As Allen Iverson mulls over his decision of whether or not to play in China, this may be the last chance for an NBA team to snatch up this savvy veteran. Iverson is still a versatile combo guard, one who plays either point or shooting guard. As he has shown even in his last few years of turmoil, Iverson can still shoot the rock, break down defenses, and distribute the basketball.
Over the summer, A.I. posted this on twitter about wanting to continue playing in the NBA:
“I want to return to the NBA this season, and help any team that wants me, in any capacity that they feel that I can help. I’m disappointed, and I owe my fans more than what they have seen of me the last couple seasons. However, now that my family is healthy and rock solid, I can about concentrate fully on doing what I do best!”
And while Iverson could probably lead a team in scoring like he has for most of his career, I think he would have the best chance to win a championship as just another piece of a team. I could see Iverson playing a role like Dennis Johnson, another former MVP, who started at point guard for Larry Bird’s Boston Celtics, or like Toni Kukoc, a 6<sup>th</sup> Man of the Year, who played a valuable role off the bench for Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. Each player filled a complimentary role along side multiple Hall of Fame players, Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish for the Celtics and Jordan and Scottie Pippen for the Chicago Bulls.
There are also any number of NBA teams that could use a player like Allen Iverson: the Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks, Orlando Magic, and—maybe more for laughs we’ll mention—the Denver Nuggets. And while the Boston Celtics do not ‘need’ Iverson, they do have a history of taking interesting players like Stephon Marbury and Rasheed Wallace.
My last piece highlighted 26.7 reasons why an NBA team would be hesitant to sign Allen Iverson.
Now, here are 26 reasons teams should sign Iverson:
| 26.7 | is A.I.’s career points per game average |
| 25 | points, A.I.’s 3rd highest scoring game in an NBA All-Star Game (2001) |
| 24 | In the 24 games that A.I. started in ’10, his shooting percentages were up in every category, field goals, three point goals, and free throws |
| 23 | are the fewest amount of free throws A.I. has ever taken in a playoff run, and he still managed to average over 5 FTA per game in that series (2008) |
| 22 | playoff games A.I. started in his run to the NBA Finals in 2001 |
| 21 | total steals in 9 All-star games |
| 20 | Iverson has scored 20+ ppg in 13 seasons |
| 19 | 19.9 was A.I.’s points per game for the Memphis Grizzlies (per 36 minutes) in 2010 |
| 18 | assists A.I. had in his last playoff run, which only lasted 4 games, but that means he averaged 4.5 apg |
| 17 | 17th on the all-time scoring list |
| 16 | assists is his career high in the playoffs which he recorded during game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals in 2001 |
| 15 | double-doubles in 2008 |
| 14 | years of experience in the NBA |
| 13 | 13th highest scoring game all-time in the regular season (60 points) |
| 12 | 12th in free-throw attempts and total steals |
| 11 | all-star game appearances |
| 10 | consecutive all-star games from 2000-2009 |
| 09 | times A.I. has been selected to the All-NBA team—7 1st teams selections |
| 08 | playoff runs in which A.I. has always averaged 22 or more points and 4 or more assists |
| 07 | 7th in steals per game—playoffs and regular season |
| 06 | seasons averaging 7 or more assists per game |
| 05 | 5th in points per game in the regular season |
| 04 | scoring titles, 1 of 4 players to do so |
| 03 | highest scoring output in playoff history with 55 points in 2003 |
| 02 | 2nd in playoff points per game |
| 01 | in steals in a single playoff game (10) |
Here are some great highlights, followed by a recent mix that shows A.I. still has some game left.
A.I.’s crossover
Great A.I. mix
A.I. in 2010:
R.S. De France is a College and University instructor of English Composition living in Los Angeles. He has a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Rhetoric, Composition, and Writing. De France has played, coached, and officiated competitive high school basketball in California for many years. Recently, De France, his wife, and another colleague started an internationally read magazine at Shwibly.com.
