Monday, June 20th, 2011 at 10:57 am  |  113 responses

Contest: We’ve Got History

Here’s your chance to win some dope Mitchell & Ness gear!

by Tzvi Twersky | @ttwersky

One-hundred and fifty issues deep, it’s fair to say we’ve been doing our thing for a minute. And so has Mitchell & Ness.

Down with us since way back in the day, if you’ve seen and read SLAM 150, you know Mitchell & Ness is still cool with us today.

In honor of SLAM 150, in honor of AI being back on the cover in a throwback, M&N has generously gifted us something to give away to one of you. And while a throwback 76ers jersey would’ve been nice (they’re all out of stock), this 76ers Underdog Windbreaker will more than suffice. (Want to know some of the ‘breakers stats? Peep more info on it here.)

Here’s how you can win the Windbreaker:

In the comments section below, please tell us what your favorite memory of Allen Iverson is and why. Try to be concise, and be sure to provide your real email address if you want us to be able to contact you. Only one entry allowed per person. The contest will run until tomorrow morning. Until then, get to work on those memories!



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  • cg

    I was at the sixers game when Bush announced that we were going to war with Iraq. The players has just come out to warm up for the second half, then they had to go back to their locker rooms to wait it out while Bush was on TV. When the teams came back out, AI looked pissed. I don’t if it was because of the war or because W interrupted his warm up time. Either way, the answer went bananas in the second and single-handedly won that game for Philly. AI was the coldest.

  • JM

    my favorite A.I. memory was “The Crossover” when Iverson brought the cross over to the league and he got MJ! As a rookie when he crossed up Jordan I knew he was something special!

  • James

    “Practice? We talkin about practice.” nuff said.

  • DeeJayWalker

    When AI Crossed MJ ! It was so EPIC ! i mean you know jordan from his crossover on bryon russel in the finals, so you never thouqht that MJ will EVER be crossed . He played LOCKDOWN D on anyone and Everyone ! To see younq AI crossed him Shocked The WORLD ! That let everybody know that this younq kid is the REAL DEAl.

  • Jake

    I have been to MSG once with my mother and the one time I was there, I saw the 76ers play the Knicks. As a fun wager, my mother and I bet that if AI scored 50 that night, she would have to carry me on her back around time square. My mother is a very petite woman and I’m about 6 inches taller than her and about 40 pounds heavier. Needless to say, the game was amazing, seeing MSG was amazing and seeing AI drop 49 was just as amazing even if I didn’t win the bet to have my mom carry me on her back around MSG.

  • Elisabeth

    To tell you the truth im probably too young to know him all that much but i know he was rookie of the year in 1997 and i look up to that. But i would really like to win this windbreaker for my brother because he loves watching sports and i think the jacket would make him happy.

  • Cmac

    It has to be game 1 of the 2001 finals, AI stepping over Tyron Lue after he nailed the J in his face. Just classic AI attitude, taking down the nearly invincible Shaq and Kobe fuelled Lakers, pretty much single handedly. I have the 76ers box set and I’ve watched that game more times than I can remember. The little warrior will always be my favourite player. Shout out to Tzvi Twersky, loved the AI write up in SLAM #150.

  • Philipp

    Has to be the dunk over the Raptors, where he ends up on Marcus Camby’s shoulders. Was on the first Top 10 here in Germany that i videotaped….played that video a million times for inspiration!

  • AMPduppp

    My favorite A.I. has to be his practice rant. I know it wasn’t a game where he beasted out or a moment on the court where he simply took over, but it’s still my favorite because it summarized everything Iverson was about. He wasn’t about to cater to Sternbot and the media with politically correct answers. Just like practicing, he wasn’t about to do it cuz that wasn’t him. He was gonna do his thing and you could hate him or love him for it; he didn’t care. Iverson broke the mold and that’s why I love him

  • http://twitter.com/jaydizzy1 Jay Mehta

    My favorite memory of A.I is his crossover jumper over Michael Jordan. Growing up, I idolized Michael Jordan (just like everybody else) and thought that he was invincible. Seeing how he almost crossed Jordan over with his 1st move, and then ACTUALLY did it with his 2nd, it was amazing to see how a person of that stature could be so good with the basketball in his hands, and how he could even dominate the GOAT, even if it was only for one highlight. Allen Iverson making Jordan seem like a regular player is my favorite memory of him, even though Jordan almost blocked the shot anyways.

