Don’t forget; Allen Iverson Is Still Getting Screwed
A.I.As much as I’ve enjoyed watching Team USA step on the collective necks of the rest of the world’s basketball elite, I can’t shake this unsettling feeling that’s been around for me regarding this squad since 2006: Allen Iverson should be involved in this.
Did we ever get a legit explanation from Jerry Colangelo as to why he didn’t extend an invite to one of the five greatest basketball players of the last decade? This wasn’t similar to Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett, who turned down Colangelo’s original request, or Tracy McGrady, who at the time had legit injury concerns that probably would have kept even me — a HUGE T-Mac fan — from considering him for Team USA.
Allen Iverson wanted to play. He made this very clear. And the man doesn’t get hurt; at least not enough to keep him off the court for very long. There’s no reason why he shouldn’t have at least had the opportunity to decide if he wanted to join Team USA for its three-year run that has encompassed the ‘06 World Championships, the ‘07 FIBA Americas qualifier, and this summer’s Beijing Olympics.
Those in the anti-A.I. camp would argue two things: First, that Iverson’s style of play is highlights several of the problems plaguing Team USA in its current (albeit about to be ended) gold-medal drought. Second, that his status as a signature member — perhaps the signature member — of the 2004 bronze medal group was just a bad look that USA Basketball wanted to distance themselves from as much as possible.
To the second argument, I call bullshit. LeBron, Carmelo, Carlos Boozer and Dwyane Wade were all holdovers from the ‘04 squad. While you could argue that ‘Bron, ‘Melo and D-Wade are must-haves no matter their Olympic past, you can’t tell me Booz (as much as I like his game) had to be on this squad. Not to mention Amare, Shawn Marion and Lamar Odom were also on the ‘04 team, and they were all included in the ‘06-08 plan. Duncan was still given the respect of an invite, even though he said right after Athens that he wasn’t going to play international ball anymore. On top of that, a few members of the 2002 World Championships team — a worse blight on USA Basketball than the ‘04 Olympic group — were also included in Colangelo’s original list of invitees, including Paul Pierce and Elton Brand.
Regarding the first argument — that Iverson’s style doesn’t fit the new “team” dynamic of Team USA — that’s also crap. Iverson isn’t any less of a team guy than LeBron or Kobe. He, like them, has been asked to carry mediocre supporting casts over the years, and has complied. If anything, A.I. is more team-oriented than Kobe, who was trying to play Alpha Dog even when he had Feasting-on-Raw-Meat Shaq circa ‘00-02 in his corner.
Bottom line, A.I. should be on the Redeem Team. Or at the very least, he shouldn’t have been denied a chance to be.
Of course the problem now would be, who should he replace? Since we’ve seen the full U.S. squad together and stomping everyone out, it’s even harder to point out one guy that could be expendable at Iverson’s expense. We’ve seen the full value of Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Jason Kidd, D-Wade, Michael Redd and Kobe in the U.S. backcourt.
So it’s not a question of who should have been kicked off this year, it’s more about what went down in ‘06 that kept Iverson out of the USA Basketball program in the first place. When guys like Luke Ridnour and J.J. Redick and Adam Morrison were getting tryout invitations along with Pierce, Josh Howard, Gilbert Arenas, Kirk Hinrich and others, where was Iverson? When Deron Williams and Kevin Durant were deemed ready for the challenge and brought into the fold in 2007, where was Iverson? When it was determined that Kidd wasn’t too old or that his shaky outside shooting was an acceptable flaw in ‘07, where was Iverson? We’ve seen that Colangelo isn’t exactly married to the decisions he first made two years ago, but for some reason he’s been unwavering when it comes to Iverson.
At least give a surefire Hall of Famer who is still (miraculously) in his prime a crack at proving himself, and I’d guarantee he would earn his way onto the ‘08 Olympic roster. And I’d guarantee that A.I. would be on the top of the medal stand, adding gold to one of the greatest careers we’ve ever seen.
August 21st, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Rev. Paul Revere says:
a-fucking-men
August 21st, 2008 at 3:37 pm
JIMBO says:
Dude, AI ain’t playin’ b/c he ain’t a good shooter, he ain’t a pure point guard unlike CP, Deron Williams or JKidd and he can’t defend. Pure and Simple.
