, never failed to entertain us fans throughout his ups, downs, and controversies, and along with Kobe, inspired a generation of kids to pick up a basketball. I can remember being 8 years old spending an entire afternoon in my driveway trying to imitate his crossover. To put it this way, if I had tried it against him, I would have the ball stripped and stolen, and he would already be at the other end putting it in for a layup. I can also remember being 8 and a half, sitting in front of the TV frustrated and amazed at the same time while watching him pick apart my Lakers to end their playoff winning streak in Game 1 of the 2001 Finals. Throughout, he always remained my favorite non-Lakers player in the NBA. If the Lakers weren't playing on a certain day or time, but the Sixers had a nationally televised game at the time, I would watch just to see what The Answer would do. I would always watch the All-Star game to see my three favorite players: Kobe, Shaq, and The Answer. I can even remember when I was 7, the first nice pair of basketball shoes I ever had were Reebok Answer IIIs. 

When we talk about the greatest "small guys" in the history of the NBA, Allen Iverson should be at or near the top of that list. He had the combination of scoring ability, fundamentals, highlight moves and toughness. His toughness came from overcoming the baggage he carried when he was younger, from growing up poor, and his arrest and imprisonment for several months in 1993 after a bowling alley fight. However, he never gave up and after being given a second chance, became more determined to achieve his goals. Allen Iverson never gave up and fulfilled his dreams of playing in the NBA. Reading his story when I was young inspired me because no matter what life threw at me, I knew that if Allen made it, I could too. So, this fan says thank you, Allen. Thank you for all the great moments, thank you for all the shows you put on in every game, whether it was exhibition, regular season, All-Star, playoffs, or the NBA Finals, and thank you for showing me that you can overcome tough circumstances in life by simply believing in yourself, never giving up, and never backing down from a challenge.