  • Fuad

    My favorite memory of Allen Iverson happened during the NBA Finals. My Lakers were unbeat entering the finals, they swept everyteam they faced all the way to the finals. I though we would go unbeaten the rest of the way, but Iverson said nope, no way no how. The first game of the finals he went off and LA lost the first game. After the first game, I though we are in trouble…thanks to Kobe and Shaq however, LA regather itself and won the title.

  • chinadian123

    My best memory of AI is when he did that monster put back against the raptors in 98′ and the 10 steals he had vs the magic during game 3 of the 1993 playoffs! AI will always be a legend!

  • George

    Crossing-over the legendary Michael Jordan The Sixers were playing host to the Bulls when Iverson came up the floor and was encountered by Jordan. In a play that perhaps represented the passing of a torch, Iverson faked to his left, then crossed-over to his right and blew past Jordan before sinking a jumper. The start of Iverson’s legend was cemented in one play

  • http://fellbowski.wordpress.com/ Everett Fell

    Working for a promotional company in the summer of 2001 in New York City, I was fortunate to receive a free trip to Philly and had the pleasure to hear the fans in West Philadelphia take to the streets after the Answer put up 48 points and led an over-matched Sixers team to an upset, over-time victory in LA to start the Finals. No offense to the former Temple Owl, but Aaron McKie failed to provide an adequate scorer for AI to dish to so the often misunderstood phenom took over against a stacked Lakers team resulting in little sleep that night for this New Yorker who had not witnessed such controlled fervor for a victory since Ewing’s put-back dunk in ’94.

  • Julian Z

    My favorite Allen Iverson memory has to be his 48 pt Game 1 performance in the 2001 Finals against the Lakers. The Lakers, who I have come to loathe so passionately over my 15+ years of watching NBA basketball, were virtually unstoppable. They won a ludicrous 15 of 16 games that postseason, and I dreaded their inevitable championship win. But Iverson wasn’t exactly one to back down from the competition, and his utter dominance of that first game in the Finals had me going berserk. Culminating in his infamous stepover of Tyronn Lue, Iverson’s Game 1 was sublime in my young eyes, and was my favorite memory of The Answer.

  • Mark

    My favorite moment was when he crossed MJ twice. Even though Jordan dominated him, watching AI challenge the G.O.A.T. at such a young age showed he had heart.

  • http://www.washingtonevolution.com Dante Jackson

    My favorite most memorable & favorite AI moment had to be the year his Sixers made the Finals… AI hit a three pointer from the corner as the Lakers guard Tyronn Lue tried to guard him… AI hits the three, but the moment was afterwards… Lue somehow ended up on the ground & AI gave him this SMH look and stepped over him! That will be forever etched in my mind!

  • Darius

    A.I is my fav player of all time so its hard to pick just one memory. But imma have to go with Game 1 of the 01 Finals. Alot of people forget that the Lakers had 19 straight games going in & the Sixers where coming off two consecutive series that went 7 games. Not only where people picking the Lakers to win but they where picking the Sixers to get swept. A.I walked in with his custom I3 durag & his custom Eagles jersey with his manager Gary Moore. He took over the 1st half with 30 points but didnt have the same success in the 2nd half due to the “defense” of Tyronn Lue. Then overtime came & A.I came with 7 straight points with along with a big shot from Eric Snow helped close the game. Just great to see A.I on the big stage. Oh and as far as Lue stopping Iverson, as he told Gus Johnson after the game with a smile on his face “He was holding me the whole time”

  • Ryan

    Being a Philly resident and lifelong Sixers fan, my favorite memory of AI was his emotional homecoming last year. He may have given the world years of exciting moments that will be reflected upon through this post, but watching our son return home to us and kiss our logo @ center court will never be forgotten.

