By now, most or all of us have heard of streetball legends on the Ball Up Tour like Pat The Rock, Bone Collector, the Professor, and of course the high flying Air Up There.
But coming this October, Ball Up will have two of the NBA’s former star players who already have colorful nicknames of their own like “The Answer” and “White Chocolate” to play against them at their own game.
That’s right, both Allen Iverson and Jason Williams have signed on with Ball Up to be part of their exhibition tour overseas in China this October. The Tour is already being dubbed the Chinese Invasion and will now feature A.I.’s ankle breaking crossovers and Williams’ deft behind the back passes.
While both players are owners of stellar NBA credentials, with Iverson a surefire Hall of Famer and undoubtedly one of the best scorers of all time, and Williams an NBA Champion and one of the league’s most entertaining and electrifying passers, both also come with some baggage and controversy.
Iverson last played in his 2nd stint with the 76ers during the 2010 season, leaving after only 25 games to care for an ill child. Then came numerous run-ins with the law, Iverson playing a handful of games overseas in Turkey, and a bevy of rumors that A.I. was now struggling through alcohol and gambling addiction issues leading to bankruptcy.
Amid constant public pleas for any NBA team to give him one last shot, Iverson showed off his still intact electrifying skill set during the lockout in 2011 but was reportedly a no-show at a charity basketball game where he was promoted as the main attraction in Ohio just last week.
A 12 year NBA veteran, Williams last played for the Orlando Magic in 2011. He was known for his highlight reel style of play as well as controversy. Back in 2001, Williams was fined $15,000 and dropped from a Nike ad campaign for allegedly shouting racial slurs at several Asian Americans sitting court-side in Golden State.
Check out Iverson’s Press Conference for Ball Up In China:
Iverson News Report From China:
Allen Moll has been a lifelong NBA and NCAA College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously, and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen has also provided content to Bleacherreport.com, Upperdeckblog.com, Cleveland.com, CSN Philly.com, Buckets Magazine, in addition to being a tenured NBA and NCAA columnist for TheHoopDoctors.com.
