Breaking News: Allen Iverson Is Retiring
While the writing has been on the wall for weeks, apparently it’s now all over. According to Marc J. Spears from Yahoo! Sports, Allen Iverson’s personal manager Gary Moore has told him that AI is retiring. While this may not be as shocking as it would have been a couple months ago, you gotta be sad to see him go.
It doesn’t matter what you think about Iverson today, to see one of the game’s most prolific scorers of all-time go out like this is just simply sad. It’s ironic coming back to Vermont for Thanksgiving and sleeping in my old room, where the walls are literally covered with Iverson posters from his rookie year on. (Seriously, I might take some pictures and post them.)
From the Questions to arm sleeves to literally buying temporary tattoos and putting them on before AAU games, Iverson was the NBA to me from his rookie year until he left the Sixers.
While the past couple years have been rough for Iverson fans, you hate to see any player – let alone one of your favorites – go out like this. Do I think he’s done forever? No. Do I think that he might resurface in the playoffs or in the next couple years? Maybe. One thing that made Allen Iverson of the best players to ever play the game is that fact that he’s a fierce competitor. Something that won’t be able to keep him away from the game.
What do you think?
Source: @SpearsNBAYahoo
November 25th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Powerslave says:
FREE AI! Oh, wait…
November 25th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
wifey says:
Watch out guys, be prepared for some HARDD Lebron dick riding from this second on.
November 25th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
justlovethegame says:
So sad to see AI go out this way; but perhaps it’s for the best.
November 25th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
quest??? says:
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
November 25th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Coop says:
I’ve been posting for the last 2 seasons about how people won’t know what they had ’til it’s gone. AI will be a hard act to follow. Thanks for the memories!
November 25th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
P says:
Its sad to see AI go out this way..
Its even sader to know that its his own fault.
Does anyone think he will do the Euro thing?
November 25th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Timmy D says:
What an ego maniac. Could have kept his career going for probably 3 or 4 more years but couldnt except what he is now. Would have been a great 6th man for a team like Jason Terry but we’ll never see it b/c he is a moron
November 25th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
ab_40 says:
too bad.
maybe china is an option? good money plus they still have him on their advertisements there… (atdhe made me watch it) I don’t think he’d be a good fit for europe either since it’s more team oriented. he’ll get 15 ppg and 5 assists which is nice but which team is gonna pay the price… and on that lame rhyme I’m out
November 25th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Mikey F Baby says:
Sad to see this happen to my favorite player of all time. I literally bought League Pass all these years just to watch him play. Even if he retires I think he’ll be coming back. to say no team needs him is ridiculous
November 25th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
Brown says:
Scorer? yes
Competitor? yes
Winner? no
That about sums it up for me. Talent. Heart. Ego.
November 25th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Mack Brownee says:
man that’s terrible news…at the end of the day, he’s retiring b/c he wants to and not b/c he can’t find a job, but b/c he won’t accept a job so I don’t feel too bad but I’m going to miss AI..at least we got b-jennings to take his place tho
November 25th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
David Brandon says:
@ coop,
i agree w/ you man. its still weird not seein him out there now. even before this announcement. he hasnt seemed like himself since he left denver. it was a shock to read that. damn, no ai?? wow.
at the end of the day, ppl gotta look at it for what it all is. basketball. he was a hooper. outside of what you may think of him off the court, he was killin out there night in an night out. he’s given a bunch of our teams 50. it is sad to see him go out like this…
November 25th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Diggity Dave says:
Goes to show how much of an egotistical douche bag he is. He’d rather retire than be a team player and come off the bench. Good riddance.
November 25th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
TomGfromCanada says:
he went out with a tiny puff of smoke.
November 25th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
mink says:
November 25th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Judas says:
Europe or China? Please! Dude don’t even want to come off the bench in the NBA! What makes you think AI will playing in another country, second fiddle to the NBA.
AI — Sorry to say it but there is no dignity in this!