August 21st, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Big V says:
I wrote this in the comments section of the post about the 2012 team. AI might be a bit old by then, but there’s no way I’m betting on the fact that EVER starts showing his age.
In an era where NBA players blow off things like the Olympics, you have a former MVP and NBA superstar that has been BEGGING to play for Team USA. That has to count for something.
Redick? Hinrich? Ridnour? Please.
August 21st, 2008 at 3:45 pm
rean pogi says:
i must agree, he was even telling everyone that he would like to play for his country. i’m not a big fan of ai but at the very least they could have invited him or something. but yeah, they have their reasons. it would be great though to see him play for the team. it’s not like he’s going to screw the system or something…
August 21st, 2008 at 3:51 pm
dagood says:
much as i love the guy and his competitive fire, you have to recognize that leaving him off the team was surely symbolic of the new attitude they were trying to instill.
August 21st, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Mikey F Baby says:
AMEN I’ve been saying the same thing for years. AI is always getting screwed over and it drives me nuts. No help in Philly, a Nuggets team that is basically rebuilding now (he could have opted out and left for a contender, little did he know there would be a clearance sale on Denver talent), and not even the respect of an invite for team USA. I was seething about this for years, and still haven’t watched much USA ball cuz AI isn’t there.
Anyway, I’ll just sit around and wait while AI wastes another year of top notch talent with a Nuggets team with no chance. The man deserves to play for a contender.
August 21st, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Big Shot BOB says:
@ Jimbo…Are you serious A.I. has been one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history. He has lead the league in scoring on more than one occasion and is always in the top 5. He’s made a finals appearance and was league MVP. When several NBA players were asked who was the hardest person in the league to gaurd most said without a question it was the Answer. Give dude his respect, all of this and he’s not even a legit 6′0 ft tall.
August 21st, 2008 at 4:06 pm
JarrJohnson says:
@ Mikey F Baby
Right there with you. I’m a Nuggets fan, so I get to witness the latest chapter of the Greek tragedy that is AI’s career unfold in person. I don’t know what he did to who, but it seems like he’s perpetually gettin screwed. Colangelo must have a personal vendetta against AI, because any other explanation defies logic.
August 21st, 2008 at 4:14 pm
USA might not win says:
AI on the team = bronze for usa
August 21st, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Charlie says:
I love AI but he’s not a great fit for the international game. He’s small and not a great shooter. For a PG, I don’t see him being more valuable than Kidd, CP, and Deron. However, I think it’s definitely messed up that people like Luke Ridnour would even get a crack at making this team even though I can see Colangelo’s reasoning: he wanted pure PGs.
August 21st, 2008 at 4:30 pm
karizmatic says:
Man you know it’s just politics, the powers that be don’t like AI’s “image” and kept him out plain and simple. They pinned the failures of the 2004 team on him unfairly and fooled some people such as “USA might not win” that AI would equal a repeat failure for the US team. Fact is AI is still one of the top 5 players in the league today, hate if you want to. And to all those haters that say AI can’t play D take into consideration he’s been guarding guys 6 inches taller and 60 pounds heavier than him his whole career. See how successful you would be. It is difficult to say who would be off the team…Tayshaun maybe? But all those guys have earned their spots as well. The league just shafted AI that’s all that is. Coach K didn’t want him on the team so he wasn’t invited. Unfair, but the truth.
August 21st, 2008 at 4:40 pm
MJAX says:
AI is gettin’ done!!!! I think the point is missed, whether he actually made the team is a whole separate issue. It’s the fact that he wasn’t even invited/considered. If one of you here can say you would take Luke, Kirk, or Adam over AI then you are blind, busted and hatin’…. It would have been a tough call no doubt, but to not even consider him as a member based on the past situation is weak, and please don’t bring character and image into play when you got kobe, melo, and kidd in the mix..
August 21st, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Scott says:
I realize Michael Redd is KNOWN for his shooting, but has he contributed? At all? I mean, seriously, has he??? At least Tayshaun can provide D, and a solid (not great) shooting touch.
