It may be an understatement to say that I am not Allen Iverson's "typical" fan. In fact, I believe that on the surface, my infatuation with him is almost contradictory of everything else in my life. I am a girl who grew up in an upper-class city that had villages, yes, you read correctly, villages. And, I grew into a woman with a love for things like tabloid magazines, boy bands, and cheesy reality TV shows (think Real Housewives of Orange County, not Idol). But, from the moment I laid eyes on Allen Iverson's version of basketball, I was hooked.
My Dad was a sports writer and he successfully turned his son onto sports when he was young. They would spend time together watching most types of sports, but I specifically remember basketball being on the television the most. I also specifically remember basketball getting in the way of my television shows - Full House and Family Matters, you know, the classics (for you younger readers, this was before TIVO. Hard to think about, I know). Michael Jordan was definitely the sports hero in my family. My brother had his posters and quoted his commercials and, yes, we even saw Space Jam. I would occasionally enjoy watching the Bulls and the Bullets when Chris Webber arrived (you've seen him, right?), but it wasn't until I first saw Allen Iverson that I really responded to the actual game of basketball.
Since that time, basketball has become so much a part of my life that it was actually a career for me at one time. Working for an NBA team for five years led me to see hundreds of basketball games and almost every NBA superstar of the past decade. However, there has not been a single player to impress me more than Allen Iverson. In fact, I believe that all those years of watching Jordan when I was younger made me appreciate Iverson even more.
While I can absolutely respect the athlete that Jordan is, I never for one second believed him to be the person he portrayed himself to be in the media. However, with Iverson, what you see is what you get. He chose not to conform and play the media games that Jordan did and I respect him for that. I realize that means he has lost many fans, but, in the process he has also changed the NBA forever. He gave young men who grew up in neighborhoods like Newport News the hope that with hard work and determination, they too could make something of themselves. He became a different kind of role model than Jordan. I realize most people disagree that he is a positive role model, but I see him as just that. A man who is passionate about his career and his family and a man who has never forgotten that he did in fact come from nothing and turn into something. A fete that is not easy for most to accomplish.
The passion I see off the court translates directly onto the court. Iverson is undoubtedly an incredible athlete. (To watch him play football in high school is truly an amazing scene). But, beyond his athletic ability, it is his sheer willingness to play to the extreme. He plays with his whole body and as if he was the biggest player on the court. I have stood next to him (I know, it's shocking the restraining order let me get that close) and he is maybe 5'9" and 150 pounds soaking wet, a far cry from the 6' and 165 he is listed at. Yet, he throws himself into crowds of men three times his size without any hesitation. At first I thought he was crazy, but I have learned that his desire to win far exceeds any rational thoughts of physical pain. And, how can any basketball fan not admire that?
In this day and age where players only show up in contract years or sit out weeks at a time for a hang nail, I can only be in awe of a man who, 12 years later is still playing with the same intensity he was when he entered this league. I can't think of anyone who deserves a Championship more, but if that never happens for him, he will forever be remembered as the biggest little man who ever played in the NBA. And, for me, he will always serve as a reminder that passion and heart are not a luxury in life, but a necessity.
