Getty LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Allen Iverson played against some elite talent in his heyday with the Philadelphia 76ers. Between 1996 and 2005, Iverson dueled the likes of Karl Malone, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, and Tim Duncan. He also battled two all-time greats in LeBron James and Michael Jordan.
The last two, LeBron James and Michael Jordan, are often the subject of great debates regarding which is the actual greatest player of all time. Recently, Iverson weighed in on the debate, going on the record and staking his claim. Given his own skill and experience combined with the fact that he got better than front-row seats to see some of these legends play, it’s fair to say that Iverson’s word carries some cachet.
“Much as I love Michael Jordan, like dog. Man, LeBron James is the ONE, dog. He’s the one man. That motherf***** is the one,” said Iverson on September 13.
“As much as I love Jordan, LeBron James is the ONE”
-Allen Iverson on the GOAT debate
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LeBron has a fairly strong case for being the greatest ever. And each offseason that he continues to defy father time, this Jordan vs. LeBron debate is once again refueled. But it wasn’t just LeBron and Jordan that Iverson mentioned discussed among the greats.
Allen Iverson Calls Out Brooklyn Nets Star Kevin Durant
There’s no doubt that Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant is one of the NBA’s greatest talents of all time. His legacy might have taken a bit of a hit this summer after demanding a trade away from a Nets team that was created in his own image, but his supreme talent is what will live on.
And Durant has an admirer in Iverson, the Sixers legend. Immediately after calling LeBron James “the one,” Durant heaped the same praise onto Durant.
“Kevin Durant is THE ONE, man,” Iverson explained.
Durant’s case for one of the greats is ironclad. Two-time NBA champ, two-time Finals MVP, a regular season MVP award, a dozen All-Star nods, and 10 All-NBA teams round out a few of his career highlights.
But few would say Durant is better than Jordan. Yet that’s what Iverson is implying by beginning his spiel with “all due respect to Michael Jordan.” Perhaps it’s just another dig at a player Iverson regularly battled against in the Eastern Conference while the two played together.
Iverson’s Signature Crossover Gets High Praise
Iverson was no slouch on the court, either. Despite his smaller stature, Iverson led the Sixers to an NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2001, singlehandedly robbing the Lakers of a series sweep. Of particular note from that series was Iverson’s now-iconic step-over of Ty Lue brought on by his smooth crossover.
Iverson’s signature move was recently named the second-deadliest signature move in modern NBA history by Bleacher Report, just behind Michael Jordan’s fadeaway.
“Iverson may have borrowed from or been influenced by Hardaway for his crossover, complete with the hesitation (or carry, if you’re so inclined), but that doesn’t make it any less filthy,” Bailey wrote on September 8.
“On the contrary, few players in the history of the game handled the ball with as much style as Iverson. That and his unrelenting grit are what made him one of the most influential players of all time.”
That 2001 Finals run was the last time the Sixers advanced past the second round of the playoffs. With a loaded and revamped roster, Philadelphia will once again look to break that ceiling when play kicks off next month.