AI easily would’ve been a better talent over Redd, but everyone was screaming for a shooter, so you got Redd, who’s an impact player on the Bucks, but has yet to show much of anything on Team USA. Probably because he’s a good SG, but he’s not great, he’s along the lines of Glen Rice, Big Dog Robinson, Steve Smith, etc, good shooters (great in Rice’s case), but its hard for them to contribute it seems when surrounded by elite talent. AI wouldn’t have gotten lost in the shuffle. If anyone knows AI’s game, he’d fit in perfectly with this squad, he can get up and down the court, gets in the passing lanes, can step up on D (ala Kobe) when he’s not asked to carry the entire offensive load.
Either way, unfortunately, AI is clearly the modern day Isiah of the US program. And I wouldn’t EVER imagine that changing.
August 21st, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Dennis Castro says:
I think Colangelo had/has a vendetta against AI, on a personal level.
Plus, on a more subliminal tip, AI’s the face of Reebok, the rest of the team are all Nike dudes, save for Dwight(who has yet to become the face of addidas and we all know how well big men sell shoes). I wouldnt be surprised if Nike had a say in “persuading” Colangelo to keep him off the team.
Not saying this is the case, but it wouldnt surprise me if it was.
August 21st, 2008 at 4:48 pm
JayTea says:
Why the hell is Kidd on this team? What has he ever done, really? He has bounced around the L and never won anything. He is a great ball distributor but injuries and age have created too many negatives for him. Look at what he did to Dallas. Let Kidd watch from home and let AI play. But it’s all academic at this point.
August 21st, 2008 at 5:00 pm
ERIC says:
Great article and argument, Austin.
AI is definitely not selfish, just look at when he plays in All-Star games, he is the ultimate facilitator and knows when to turn it on. He is a terror in the passing lanes and impossible to stop 1-on-1 bc of his crazy handle/change-of-pace.
The 2003 qualifying team in Puerto Rico was sick and was destroying everyone in its path. Had [prime] Kidd, KG, Vince, McGrady, Ray Allen, AI, Duncan and Bibby. Set for gold. However, when the Olympics rolled around the following year everyone had excuses for not showing up last minute (which is why the ‘04 roster was thrown together hap-hazardly) AI is the only one who talked about how proud he was to represent the country while the rest flaked out. AI would have fit right in with this “Redeem Team”. He always was the ANSWER
August 21st, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Michorizo says:
Maybe he didn’t want to practice with the team (3 year commitment)to get to the Olympics, but regardless he still deserves to be on the team. I mean … it’s just practice…
August 21st, 2008 at 5:06 pm
Dagomar says:
A few reasons AI was left off:
Age. He’s getting up there, and they wanted a young team that could grow together. Sure, J-Kidd is older, but he’s only there for his leadership, unselfish example and experience in international play. Can’t say the same about AI.
Style. Okay, AI is a great player, but it’s true: he does exemplify a style of play that got team USA in trouble in the past. He does not play defense. He is a streaky shooter at best. He passes as a last resort. He thrives on isos. Do you want that sort of style back in the program?
Reputation. This isn’t fair, but if you’re creating a team to represent America you have to think about it. AI was the signature player on the 2004 team. The line that Bron, Wade and Melo are holdovers from the 2004 team is a little sketchy: they played almost no minutes. AI did. And AI is a polarizing figure for his scuffles with the law, rants, image, everything. I like the guy, but am I in the minority? Maybe.
Anyway, those are some of the more major reasons I can think of; I’m sure there are others. And where would AI fit on this team anyway? Okay, I feel you when you’re talking about 2006 (although I would argue that the 2006 team also had enough swingmen and needed roleplayers more than anything). But right now? You wouldn’t select him over Lebron, Kobe, Wade, etc. And while AI is clearly better than Redd or Prince, I’d rather keep those guys on the team for their shooting.
August 21st, 2008 at 5:07 pm
LakeShow84 says:
Whoever wrote this article is a straight f#$kin goober..
Get over it.. ALLEN IVERSON doesnt fit on this team straight up.. why?? because we already have an upgraded version (Dwade) and because he needs the ball in his hands to be effective.. No rebounds and he doesnt initiate plays for his assists, he attacks draws whomever and finds the open player.. given hes good at this (GOOD ass avg) but he needs the ball in his hands too much.. who is the shortest player on this roster?? Dwade and look at what he can do.. he can soar with the best of em, put backs, D rebounds and all..
