After a judge garnished Allen Iverson's bank account to pay a debt, it became clearer that his tragedy is coming full circle. And that's heartbreaking to someone who grew up at the peak of his stardom.
Jan 31, 2012 - From the second the NBA left Allen Iverson, I wondered what in the world he would do without basketball. It seems "paying his bills" wasn't on his to-do list.
The gumshoes at TMZ say Iverson's bank account has been garnished to pay an exorbitant jewelry bill. Per American custom, that's brought out snickers and finger wagging. Iverson made over $150 million, according to basketball-reference.com. Now, he's 36-years-old and can't even come up with the money to pay for bling he's too old to wear.
People laugh when rich folks struggle. In this case, I see two levels of tragedy. There's the predictability of it all. Even the best adjusted athletes have a million factors to fight when their careers are done, from divorces to simply trying to fill the hours of each day without practices and games. Plus, athletes, figurative lottery winners, are like the literal ones -- they often find a way to blow all their cash.
The rest is the big stuff, the totality of Iverson's nearly four decades and what they meant to a generation of fans and observers who never met him. Even those who couldn't relate to him felt inclined to root for him, if only to spite those who despised him. He was readily associated with hip-hop, but Iverson was rock star from the same mold as all the great ones. They grew up with the Stones, but gave Iverson the same lectures on his clothes that Jagger complained about on "Satisfaction." It was he who was immune to consultations, quite aware of what he was going through, even if those who judged him were not.
For people like me, Iverson's complaints were also ours. His defenses of his own rap music were the same we offered our parents when they heard the words coming from our bedroom windows. We wanted to wear t-shirts and sneakers everywhere, and we couldn't see what the big deal was, either. We were tired of being treated like criminals because of how we dressed. After being told for so long all the nonsensical compromises we would have to make to be successful, it warmed teenage hearts to see Iverson make it without doing any of those things.
It didn't feel like he was being knocked for his undeniable flaws, or even simply for being young and black. It felt like he caught hell for refusing to believe there was something wrong with who he was, how he dressed and how he wore his hair. It wasn't just a refusal to conform. It was a demand for his right to exist. He wasn't analyzed as much as he was indicted by his critics, many of whom never considered how truly impressive it was for someone from his side of the tracks to be a tax-paying millionaire. So many treated him as if he were doomed, that he could never be more than he was as a jaded, immature man in his early-20s.
No matter what anyone thought he did in that bowling alley, or what they thought he deserved, he made it out. Talent alone won't do that for anyone. That's the sort of thing done by hook or crook, and there's no time on the back end to worry too much about how it got done. After suffering the worst in a dying shipping town, being caught on police cameras buying drugs for his mother like it was just a run to the store, the slim chance Iverson had to be successful panned out.
And successful he was. The city he played in, Philadelphia, loved him for his passion. His teams won. He brought home scoring titles, led his team to six playoff series victories and dragged a motley crew of role players to the NBA Finals. And, for better or worse, he brought his people with him. No matter how silly it was to support dozens of people, or how selfishly Iverson handled his role in a team sport, he'd reached places that once seemed impossible for him.
That's why, no matter how boorish he could be or how self-inflicted his problems were, I rooted for Iverson on the court, and why I will continue to do so in life. He earned what he had, and he had a chance for even more. The short, skinny underdog who played harder than anyone in recent memory could be king, and he nearly did so without compromising personally or professionally. Even if that made him a jerk, it was one worthy of respect.
The older I got, the clearer it became that A.I. was going about things all wrong. The braids were a lot cooler in 2001 than ‘09, especially since they were worn by someone 26, not 34. The one-man offense was more defensible when that man, at the very least, was a capable NBA starter. He maxed out what he could do through force of personality and little else. His aging body needed a nuanced game that he hadn't picked up. His ego needed to be commensurate with his diminishing skills to find a place. And he needed to see, clearly, that he was losing basketball, which was the linchpin that held together everything he had.
Now, it's gone. So are his wife and family and, apparently, much of his money. He's no longer a star, not even at the Atlanta watering holes he frequents. We only hear about him when the cops are impounding his Lamborghini or creditors are beating down his door. After being so much, good and bad, to so many, Allen Iverson is a 36-year-old retiree. He is a nobody.
Does he have any fight left in him? We will find out soon. He may be finished as a basketball player, but he can't be finished as a man, if he ever was one. He's done too much, been too far and proven himself to be too strong. Right?
He seems totally unprepared for his greatest challenge: life. Iverson was tossed out of high school. He dropped out of college. Not even the gods of irony are funny enough to make A.I. a coach. He's demonstrated no interest in any activity meant to be performed 40 hours per week. In the most significant ways, he is alone. And there's no reason to think any of this will get any better.
Four years ago, he averaged 26.4 points per game. Two years later, as a free agent, his irrelevance was impossible to ignore. He wasn't even on the backburner. He was in the fridge, cold and past his expiration date. Only running backs and radioactive isotopes decay that fast.
The game hadn't just passed him by. The Game, the macro-level stuff about basketball and branding that The Answer could never be bothered with, were way beyond him. The suits he didn't want to wear, not his t-shirts and du-rags, were in style. The superstars of the day bore little resemblance to the anti-hero who directly preceded them in the limelight.
Now, it's as if he was never here. His most lasting imprint is the NBA's dress code, a measure taken to erase some of Iverson's cultural influence. He has a lifetime contract with Reebok, but he'll never be the Jordan-like icon whose brand power could sell shoes forever. Each of his employers was ready for him to go when he left. The Sixers will retire his jersey, and he'll surely be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Sadly, it might be best-case scenario if we never hear from him beyond those nights.
He went from nothing to the world, and now Allen Iverson may be back to nothing again. Literally, figuratively and tragically.
35 comments
Comments
Nailed it with these grafs
I grew up in the Philly area rooting for Iverson for the same reasons and I’ll continue to do so. Great stuff.
"Basketball fights last two punches. Make sure you throw both of them." - John Thompson Jr.
Repping the SB Nation Product Team as Product Manager
Like SB Nation on Facebook and follow @SBNation and @SBNProductTeam on Twitter
by Chris Haines on Jan 31, 2012 12:13 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
Great, great artcile
Twitter: @soundofphilly
by DanyS on Jan 31, 2012 1:20 PM EST reply actions
Didn't read the full article
But tragedy for Iverson is right. Heck, his life could be summed up in the 76ers 2001 NBA Finals Appearance.
Also, if I do choose to laugh at somebody, it would be a dying and heavily in debt Bill Gates. He wants to kill us all through eugenics.
I'm a proud fan of the Minnesota Twins and Dallas Cowboys!
"Life is precious and time is a key element. Let’s make every moment count and help those who have a greater need than our own." – Harmon Killebrew
I would like to see Dallas vs the Giants on Thanksgiving, Make it happen NFL!
Check out my eBay items.
by Jessy S on Jan 31, 2012 2:06 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
no greater compliment you can pay a writer
than “didn’t read the full article”.
Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be.
by MarketMaker on Feb 1, 2012 11:58 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
You had time to comment on it, but didn't have time to read it?
I am tempted to say this is what is wrong with society.
by seewhite on Feb 1, 2012 4:14 PM EST up reply actions 5 recs
That, and if you Google "Bill Gates eugenics"
it leads to a bunch of notoriously unreliable conspiracy sites.
"There is nothing shrewd about running a red light and later finding out it kept you from being hit by an asteroid." - philofthenorth
by KeepItCopacetic on Feb 1, 2012 7:56 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Nobody ever played as hard as Allen, especially in the playoffs. I’m rooting for him through these tribulations.
Check out Florida Panthers Nation on Facebook! www.facebook.com/pages/Florida-Panthers-Nation/347621568585757
by Kevin Kraczkowski on Jan 31, 2012 2:23 PM EST reply actions
what?