AI is still the man, can give guys fits.. I still remember his signature move…………AI is a legend.
November 25th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Ehis Murphy says:
worst day ever. sorry. Do not care about basketball after today. no more nba.com, hoopshype.com or dimemag.com. The GM,s in the NBA are a joke.
November 25th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
sh!tfaced says:
No way. He’ll be back, man. It can’t end like this.
November 25th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
eyes says:
This can’t happen. Anybody who thinks he should come off the bench. Doesn’t get it. This hold thing began wth him being a sixth man. The game will be a lot worse
w/o him. You can’t replace someone like that. He has a right to get what he deserves. None of the teams are any better with him gone aside from den. That having everything to do wth Chauncey. Really hurt hearing this. Would rather see a lot of others go. Basketball lost one of its heroes/giants. THANK U FOR EVERYTHING. # 3
November 25th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Hakim says:
Allen Iverson has to be one of the most underappreciated and disrespected athletes in the modern era. Not because of his ability and passion for the game; but because he refused to be a “Yes” man. He was simply a man, who refused to wear the “mask.” Iverson doesn’t scratch where he doesn’t itch, doesn’t bow gracefully to corporate giants, doesn’t like the idea of coming off the bench, when he knows he has the ability to start.
If someone tells you something enough, you begin to think it’s true. Two examples to illustrate this point (the world is flat, a woman’s place is in the kitchen) clearly reflected the belief system of those eras.
The media has successfully duped the masses into believing Iverson can’t play as a starter, is a cancer to other players, or doesn’t think of the team.
Snapout out of it!! Iverson’s career is in direct contradiction to those assertions. As a Philadelphia native, I watched Iverson sacrafice his body, and often-times play injured so his TEAM would come out of the game with a win. Iverson has averaged 7 apg. for his career as a shooting guard. How many other shooting guards can claim that. Only one.
Does he shoot the ball in high volume? Hell yes. So has every other high scoring player in NBA history(Jordan, Wilkins, King, Bryant, Wade, Barkley, ect…) Has anyone ever questioned if any of those players stifled the development of younger players?
The media has shown a lack of objectivity and outright “Hate” when it comes to Iverson. Iverson reflects the community many African-Americans are very familiar with. He never tried to hide this, or turn his back on the community from which he came. For this, he has been under attack. It’s clearly evident that the media feels threatened. How about a roll-call of Iverson’s former team members to see if what the media says is true. Don’t believe the hype!!!
November 25th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
S-SiN says:
A sad day in this house.
November 25th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
Diggity Dave says:
http://dimemag.com/2009/08/billy-king-allen-never-made-the-people-around-him-better/
November 25th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
eyes says:
@20
DAMM. HOLE IN ONE. COULDN’T HAVE BEEN SAID ANY BETTER. WOW
November 25th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Tim says:
I just hope he isn’t the NBA’s Brett Favre. Is he coming back, is he staying retired…that act is old.
Hakim, I wouldn’t call it media hype. How is it media hype if the entire league passed on trying to get him. I agree that its been overblown for sure, but the media doesn’t make contracts offers, GMs do.
I don’t think the media said he can’t play as a starter, he clearly can, but its a matter of allowing all the cogs to work together and function as a team. A guy can average 7 apg (which is impressive) but that doesn’t necessarily make the team better. Chris Webber is on record for calling Iverson the most difficult player he’s played with because he doesn’t allow you to get into a comfort zone.
November 25th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
bluv says:
Great post #20.
AI deserves more from NBA.
November 25th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
oninamillion says:
Despite some of the sh*t talking by some people on this site that probably cant even bounce a basketball….I have to say I am sad about this. Iverson was one of the reasons I even started watching the game, I hated that he left Philly because he always seemed uncomfortible everywhere else. Dude is one of the most amazing athletes ive ever seen and I wish him well. Talk about his attitude and whatever else..but id like to focus on all the memories and entertainment he gave us.
The NBA is garbage now anyway, I barely even watch the game anymore..the glory days are gone. You’ll be missed AI, thats for damn sure.
November 25th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
LakeShow84 says:
I agree with #20..
But i also agree with #10..
Sad to see it come to this though.. i do believe it had a lot to do with how the media painted him though.. shit ill even admit i might have gotten caught up in the hate wave but when u think about it what talent has AI really had around him to succeed?? Look at all the greats who needed other greats and then look at Iverson whose best teammates were a broken down CWebb and a raw, immature Melo to name a few.. You can honestly say being traded to Detroit ruined his career.. we all attacked him when he said he wasnt a bench player when honestly he probably WASNT.. Curry was a moron and when it all comes down to it, it seems the plan was to let him go for cap space from the jump and the media ran with a lot of different shit.. we all did..
Damn in retrospect its crazy to see it all go down like that..
I smell Stern somewhere in all this lol
November 25th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
wayne taylor says:
See reply #20,enough said!
November 25th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Alicia Williams says:
I am sooo sad about AI (The Answer) my hero I love Allen Iverson and this is the saddest thing I have heard….The league needs Allen Iverson, and I know that there are teams that canuse one of the leagues most fiercest competitors who has not been afraid to be himself. I live you Allen!!!!
November 25th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
Yup! says:
Stop saying A.I IS A 6th MAN…SHIT NONE OF THE CURRENT 6TH MEN HAVE EVER BEEN LEAGUE MVP..TAKING TODD MAC AND GEORGE LYNCH TO THE FINALS…Would any all time great that wasn’t on Geritol,like Kareem was at the end, accept coming of the bench?…THINK BEFORE YOU TYPE!
November 25th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
carter says:
THIS HURTS BAD………..REAL BAD
November 25th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
ProphetGK says:
NOOOOO! He’ll be back next year, just wait and see… If Starbury can get signed, then why not AI…
November 26th, 2009 at 8:26 am
Diggity Dave says:
@30
While you say “current” sixth men have never been League MVPs, Bob McAdoo, a former league MVP and scoring champion, was convinced by Pat Riley to play sixth man on the Lakers, which led to two NBA titles for McAdoo, one in 1982, the other in 1985.
November 26th, 2009 at 9:39 am
yup says:
That is why I said current…McAdoo didn’t have as much left in the tank as A.I and look at the talent on that Laker team….Do you realize we are talking about the Memphis friggin Grizzles here? Come off the bench for them?? WTF?…Like I said, think before you type! BTW GoOd job checking your basketball encyclopedia…point is A.I GOT PHUCKED!
November 26th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Taj says:
Sad to see…
November 26th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
EXPO336 says:
AFTER READING ALOT OF THE POSTS I MYSELF HAVE COME TO THIS CONCLUSION: A.I. CAME FROM THE STREETS HE HAD A TALENT IN BOTH FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL IN HIGHSCHOOL, AND FROM ALL ACCOUNTS I’VE HEARD HE WAS BETTER THAN ALL THE OTHER QB’S IN THE AREA PAST& PRESENT(AARON BROOKS, MIKE VICK&RONALD CURRY) ….HE TOOK HIS HIGHSCHOOL TEAMS TO CHAMPIONSHIPS ALL ALL FOUR YEARS,(BUT LOOKING AT THE MARKET OF 5′11″ QBS HE CHOSE B-BAL) HE ALSO HAD A REEBOK COMMERCIAL SHOWING HIM GIVING KATS THE BIZ WHEN HE GOT HIS SHOE DEAL. WITH ALL THE HOOPLA OF THE RIOT AND HIM GOING TO JAIL…AND GOING TO COLLEGE(THANKS TO JOHN THOMPSON) HE STILL GOT INTO A RESPECTABLE PROGRAM TO GIVE US A GLIMPSE OF WHAT WE COULD EXPECT IN THE LEAGUE. HE GAVE THE SMALL GUARDS HOPE OF MAKING THE LEAGUE AND GIVING KATS THE BLUES, BEING A MATCH UP PROBLEM…AND HE COULD SCORE! I WISH A.I. COULD HAVE REALLY HAD A MENTOR TO JUST KEEP HIM IN LINE , SOMEONE TO SAY “A MAN MAYBE YOU SHOULDN’T DO BLAH BLAH BLAH” OR “THIS IS HOW YOU APPROACH THIS SITUATION” I MEAN WHERE WAS THAT GUY???? OR WAS MR. IVERSON SO IGNORANT IN HIS WAYS THAT HE COULDN’T SEE THE FORREST FOR THE TREES? I KNOW HE HAS MADE PLENTY OF MONEY AND HAS MILLIONS OF FANS BUT WHEN THE GLITZ AND GLAMOUR ARE GONE …AT THE END OF THE DAY WHAT DO YOU HAVE? I JUST HOPE A.I. HAS A BACK UP PLAN…FOR THE GAME OF LIFE.