No Defense (gambles too much for steals and cant TRULY pressure the perimeter)
No Boards (never that)
And thats it.. i can dig deeper but come on.. I think people need to quit feeling sorry for AI “oh hes had to carry all of his teams”, “denver is ruining his career” and quit admiring his heart (which he do got x 10) and accept dude for what he is..
And if someone uses that old ass Kobe got Shaq kicked out of LA arguement to say Kobe is a bad team player they should have their Bball stripes chalked..
AI went to college so he should’ve learned team ball then.. Kobe went to high school and got to dominate.. hes used to it..
Mothafluck Allen Iverson.. NO one talks about him being the reason they lost to the Spurs when the Nuggets had them against the ropes in the first round a couple years ago.. he shot horribly and that Nuggets team was stacked.. Nene was healthy and actually somewhat effective on TD and Iverson didnt show up more than two games.. So to the writer of this article : get your head out of your ass..
August 21st, 2008 at 5:32 pm
LakeShow84 says:
Plus my girl thinks hes attractive.. I hate him!
August 21st, 2008 at 5:35 pm
Big Shot BOB says:
Nomad WTF are you talking about. How do you lead the league in scoring without knowing how to shoot at that size. You think he’s banging in the paint? Hes a great shooter. Just because he misses alot of contested shots because of his size doesn’t mean he can’t shoot. If you watch his game you’d know because he’s so short he has probably the most difficult time out of anybody getting he’s shot off. It’s usually off the dribble, unbalanced and most of the time he’s leaning. It’s amazing that he’s as accurate as he is. If you know anything about shot mechanics you know that the more balance you have the more accurate your shot percentage is.
August 21st, 2008 at 5:47 pm
yeaa says:
i have the same thoughts everytime i see team usa….AI wouldnt done anything but made this team even better, no matter what….dude is a killa and leader, as well as the man on the court…leaving him off the team is questionable at best, ridiculous at worst
August 21st, 2008 at 5:52 pm
sith lord 24 says:
i agree 100% with the author of this article !!!!
August 21st, 2008 at 5:53 pm
306 says:
Total huge screwover by the U.S not to invite him at all..He deserves an auto invite…In the end I dunno if he makes the squad though.
August 21st, 2008 at 5:54 pm
sith lord 24 says:
correction…. 110 %
August 21st, 2008 at 5:56 pm
frankie says:
Allen Iverson posts on this site under the alias “Big Shot BOB”
August 21st, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Jah says:
I think the reason he wasn’t put on the team was because of “image” concerns, personally…which I completely disagree with.
August 21st, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Jim says:
He’s my favorite player not on my team, but the reason he’s not on the Oly team is because he wouldn’t have helped. He can’t shoot 3s, play D, or be effective without the ball. Add in his image (which I think was bolstered by giving it his all in ‘04) and he’s making it easy for them to leave him off.
And saying Kidd doesn’t deserve it…Kidd is the best winner in FIBA, ever. We are here to win, not to jock guys we love. He wouldn’t have cost them anything, but he wouldn’t have added anything either. I wish he could have got a gold, though.
August 21st, 2008 at 6:38 pm
HUH!!!! says:
GOOD FUCKING ARTICLE! We should get the chance to see Kobe and Ai play together as much as possible. The two best gaurds of there generation!!
August 21st, 2008 at 6:54 pm
BxBaller says:
Great article Austin, anyways I do believe that AI wasn’t invited because of his image. They are tying to get rid of the “thug” image that the NBA has had for the past few years if not decade. I find that to be total bs.
For those who said his style wouldn’t fit, again that’s total bs. AI would have without a doubt played within the system in order for Team USA to be successful. Not to mention he wasn’t even invited to the camp to prove himself. Hell even Marbury played within the system on the ‘04 team. His age, again total bs, as he is younger than Kidd and around the same age as Kobe. It’s like AI gets the majority of the blame for that team, even though that was Larry Brown’s fault.
August 21st, 2008 at 7:14 pm
George W Kush Sr says:
Ridnour?? Reddick???
Someone said AI doesnt play defense?
Because Reddick is known for locking scorers down, he must be the guy who D’s up on the best opposing guards, he must be as valuable as Posey… right?