This situation that A.I. is in does not mean he is broke. It happens all the time even to rich people. It means he has not payed the bill and is refusing to pay the bill, it does not mean he can’t pay the bill. I won’t be surprised A.I. has blown a lot of his money but the info you have here does not prove this.
by bibb on Jan 31, 2012 3:01 PM EST reply actions
Does the NBA still do that thing with rookies...
where they bring in financial planners and retired players to talk to the rookie class? They should also bring in a Latrell Sprewell or JR Rider to discuss what steps they took to ruin their futures.
"The invention of basketball was not an accident. It was developed to meet a need. Those boys simply would not play Drop the Handkerchief." - James Naismith
by CaptHustle on Jan 31, 2012 4:14 PM EST reply actions
yes. i'm sure the mentors will mention latrell and rider
because those two will be too ashamed to say so themselves
by thewiz06 on Jan 31, 2012 4:15 PM EST up reply actions
Wow
um … so … more of this please. Great read.
Words of wisdom from the great Billy Dee Williams
Because I'm suave you can suck it, I'll ski on your lunch if I want.
"I'm a motorcycle of death, I ain't got no sidecar." - FDR
by wallywagon11 on Jan 31, 2012 4:48 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
I just hope he survives to give his Hall of Fame speech. Here’s a player I will always support and hope for the best. This is coming from a huge Sixers fan and just from a person.
Dante Nelson-Staff Writer at "The Sixer Sense" and "Hardcourt Mayhem"
Follow on Twitter @Dantewrites
by Dalanel on Jan 31, 2012 5:55 PM EST reply actions
The irony of Iverson
So we hold up Iverson’s inablility to compromise, and his total lack of interest in augmenting his game – to improve both as an athlete and a person – as something to admire?
I realize the bigger picture of the article reflects some sense that ultimately Iverson chose the wrong path, but there shouldn’t even be an “ultimately”. He was wrong all along and to admire what landed him here in even a bittersweet way lends a nuance to the subject I fear may get lost during reflection. For the sake of those that will follow in his footsteps, let’s be clear about why Iverson was doomed to this fate in the first place.
Look, I’m all for the rebel, the guy who gets things done in an unusual way, but when it becomes crystal clear that your methods aren’t working, you need the ability to tweak some things. Iverson either lacked the ability to grow or simply lacked the foresight to see why it was necessary.
Tiger Woods is now suffering from a prolonged malaise that is partly related to injuries but mostly psychological. This is the second time his career has hit a valley but I have every faith that he will eventually break out of it. Know why? Because the first time he hit a rough patch he spent nearly a full year making adjustments to his training regimen, adjustments to his very swing, etc. Despite actually being at the very top of his sport (something only the most fervent of Iverson’s supporters can lay claim to), Woods knew he had to make a change in order to improve.
Not once in his NBA career did Allen Iverson display the ability or the desire to compromise, to accept responsibility when negative things were his fault, or to make any changes to the way he played (both on and off the court). Ultimately it was hubris and pure stubbornness that brought him down, and until he admits culpability and actually WANTS to change, he will continue to be lost – a sad shell of untapped potential. He could have been one of the all time greats – mentioned in the same breath as Monroe, Stockton, and Kidd. Instead he will always have an asterisk, and the second sentence after all the accolades will always be some reminder of “what could have been”.
Great teams aren't always great. They're just great when they HAVE to be. - John Facenda
by Spectre3724 on Jan 31, 2012 10:23 PM EST reply actions 6 recs
You Nailed It!
For as much as I appreciate Bomani Jones’ insight, I have to agree with you wholeheartedly on this subject. While reading this article I couldn’t help thinking most if not all of what you wrote here.
by Vocal Point on Feb 2, 2012 12:59 AM EST up reply actions
Couldn't disagree with you more
In fact, you’re statement is exactly what we love about Iverson.
How can you say he was unable to improve as a person? He went from a poor kid in a poor community buying drugs for his mother to an immaculate success, all through his own hard work. He is not a criminal, and I see that as tremendous improvement. You can’t ee that however, because you look at the hair and the clothes and the jewelry and assume he is still the same kid. That is exactly what we loved about Iverson. He fought the power and made a generation of fans realize that you don’t have to wear monkey suits, cut your hair and be a corporate drone to be successful. He gave us creativity and individuality, and spoke from the heart while everyone else was saying the same cliches, one game at a time, 110%.
