Allen Iverson facts for kids
Iverson in 2008
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | June 7, 1975 Hampton, Virginia, U.S. |
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| High school | Bethel (Hampton, Virginia) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 165 lb (75 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Georgetown (1994–1996) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1996 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1996–2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–2006 | Philadelphia 76ers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2008 | Denver Nuggets | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | Detroit Pistons | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | Memphis Grizzlies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | Philadelphia 76ers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | Beşiktaş | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Points | 24,368 (26.7 ppg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 3,394 (3.7 rpg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assists | 5,624 (6.2 apg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Allen Ezail Iverson (born June 7, 1975) is a famous American former professional basketball player. People often called him "The Answer" because he was so good. He played for 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played as both a shooting guard and a point guard.
Iverson was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1997 with the Philadelphia 76ers. He was chosen for the NBA All-Star team 11 times. He also won the All-Star Game MVP Award twice, in 2001 and 2005. In 2001, he was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player (MVP). He was added to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. In 2021, he was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, which honors the greatest players in NBA history. Many people think Iverson is one of the best scorers and ball handlers in basketball. He is also seen as one of the most influential athletes in American sports.
Iverson went to Bethel High School in Hampton, Virginia. He was amazing at two sports: football and basketball. He won the Associated Press High School Player of the Year award for both sports. He also led his teams to state championships in both. After high school, Iverson played college basketball for the Georgetown Hoyas. He played for two years and set a school record for points per game. He also won the Big East Defensive Player of the Year award both years.
After his successful college career, Iverson joined the 1996 NBA draft. The Philadelphia 76ers picked him first overall. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in his first season. Iverson led the NBA in scoring four times. He was one of the best scorers in NBA history, even though he was not very tall for a basketball player. His average of 26.7 points per game in the regular season is one of the highest ever. In the playoffs, his average of 29.7 points per game is almost the best, only behind Michael Jordan and Luka Dončić. Iverson was the NBA Most Valuable Player in the 2000–01 season. He led his team to the 2001 NBA Finals that same year. Iverson also played for the United States at the 2004 Summer Olympics, where they won a bronze medal.
Later in his career, Iverson played for the Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, and Memphis Grizzlies. He finished his NBA career with the 76ers in the 2009–10 season. In 2008, ESPN called him the fifth-greatest NBA shooting guard of all time. He played his last professional games in Turkey for Beşiktaş in 2011. He later became a player-coach for 3's Company in the new BIG3 basketball league.
Contents
Early Life and High School Success
Allen Iverson was born in Hampton, Virginia. His mother, Ann Iverson, was 15 years old when he was born. He was given his mother's last name.
When he was a child, Iverson was called "Bubba Chuck" by his friends. A childhood friend said that Iverson always looked out for younger kids. He was a natural leader and could teach anyone.
Iverson went to Bethel High School. He was a star player in both football and basketball. In football, he played quarterback, running back, kick returner, and defensive back. In basketball, he was the starting point guard. During his junior year, Iverson led both his football and basketball teams to state championships in Virginia. He also won the Associated Press High School Player of the Year award for both sports.
Iverson also played for the Boo Williams AAU basketball team. In 1992, his team won the 17-and-under AAU national championship.
College Basketball Journey
Iverson played college basketball for the Georgetown Hoyas. In his first year (1994–95), he won the Big East Rookie of the Year award. He also made the All-Rookie Tournament First Team. That season, Iverson helped the Hoyas reach the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament.
In his second and last season at Georgetown (1995–96), Iverson led his team to a Big East championship. They also made it to the Elite Eight round of the NCAA tournament. He finished his college career as Georgetown's all-time leader in scoring average, with 22.9 points per game. Iverson was named a first-team All-American. He was also named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year in both of his seasons at Georgetown.
After his second year, Iverson decided to enter the 1996 NBA draft. He was the first player from Georgetown to leave early for the NBA under Coach Thompson.
NBA Career Highlights
Philadelphia 76ers: The Early Years (1996–2000)
After two seasons at Georgetown, the Philadelphia 76ers chose Iverson as the 1st overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft. At 6 feet tall, he was the shortest player ever picked first in the NBA draft. The league is usually dominated by much taller players.
Iverson joined a Philadelphia team that had a very bad record the year before. In his first NBA game, Iverson scored 30 points and had 6 assists. He showed his talent right away. He even scored 50 points in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He broke a rookie record by scoring at least 40 points in five straight games. Iverson averaged 23.5 points, 7.5 assists, and 2.1 steals per game in his first season. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year. Even with Iverson, the 76ers only won 22 games that year.
With new teammates and coach Larry Brown, the 76ers slowly got better. In the 1998–99 season, which was shorter due to a lockout, Iverson led the league in scoring with 26.8 points per game. He was named to his first All-NBA First Team. The 76ers made the playoffs, and Iverson led them past the Orlando Magic. They then lost to the Indiana Pacers in the second round.
In the 1999–2000 season, Iverson was chosen for the Eastern Conference All-Star team for the first time. He would be an All-Star for 11 years in a row. The 76ers continued to improve, making the playoffs again. They beat the Charlotte Hornets but lost to the Indiana Pacers in the second round once more.
MVP Season and NBA Finals Trip (2000–2001)
The 2000–01 season was Iverson's best. He led his team to a great start, winning their first 10 games. He was a starter in the 2001 NBA All-Star Game and won the MVP award for that game. The 76ers had the best record in the Eastern Conference, winning 56 games. Iverson averaged a career-high 31.1 points, winning his second NBA scoring title. He also led the NBA in steals.
