Philadelphia 76er, Allen Iverson: the Answer Has Become a Question

Coming out of Georgetown, Allen Iverson was one of the most exciting players in the 1996 draft. As the #1 pick of the Philadelphia 76ers, Iverson didn't disappoint, and went on to win rookie of the year. During his time in Philadelphia, Iverson quickly made a name for himself, for the fearless way he attacked the basket, and his aggressive defense.

In his ten years in Philadelphia, Iverson scored over 40 points per season every year, except his second year, when he scored 39.4 points per game. It seemed Iverson would enjoy a long career in Philadelphia, but somewhere along the way, Iverson stopped being the answer for the 76ers, and became the problem. After requesting a trade, Iverson was shipped out of Philadelphia.

Iverson would find life outside of Philadelphia was no better then life in the city of brotherly love. Between Denver, Detroit, and Memphis, Iverson would find it difficult to fit in with his new teams. After leaving Memphis, he would return home to Philadelphia. Ultimately, the reunion would be short lived, as Iverson would leave the team to be with his sick daughter. While Iverson was away from the team, word came his wife was filing for divorce, which was just the beginning of the turmoil Iverson would face. Recently accusations of drinking and gambling have plagued Iverson, accusations Iverson addressed via twitter.

"To my fans: You all know that my life isn't perfect. I am going through some very tough times right now, like I am sure that we all do from time to time. However, I will stand tall like always with "rhino" thick skin. Even though I have become used to hearing people say things about me that aren't true, it still hurts. I encourage you to continue your ongoing support and I want you to trust that this is another obstacle in my life that, with God's help I will overcome. God Bless You All."

Allen Iverson was once a great player in the NBA, a player you routed for as he recklessly threw his body into the paint, against bigger men. You admired the way he played the game without hesitation or doubt. Now, doubt surrounds him, as we wait to see if he'll ever play in the NBA again. More importantly, we wait to see if he and his family are okay. For now there are no answers, just questions.

Sources:

http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/03/09/allen-iversons-twitter-response-to-latest-allegations/
http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/03/09/allen-iversons-twitter-response-to-latest-allegations
/http://www.nba.com/playerfile/allen_iverson/career_stats.html