Of course, he never should be mentioned in the same breath as Monroe, Stockton and Kidd. They were point guards. Iverson was a 5’10" shooting guard, nearly a foot taller than Kobe and Jordan. He was also uniquely capable of truly, single-handedly lifting his team to the top. Look at the last 20 years and see how many other players led their team to the title round without another HOFer on the roster, much less without another all star. I agree that those points were absolutely great players, but take Malone out of Utah and see how far Stockton gets without him. You wanted Iverson to be a different player, but he said no, I am a shooting guard and a scorer, and he made it work, despite being so undersized
by mrmadrew on Feb 2, 2012 5:33 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
great article
ice cold tho
by Belize on Jan 31, 2012 10:47 PM EST reply actions
Superb article
I loved AI has a player, even when he was older and less effective. As it says, nobody ever outworked Allen Iverson.
by NewCavsfan on Feb 1, 2012 12:33 AM EST reply actions
I wish I could rec this.
Time flies, doesn’t it?
The only part of the article I didn’t like was you calling him a nobody…In my mind he is the G.O.A.T under 6’6"…plus there are a couple games I wont ever forget watching him play.
Also, this video applies to his money issues.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xF66EGturE
by tw10 on Feb 1, 2012 1:08 AM EST reply actions
G.O.A.T? oh my. not even close.
there are several players under 6’6" in the NBA right now that are better than iverson ever was.
Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be.
by MarketMaker on Feb 1, 2012 12:00 PM EST up reply actions
Like who?
by seewhite on Feb 1, 2012 4:15 PM EST up reply actions
Dwayne Wade for one
"We're not there yet, but we're going somewhere," Johnson said. "And we're going to Brooklyn. We're not going to contract. We're going to Brooklyn."
by Atronic on Feb 5, 2012 10:19 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
FALL BACK, BOMANI
what are you doing? some kick em when they’re down ish?! you’re pushing the line towards exploitation. Respect the man who helped you pay at least a few bills over the years.
by 206 on Feb 1, 2012 1:10 AM EST reply actions
Uhhh…. what?
by Hoggo on Feb 2, 2012 6:18 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Whatever.
"...out of the shadows of unprecedented success, the sun shines down upon this team waiting to thrill anew." - ghostofErikThompson
by jam0152 on Feb 1, 2012 10:05 AM EST reply actions
marvellously written
I’m not a huge NBA fan, and I follow the league way less than I used to but A.I. was the player who turned me on to the league as a kid. Terribly sad to see how far some of the all-time greats can fall, regardless the sport or the era.
Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos!
Contributor for Winnipeg Jets Blog, Arctic Ice Hockey. Follow me on Twitter @TJCAPS.
by TJCAPS on Feb 1, 2012 2:38 PM EST reply actions
I appreciate reading some of the responses on here
I am actually offended as a basketball fan to see Allen Iverson’s name and the word tragedy in the same headline. I understand some of the things that have happened in iverson’s life or the whole “practice” ordeal but all that A.I. has shown over time is that he is a warrior. So on a personal level i’m sure he’ll be fine. This comes from a nets fan btw
P.S. If iverson had any scoring talent against the Lakers back in the day he might be an NBA champion.
by SamsHops on Feb 1, 2012 7:08 PM EST reply actions
Iverson
Sadly, Iverson’s story tells the story of many of the league’s players. Inner city youth makes good and attains more money than he could possibly imagine. The entourage forms, lavish bling spending ensues, a mega ego is born and soon enough the body can no longer hold up to allow the person to do the very thing that has helped them to attain such lavish success. While I know that Iverson played a huge role in his own demise, it is not like the league offers help/financial advisers that are not out to make a quick dime off of the league’s talent. Iverson’s story was almost a story of what could have been if John Thompson had not stuck his neck out (although I question whether or not Thompson’s motives were true or was he just a cog in the machine that has ultimately brought Iverson down) to give Iverson a chance. Iverson took that chance and crossed over every one in his path. Ironically, Iverson is being garnished for jewelery meanwhile he will go down in history as one of the greatest players to never get a ring which was quite probably the piece of jewelry he coveted the most. If you want to talk more sports and other social issue hit my blog up at murrayknowsbest.wordpress.com
murrayknowsbest
by murrayknowsbest on Feb 1, 2012 11:28 PM EST reply actions
The league does offer financial advisors
They are all certified and governed by the CFP board. Of course they make money off their clients, like all financial advisors do, but as with all financial advisors, their incentive lies in making their clients investments grow and earn money. Nice broad generalization that all financial advisors are trying to steal players’ money.
