That Allen Iverson officially will be retiring from basketball in the coming days, as reported by SLAM magazine, should not come as a surprise.
Iverson’s representatives did not confirm nor deny the report in an e-mail. Instead the reps stated that the former Sixer will make an official comment about the topic at an appropriate time.
Iverson last played in an NBA game on Feb. 20, 2010 for the Sixers. In the rare occasions since when he has spoken publicly, the guard said he hoped another team would reach out to him at some point.
That situation never came to fruition and Iverson hinted that his career was likely over when he returned to the Wells Fargo Center on March 30 for his own bobblehead night.
“At some point it comes to an end regardless, however it comes, whether it is retirement or injury, at some point it comes to an end,” Iverson said that night. “I am happy and content with everything that has gone on in my life and I am just looking for the next phase, and if I get a chance to play again I would love the opportunity, but if not I will continue to just be happy.”
Iverson turned 38 years old in June. He is not eligible for the Hall of Fame until 2015, but potentially being inducted weighs on his mind.
“I think about it all the time,” Iverson said. “My friends let me know about it. My family let me know about it and me being, I wouldn’t say arrogant or cocky, but confident as I am, I expect that to happen and I am looking forward to it.
NBA
“I think that would be the best as far as putting an exclamation point on my career. Being drafted was the best but going down as one of the best ever to play the game would be the exclamation point.”
Iverson played 914 NBA games over 14 years. He scored 24,368 career points, which ranks 19th all-time. He was MVP of the league in the Sixers’ magical 2001 season when they reached the NBA Finals. He made 11 All-Star Game appearances and won the league’s scoring title four times.
But Iverson’s departure from the NBA was not graceful. Following his 2½ seasons in Denver after being traded by the Sixers, Iverson had a stop in Detroit, three games in Memphis, 25 games in a second stint with the Sixers, basketball in Turkey and two exhibition games in China.
He had lost a step and without his explosiveness could no longer get to the rim. Iverson never wanted to come off the bench and spent little time in the weight room, if any. Both became issues for him as he aged.
Still, the city of Philadelphia admired the toughness and grit Iverson played with every night. That is something that can’t be measured by the numbers.