It was almost exactly ten years ago when Allen Iverson was perhaps the very definition of the term ‘franchise player.’

Iverson had just completed a miraculous run that saw him take an offensively challenged Sixers team to the NBA Finals and become the league MVP. A.I. even managed to pull off a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in that series, before dropping four straight games.

But we had witnessed the complete wrath of a high-school phenom, turned college standout, turned NBA prodigy. While some of us shunned Iverson’s isolationist ways, he was unquestionably one of the very top players in the NBA. He had accomplished what players like Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter and Kevin Garnett could only dream about at the time – he had taken his team to the NBA’s biggest stage.

Inherently, we expected more greatness from Iverson. And we got more. From an individual standpoint, that is. The Hampton, Virginia native continued to post mind-boggling scoring totals, and in his final two full seasons during his first stint with Philly, he averaged more than 30 points and 7 assists per game.

But after his unexpected Finals appearance, most of us thought we could count on witnessing more team success from A.I. and his mates. But that season remained to be the peak of his career, and we were relegated to watching Iverson revert to what he was known for in his early years – filling highlight reels with his spectacular individual efforts.

Allen played out his first string for the Sixers, then coupled with Carmelo Anthony for a couple of interesting yet unsuccessful campaigns with Denver, before finally seeing his career come to a screeching halt when he joined Detroit. His Turkish stint was met with lots of hype, but it never got off of the ground.

And now, he’s looking to venture back to play for the fans who all know and love him.

There’s just one problem – no team needs him any more.

Iverson’s time in Detroit was scarred by the reality that he was no longer a number-one option on offense. His delegation to bench status was not easily accepted by Iverson, and any team who would dare to take a chance on him now would have to wonder about his mind set to adapt to such a role.

Iverson will have to listen carefully if he wants another job in the Association.

The Georgetown product could be labeled as a franchise player for most of his career due to his blinding speed, slick ball handling and aggressive scorer’s mentality. But these are the very things that disintegrate with age, forcing a smaller player to make the humbling adjustment into a floor general. Just ask former studs like Jason Kidd or Kenny Anderson. Injury or no injury, super-scorer Gilbert Arenas will be on his way there soon (if he’s not already).

Unfortunately, the Bethel High School legend never made this transition, limiting his longevity in the league to which he brought so much excitement. His blueprint as a 6’0″ scorer could only be useful in a scarce number of situations. Translation – A.I. would have to be comfortable not only with coming off of the pine, but also with playing less than 20 minutes most nights.

Has his Turkish experience made him cherish his NBA pedigree enough to make the needed sacrifices to get back?

His displays in Detroit, Memphis and Philadelphia (second time around) may have put the final nails in his NBA coffin.

Can you teach an old dog new tricks?

Maybe. But, in most cases, it’s just not worth it.

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