by mrmadrew on Feb 2, 2012 5:36 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
His greatest legacy will be his dominance as a video game character.
Specifically the 2010 re-release of NBA Jam. Unlocking A.I. and teaming him with Dr. J to rain destruction down upon the heads of mine enemies was exceedingly satisfying.
I suppose he was good at real basketball too.
And by good I mean ridiculous.
"You saw us pretty bad," Petra answered.
"I saw you magnificent," said Ender.
by BlackSoxDown on Feb 2, 2012 8:55 AM EST reply actions
What-EVER!!
This article is straight up garbage. This isn’t nowhere near some insightful tale of the tragedy of Allen Iverson…it’s a presumptuous caricature creation straight from the runaway imagination of Bomani Jones.
Bomani rummaged through A.I.‘s trash and dug up some shyt about his bank account being garnished to pay a jewelry bill and based on that obscure smidgen of information he proceeded to write this straight up garbage making audacious assumptions about the state of Allen Iverson’s post-NBA life.
Maybe Allen Iverson is perfectly content with not being a star and maybe despite the fact that he didn’t chose the familiar route of clinging around for a few more years on the roster of some contender playing for the veterans minimum stuck on the end of the bench in limited minutes providing “veteran leadership” – maybe despite the fact he is content with his life. Maybe he is not at the end of his rope ready to pull a “Don Cornelius” at any moment because (according to your observations) he is just so irrelevant now and his life just isn’t worth living anymore and he’s lost everything and he has no future and he’s doomed and alone and bankrupt and homeless and depressed…it’s just such a shame such a tragedy.
Gimmie a break.
You just mad cause there’s been nobody like him before or since and you miss the fact that you’ll never be amazed and entertained by an athelete and personality like Allen Iverson ever again.
by bluemoses on Feb 2, 2012 5:25 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
I do miss him
by mrmadrew on Feb 2, 2012 5:37 PM EST up reply actions
Agreed
I miss that energy, but Iverson is wealthy to the point he’ll coast through the rest of his life, while everyone else works till death. Boo hoo.
by Fatty Fish Belly on Feb 4, 2012 1:20 PM EST up reply actions
Good read but...
David Bowie – Changes…Not Jagger
Rosita: Tell me, Carmen, do you know what foreplay is?
Carmen: No...
Rosita: Good! Neither does El Guapo.
by blb76 on Feb 4, 2012 3:14 PM EST reply actions
AI Is the Lindsay Lohan of the NBA
AI’s story is unique because it’s not your usual dime a dozen Best That Never Was story. On paper AI had a pretty damn good career, arguably hall of fame worthy. But his career has a huge void because every basketball fan knows he could’ve been even better. He’s simply known as a good individual player in a team sport. His lack of team play held him back from from the ultimate validation which would’ve been a championship.
What baffles me is that he had the ultimate consolation prize by being resigned by the 76ers and blew it. After bouncing around from Denver, Memphis to Detroit, he was given the ultimate chance at redemption by the 76ers. He could’ve at least retired with respect and dignity by being a leader on a young talented team. It’s sad his career will forever be epitomized by his “practice” bit.
by djchriscruz on Feb 4, 2012 3:24 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
I'm sorry but what happened to Manute Bol was a tragedy!
Allen Iverson, not so much. He got paid millions to play a game, I see people who are crippled in their old age from having to work for a living to support their family & have to survive on social security. That’s Tragedy!
Loud pipes save lives!
Bad knees break hearts!
Time for an exorcism.
by We-B-Dunkin on Feb 7, 2012 11:40 AM EST reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed