What’s Allen Iverson’s NBA Legacy?

Yesterday, 10-time NBA All-Star Allen Iverson announced his retirement. 

But as ESPN NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith said, if any of the teams with true championship aspirations come knocking – i.e. Boston, Los Angeles, San Antonio, Cleveland – he will almost certainly be ready to hit the hardwood once again.   And while we’re not certain that he’s 100% out of the game, this is a good time to look back at some of the things that he will be noted for.

1. Lethal little-man scorer:  Iverson was the first small shooting guard who had a franchise designed around him.  That’s how good he was.  During his tenure in the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia employed a host of big point guards ranging from Eric Snow to Raja Bell to Larry Hughes.  The Answer is 5th in NBA history in scoring at 27.02 points per contest.  The 4-time scoring champ redefined the standard for how little guys are ’supposed’ to play the game. 

2. “We Talkin’ Bout Practice”:  Definitely one of the most popular soundbites in modern sporting history, Allen Iverson’s rant will live on in infamy.  Let’s revisit the humor:

3. Style:  A.I. was a trend-setter in bringing the street fashion to the league.  The baggy jeans, oversized T-shirts, Timberland boots, chains and diamonds - were all signature Iverson items.  And, as things stand now, they are all things that David Stern has outlawed with the recently implemented NBA dress code.  But for a moment in history, A.I.’s style was ingrained as the standard wardrobe of the National Basketball Association.

4.  Killer Crossover:  The Answer’s crossover move was a big attraction during the early part of his career.  Fans waited to see who would be the next victim to get caught by his signature move.  And Iverson was an equal opportunity victimizer – - meaning he unveiled his best anklebreakers on the entire league…from NBA journeyman Greg Anthony to NBA legend Michael Jordan.

So, while he was one of the smallest players in NBA history, Iverson has had one of the biggest impacts on the game that he loves. 

What’s Allen Iverson’s NBA legacy?  I can sum that up in one word…

Individuality.