August 21st, 2008 at 7:50 pm
daquest?on says:
yoooo i will never forget that man,he was blackballed man fuck that. i even felt disrespected when i heard that they invited luke ridnour and jj reddick and never even gave a chance to AI even though he wanted to be there so badly. any one of u who says that allen iverson does not play team ball are crazy, have u seen the all star games the past 7 years?!?!?! all he does is pass to the other people. the only reason that he shoots so much in the nba is because his teammates suck. and he was one of only a handful of players that went to athens 2004 that actually played 100 percent and cared. man ive hated jerry colangelo ever since he made this move
August 21st, 2008 at 8:00 pm
kevin K says:
AMEN~!! I been saying about AI that he is a once in a century type of an athlete and i can bet money that we will never see another player like him in the NBA, a short combo guard that literally dominates the competition. Him not being in the 08 Olympics, or rather not getting an invitation is a crime and a shame. People that blame him for the 04 Athens needs to go back and watch/read what really happened. AI played great. Blame coach Brown for not letting Lebron, Melo, and Wade play and instead of going with guys like Odom, Marion, and Starbury…
August 21st, 2008 at 8:59 pm
doc says:
They dicked AI for a invite,but I aint mad.We got a squad anyway.But to jaytea I think it was you said Kidd never won shit and went on to support AI.Kidd went to 2 chips carrying dudes on his shoulders.Dont disrespect greatness.
August 21st, 2008 at 9:17 pm
HeadKicker B says:
He definately deserved an invite even if they hoped he wouldn’t try out.
August 21st, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Stephon says:
You are HATING if you said AI 1) cannot shoot 2) play D 3) cannot play within the system 4) Does not pass. If you a true ball player you would not have said the above. AI embodies the ability to creat plays and be very effective with guys like kobe, wade & lebron out in the open. FYI, he has led the leauge in steals and scoring. He’d be perfect to be playing locked down D on the full court pressure of TEAM USA. I believe it’s AI’s image that they want to stay away from and that they want role players built around a few young stars. They also want these players to grow together. Kidd is there for leadership, international experience and the symbol of a winner. Each earned their spot. If I were to replace AI with somebody, after watching olympic play, i’d cut Redd because he’s nothing special. His points come off of irrelevant times of the game. His play does not ingnite USA runs, nor boost moral. It is fair for me to say that because he logs significant second unit burn. Tayshaun is buried in the bench. Booz is a big man. Despite all of that, the issue at hand that AI did NOT get an INVITE. Great friggin article by the author. For any one else who’s gonna say some more garbage about AI’s skill sets, you jus gota stop the hate and appreciate.
The image issue is so unfair to AI. Melo’s appearance isn’t any different, Kidd’s wife abuse been headlines before then you have Kobe’s rape case. If you think of that, ya I am fully behind Austin Burton, AI is STILL gettin royally screwed up in a$$.
P.S. for those who didn’t know, Isiah Thomas was left off the 92 dream team because Jordan commanded it. Money basically said to USA Basketball that he would not play in Barcelona if Isiah was on the team. Zeke actually made the cut but team USA didn’t finalize the roster yet. They cut him after talking to MJ. For the new heads that wants to know their beef jus dig it up. Or DIME can write a short article on that too, to educate the new school.
Stephon
August 21st, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Brandon Hoffman says:
I couldn’t disagree more. Colangelo and Coach K built a team. Iverson has no comprehension of the word.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:36 pm
daquest?on says:
@brandon hoffman again have u seen iverson on the allstar games????? all he does is pass!!!
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:16 am
mattedubbs says:
the dude aint playing bcuz the dude SUX!!!
seriously your all jokers if you for real think iverson shld be on this team in any way shape or form… JOKERS!!!
iverson is the worst superstar of all time, never won anything… never will
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:58 am
JC says:
(standing ovation)
Fully agree Austin. You hit the nail on the head. AI definitely should have gotten an invite to tryouts. If he got cut, it woulda been less suspect regarding “image” and other BS arguments against him.
August 22nd, 2008 at 1:18 am
Tha Boddy says:
You all wanna say something i’ll tell you this AI would DESTROY D-Wade and would take his burn without a moments notice. Team USA wants the young starts to shine so they want them on the floor as much as possible. I also agree with Stephon there are plenty of ppl on Team USA with major problems, wife abuse, rape(not proven),f**k police rants and AI is not even near the worst of them. He has some what I would call minor problems so get off his back. AI replacing Redd is a easy call but Jerry has a problem with AI…Jerry C is a total Douchebag!!!