November 26th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
necromancer says:
“Not with a bang but a whimper” Sorta sad… but I’ll always love AI for his one-man-against-the-Machine attacking style–on court and off–which ALWAYS loses,eventually,in CorporateWorld.
But he gave them all they could handle, and for a long,long time.
This Man is NOT a sixth man, citizens.
November 26th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Ian says:
diggity add bill walton to the list of mvps that took the bench role into a title.
someone said people talk shit because iverson is the reason he watches the nba. man who gives a shit? thats just u. iverson is overrated only took a team deep once and everytime he leaves a team apparently they stay the same or get better.
arent manu and terry starter talent? and they dont bitch
November 26th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
jeet says:
you in allen iverson trade place lakers farmar.lakers los angles to next allen iverson. will to want iverson you lakers champion 2010.happy…………..ok place to allen iverson lakers.boston iverson not.
November 27th, 2009 at 11:22 am
EXPO336 says:
MANU AND JASON TERRY WOULD BE STARTERS ON ANOTHER SQAUD, BET A DUB ON THAT
November 27th, 2009 at 11:25 am
EXPO336 says:
HE MAY NOT BE A SIXTH MAN, BUT THATS THE ROLE HE’S GONNA HAFTA TO PLAY TO GET BACK IN…THE SIXTH MAN TAG IS JUST ANOTHER TERM FOR”CHECKS AND BALANCES” WHICH IS WHAT THEY WANNA DO….
November 28th, 2009 at 12:55 am
eyes says:
Terry & ginoblii choose to come of the bench after discussing wth the coach & to sustain the second unit. It’s not the same stop comparing. Conley & stuckey aren’t starters now,before, in the future. Conley is a Sixth string guard. A.I. doesn’t need the money he loves the game. More than some people could imagine. I’m sick 2 see what the league has become. It’s moving farther from sport every year. Is the money & greed really worth it? If these billionaire’s have it to spend why be mad at the players. It can’t be a white league. They can conform but so much. You can’t be something you’re not. A dog can’t fly & a bird can’t bark.
November 28th, 2009 at 8:24 am
55TB.wordpress.com says:
Luv AI, but starting spots are for the guys who are going to be with the team in the future even if they aren’t as nice as the hired guns. You can’t dis a guy with a long contract by putting him on the bench for a guy who is not going to be on the team at the end of the year. An organization just can’t make that type of choice. Again, I luv AI but I hope he gets his mind right and his teams minds right so they can help redefine him publicly in the way he can spend his last years being praised & paid properly. AI is too big and important to be fumbling this late in his legacy. Luv AI.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:33 am
EXPO336 says:
YOU KNOW I HOPE MONEY REALLY ISNT A FACTOR IN THIS…BUT YOU NEVER KNOW…WHO IS EATIN OFF THE IVERSON GRAVY TRAIN.