Allen Moll is an avid NBA and College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen is a regular columnist for thehoopdoctors.com, Bleacherreport.com, UpperDeckblog.com, and his own site, Hoops Haven.
Many of us here at The Hoop Doctors are diehard fans of “The Answer” Allen Iverson. In my mind he is pound-for-pound, one of the best players in NBA history, and is quite possibly the best player 6’0 and under that this league has ever seen(with all due respect to Nate “Tiny” Archibald). In this generation, their has never been a player who wore their heart on their sleave, whether good or bad, like Iverson. Once he finally decides to hang it up, Allen will undoubtedly be a 1st ballot Hall of Famer as the Sixers will surely make sure that no other player ever wears his signature #3 jersey again. Now that he has just retired un-retired and gone back to Philadelphia where it all started, what better time to honor the original “A.I.”, Allen Iverson with his very own multi-part Player Rewind Series, featuring some hidden gems caught on video showcasing “The Answer’s” biggest and best moments in his HS, NCAA, and NBA career.
Part One – The Beginning at Mt Bethel HS
As a young man growing up in Hampton Beach, Virginia, Allen Ezail Iverson excelled at both football, as a star quarterback, defensive back, and combo guard as the BMOC at Mount Bethel High. It is a well known fact that most people though he should continue his pursuit of an NFL career instead of basketball since he had numerous scholarship offers on the gridiron. As a skill set, he could have been the first Michael Vick prototype, with his ability to both pass and run with the pigskin.
Check out some footage of Iverson on the football field:
On the hardwood, no matter who his squad was playing, “Bubbachuck” as he came to be known was seemingly always the best player on the floor. High School is where he first honed his signature “Killer Crossover” trademark move. Whether he was breaking ankles( like my boy Anklesnap), scoring in buckets, or dunking over everyone, Iverson was so dominant that he became one of the most sought after recruits in the nation, who was eventually reeled in by Coach John Thompson at Georgetown.
Check out the trademark Crossovers and highlight reel dunks at Mt Bethel in ’93:
