Allen Iverson’s impact on the NBA is immeasurable. Although he never won a title, he paved the way for smaller players to make a meaningful impact on the sport despite their stature.
And that is to say nothing about his influence on basketball culture, which is arguably even greater than what he did on the court.
Because of his place in hoops lore Iverson is one of the few people uniquely qualified to weigh in on the ongoing GOAT debate which pits Michael Jordan against LeBron James.
This week, Iverson offered his two cents.
“LeBron, I think, to me is the best overall basketball player that we’ll ever see,” he told NBA insider Marc J. Spears. “If you look in the dictionary and look up basketball player, there’ll be a picture of LeBron.
“But for me it’s so different because Mike was everything to me. He gave me the vision. He made me want to play basketball. He’s my everything. I wanted to actually be like him, like the commercial, ‘Be like Mike,’ I really wanted to be him.
“I’m still starstruck every time I see him. I’m still nervous every time. Because he’s Mike to me. He’s my guy. So there’ll never be no one at the top of my list besides Mike. But LeBron is just everything that you want in a basketball player. He’s a total package. He’s God’s gift to the basketball world.”
Iverson’s reverence for Jordan is a matter of public record. The pair enjoys a special relationship, with Jordan’s incredible four-word greeting for Iverson being one of the more hilarious stories to come out in recent years.
That said, it’s clear that Iverson has immense respect for James as a basketball player. There is a reason he always includes him in his five best NBA players of all time list.
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Jordan just celebrated his 60th birthday in a wild bash. It makes sense that for a generation of retired players, he is still the No. 1 hero and undisputed GOAT. But that group is also aging out. And for the next generation, James is that guy.
It really wouldn’t be shocking at all if, when today’s stars are asked the same question in a decade, they speak with the same admiration about James.
The NBA’s GOAT debate has obviously always been deeply subjective. There is no right or wrong answer. But Iverson’s objectivity is definitely a pleasant surprise and will undoubtedly spur further conversations on who belongs at the top of the basketball mountain.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