Iverson was named the NBA Most Valuable Player. At 6 feet tall and 165 pounds, he was the shortest and lightest player ever to win the MVP award. He was also named to the All-NBA First Team. In the playoffs, Iverson and the 76ers beat the Indiana Pacers. Then they had tough seven-game series wins against the Vince Carter-led Toronto Raptors and the Milwaukee Bucks. This led them to the 2001 NBA Finals against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, who had Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal.
Iverson led the 76ers to their first NBA Finals since 1983. In Game 1 of the Finals, Iverson scored a playoff-high 48 points. The 76ers beat the Lakers, who were heavily favored, 107–101. This was the Lakers' only playoff loss that year. Iverson continued to score many points in the next games, but the Lakers won the series. This season was Iverson's most successful, both for him personally and for the 76ers.
During this season, Iverson started wearing a basketball sleeve because of an elbow injury. Other players like Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant also started wearing them. Fans wore them as a fashion statement. Iverson kept wearing his sleeve even after his elbow healed. Some people thought the sleeve helped his shooting.
Later Career and Retirement
After his time with the 76ers, Iverson played for the Denver Nuggets (2006–2008). He joined Carmelo Anthony to form a high-scoring duo. In his first year with the Nuggets, they made the playoffs but lost in the first round. Iverson was sometimes fined for criticizing referees.
In 2008, Iverson was traded to the Detroit Pistons. He changed his jersey number to 1, as his usual number 3 was taken. He played well at first, but later saw less playing time. He eventually left the team due to a back injury and disagreements about his role.
Iverson then signed with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2009. However, he was not happy being a bench player and left the team after only three games.
On November 30, 2009, Iverson made a surprising return to the Philadelphia 76ers. He signed a contract to play for his old team again. When he returned to Philadelphia on December 7, 2009, the crowd gave him a huge cheer. He was voted as a starter for the 2010 NBA All-Star Game for the 11th time.
In February 2010, Iverson left the 76ers again to take care of his daughter's health issues. This was his last NBA game.
In October 2010, Iverson signed a two-year contract to play for Beşiktaş, a professional basketball team in Turkey. He played ten games for them before returning to the U.S. for calf surgery. He did not play professional basketball after that.
On October 30, 2013, Iverson officially announced his retirement from basketball. He said he had lost his desire to play. The 76ers retired his number 3 jersey in a special ceremony on March 1, 2014. In 2016, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
In 2017, Iverson became a player and coach for 3's Company in the new 3-on-3 professional basketball league called BIG3. He explained that his role would be more about coaching and leading, rather than playing as much as he used to.
Playing for Team USA
1995 World University Games
Iverson was part of the USA World University Games Team in Japan in 1995. This team included future NBA stars like Ray Allen and Tim Duncan. Iverson was the top scorer, passer, and stealer for the USA team. He helped them win every game and earn the gold medal.
2003 FIBA Americas Championship
Iverson was also chosen for Team USA in 2003 for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Puerto Rico. The USA team won all 10 of their games and earned the gold medal. This also qualified them for the 2004 Olympics. Iverson started in eight games and was the team's second-highest scorer. He also had many assists and steals.
In one game against Canada, he scored a record 28 points for a USA Olympic Qualifying game. He also made seven 3-pointers, which was another record. He was a key player for the team, even though he missed the last two games due to a thumb injury.
Personal Life
Allen Iverson has three younger half-siblings: Brandy, Ieisha, and Mister.
Iverson has been involved in music. He recorded a rap song called "40 Bars." However, it was never released due to some controversial lyrics.
In May 2015, Iverson appeared on CBS This Morning. He talked about rumors that he was having money problems. He said these rumors were not true and that he was doing well.
In October 2023, Iverson was named Reebok's Vice President of Basketball. This shows his continued influence in the sports world.
Family Life
Iverson married his high school sweetheart, Tawanna Turner. They have five children together: Tiaura, Allen II, Isaiah, Messiah, and Dream.
In 2010, Tawanna Iverson filed for divorce. However, Iverson later said that they were back together after the divorce was finalized in 2013.
Iverson's cousin, Kuran Iverson, is also a basketball player.
Legacy and Influence
Many people believe Iverson changed the culture of the NBA and American sports. He helped make the cornrow hairstyle popular. He also helped connect rap music with basketball. He was one of the first athletes to openly show non-traditional tattoos in popular culture.
In 2024, the 76ers honored Iverson by revealing a statue of him outside their practice building. The city of Newport News, his hometown, named a street "Allen Iverson Way." The governor of Virginia also declared March 5 to be Allen Iverson Day. These honors show how much he means to his community and to basketball fans.
American singer Post Malone released a popular song in 2015 called "White Iverson." The song mentions Iverson in its title and lyrics. The song became very successful, with over a billion streams on Spotify and a billion views on YouTube. Allen Iverson himself responded to the song's success, saying he was honored to be a part of it.
Awards and Honors
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2016)
- NBA Most Valuable Player (2001)
- 4× NBA scoring champion
- 11× NBA All-Star
- 2× NBA All-Star Game MVP
- 7× All-NBA selections
- 3× NBA steals leader
- NBA Rookie of the Year (1997)
- No. 3 jersey retired by the Philadelphia 76ers
Filmography
- Like Mike (2002) – as himself
- Imagine That (2009) – as himself
- My Other Home (2017)
- Hustle (2022) as himself
See Also
In Spanish: Allen Iverson para niños
- List of NBA career scoring leaders
- List of NBA career free throw scoring leaders
- List of NBA career assists leaders
- List of NBA career steals leaders
- List of NBA career turnovers leaders
- List of NBA single-game scoring leaders
- List of NBA single-game steals leaders
- List of NBA single-game playoff scoring leaders
- List of NBA annual scoring leaders
- List of NBA annual minutes leaders
- List of NBA rookie single-season scoring leaders
Images for kids
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Iverson and rap star Nelly at a Reebok photoshoot in September 2007
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Iverson in 2003