August 22nd, 2008 at 2:05 am
Dave says:
Allen Iverson is the single most difficult player to play alongside in the NBA. That’s why he’s not on the team.
August 22nd, 2008 at 2:56 am
V says:
Man iverson is ALWAYS getting screwed the man is the most loyal player in the league right now and one of the best but certain situation always fu$& him over. He stayed 10 years in Philly when he clearly didn’t have to, he fully stated this year he wanted to stay in Denver n I bet next year when his contract is up he’ll still want to stay and he was the only one who wanted to play in the olympic 4 years ago! It will be his 13th season this November and people still don’t give him the respect he deserves, sad man
August 22nd, 2008 at 4:47 am
Sfefan Mueller says:
AI is an outstanding player, can’t believe they always skip him. he can play team ball.
http://www.squidoo.com/dunklikeAI
August 22nd, 2008 at 4:49 am
Borgs says:
It’s laughable how AI’s fans dismiss his teams’ shortcomings as mere coincidence.
August 22nd, 2008 at 7:38 am
Jimbo says:
Y’all are trippin’ – many ballerz can be averagin’ 30 points/game, if they shot all the damn time and their average FG% was in the low 40%. Face it y’all, AI may be an individual talent, but he’s hasn’t exactly embraced the team concept, yo.
August 22nd, 2008 at 9:50 am
heartbreaker85 says:
the image thing is b.s. you’ve got a convicted rapist in kobe (who only got of the loop by reaching a monetary agreement with his accuser), a wife-beater in kidd, and a d.u.i. melo in there.
yeah ai’s game is probably not what coleangelo wanted or envisioned for team usa, but to not get an invite? where’s the respect?
he is our generation’s isiah thomas (who jordan reportedly wanted off the dream team). the poor fg is what it is, heck, if you’re 5′11 and trying to shoot jumpers over guys who’re 6″3, 6″7, you’d have problems too.
but whenever the all star game comes in, you can see flashes of his willingness to share the ball. he even did the same thing at denver. too bad melo’s just damn inconsistent and lazy at times that ai has outshone him the last two years.
name one guy other than kobe from the 90s era who’s still at the top of his game to this very day? even KG and TD slowed down a bit, but not ai.
ai needs a buyout, and sign with a contender. that’s the least the league can do for the guy who revolutionized the sport in 96 with his hip-hop attitude.
August 22nd, 2008 at 3:00 pm
HATER says:
Its simple, team Nike doesn’t want another non Nike wearing member on their team. Dwight Howard is the only non Nike wearer. If you check out the “Road to Redemption” series sponsored by Nike you don’t even see Howard. And the arguments saying that A.I is not a pure point is bull, why the hell is Dwade on the team? Wade missed most of last season with an injury and his team was a flop..i know why he’s on it,cause he wears NIKES!
August 24th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
jr says:
First fuck all the ai haters in tha world the man is 1 of the best ballplayas ever the former #1 pick in the nba has proved his worth ever since 96. He hit his first game winning shot of his life for team U.S.A. jerry colangelo must be mad cause A.I. has a dam near 40pt average against the Suns when he was there. fuckin Haters and I’m from PHILLY where he is STILL G.O.D.
September 14th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Cedric says:
word AI couldn’t be prouder to rep the A the way he did back in 04. I remember how excited he was in 04 to ball in the Olympics n I feel bad for him considering how that shyt turned out. Getting that gold this year would’a been a fitting end for onea the remaining OGs. Who knows maybe he’s still have something left in the tank in 2012. GJ colangelo but clearly U missed out on this one
October 25th, 2008 at 4:24 am
ninja cool says:
Umm, let’s see…Coach K loves to practice…
October 25th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Kevin K says:
Coack K did shit. I could have coached that team and won the gold medal. Redd, Prince, and Boozer were worthless. For people that said AI has no D, Fernendez and Navarro were killing CP3, D-Will, Kidd(seriously?), and Kobe(his D is overrated). You give Tyson Chandler, David West, Peja and Mo pete with Iverson. Every single one of those players are better than the players Iverson had during his Finals team.