We already knew this, and many of you have seen Iverson at the top of the rankings for Hall of Fame eligibility. During this past weekend of the Basketball Hall of Fame, the institution made his eligibility official, a fact that was not clear to many before the official announcement.
There were two sticking points that complicated the opinion on when his eligibility began.
The first was that Iverson only officially retired in 2013. That’s not uncommon, as many players hope to return to the NBA long after no team wants them, though the Hall rarely enforces it.
The second was his brief stint in the Turkish basketball league in the 2010-11 season. While the Basketball Hall of Fame decrees that a player must be retired for five years before being inducted into the Hall, and while it recognizes international achievement, it’s not uncommon for them to base eligibility on last season played. in the National Basketball League.
Allen Iverson was rarely second best at anything. “AI” was always the most exciting player on the pitch and the most controversial player off it. In his prime, he was a shot-happy guard who practically carried the 76ers back to the NBA Finals and won MVP that year. He was three times named to the All-NBA All-NBA team and a four-time scoring champion (although no one shot as much as “Answer” did).
Iverson was also a decent defender and was a two-time Steals champion. He may not have always been the best teammate, and it was his US team that had the worst Olympic performance in their history, but he often felt like he had to do it all by himself. Iverson may never have won a major championship, but his talent was undeniable and he changed the face of the league. He should come in right away when he’s eligible and we’re ranking him first right away. However, we wonder if they would keep him waiting a bit longer due to his retirement date.
Iverson is a former MVP, a three-time All-NBA first-team selection, and a four-time scoring champion. The controversial point guard has a very good chance to get into the Basketball Hall of Fame on the first try.
We certainly think it should!