  • add

    as all of yall know im an avid philly supporter, its my city through the good times and bad. i was still very young when AI was around but he was the man. From takin the sixers to the finals or being on every espn video game cover (he was on it like 4 times str8!). the man will always be a legend in my neighborhood and in my household, much love to the man.

  • Chris G

    My fav AI moment was gm 1 of the 2003 NBA Finals where he went off for 48 and the sixers won in OT. The stand out moment was when AI drilled a 3 from the corner with Lue drapped all over him, Lue fell, AI knocked down the 3 and adamantly stepped over Lue as the Sixers went on the steal gm 1.

  • Shaun Aaron

    My favorite Allen Iverson moment is from gm 1 of The 2001 Finals vs The Lakers. The whole game was amazing as he dropped 48 points. The best moment for me was the cross over step back shot over Tyronn Lue and then he stepped over him. Best moment ever!

  • robert lewis

    iverson is my favorite player of all-time and there are so,so many memories of this great player,so i will state the best memory is his loyalty to the game.

  • Max H

    When he crossed jordan over! TWICE!

  • Fat Lever

    My favorite AI memory is seeing him posted up at corner of 13th and Montgomery, at Temple University, in his Bentley, just chilling, people-watching, as I’d walk by him and his crew on my way to class. For all the impressive stuff he did on the court, he was still about the same size as me in college. Makes you, as a fan, appreciate his accomplishments on the court that much more.

  • Johnson Liu

    greatest Allen iverson moment for me was when he defined that heart was more important than height in one of his interview in ankle breakers vol.1. not just that, he also described that (quote: “I don’t want to be isiah, don’t want to be jordan or magic when my careers over I’m gonna look in the mirror and say I did it my way.”) meaning he wanted to create his own legacy before he retires. but unfortunately, he moved turkish league and played for the besiktas to continue/pursue his basketball career. I personally do believe that he would return to the NBA and pick up where he left off. in conclusion, my greatest Allen Iverson moment is where he has gone through the highs and lows in his career but still continuing to reach his goal in becoming a hall of famer by accomplishing and striving hard what he does best on the court with heart.

  • Pic

    It has to be the 2002 All Star Game when AI came out rocking the #6 in tribute of the Doctor, playing in front of the Philly crowd. I thought that a huge reason for AI’s success was his knowledge and respect for the history of the game, and specifically Sixer basketball. Hope I can show my appreciation in my own manner rocking that Mitchell & Ness. Medium, please!

  • David J. Moore, IV

    My favorite moment was in the 2001 Eastern Conference Semis. The epic Vince Carter/Allen Iverson battle. It was dubbed a “good guy vs. bad guy” series with Iverson being cast as the villan. After the series was over, Iverson got the most respect. He also got the MVP trophy during this series, too. The second player (Michael Jordan – 1st)to score 50+ points in the same playoff series vs. Toronto. One of the best individual playoff performances ever.

  • Joey

    Definetely the 2001 NBA Finals. He was the highlight of the series. I remembver when he did the stepback on Tyronne Lue, and then walked over him after he made it. I’ll always remember that.

  • Curtis

    What I remember was his corn-rows. They made him look bad ass and he started a trend.

  • http://hoopism.com airs

    i’m a bulls fan, so while AI crossing MJ was cold, i still can’t say that was my favorite haha.
    its gotta be when he stepped over tyronn lue. as a 13 year old kid watching that, i thought it was one of the coolest things ive seen a player do, and i was just hoping for a day where i’d be able to do that to someone.
    but then i realized im not AI and doing that on the street would probably result in a beatdown.

  • Linos

    My favourite memory was actually when he was interviewed on Quite Franly with Stephen A. Smith in 2005. Reason was that in that interview you really got to see the real AI and anyone who was/is a true AI fan can’t tell me that after that interview you gained a greater respect for the man.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQAxaGLxsIw

  • 6ftshaq

    My favorite memory of AI was back when he played for Denver and was playing the rockets that night. Chuck Hayes got fouled and was taking his free throws. AI was making fun of his form and started laughing and said “travel,that’s a travel.”

  • Ian

    My favorite memory of Allen Iverson was the press conference when he kept talking about practice.

  • http://www.angryarab.com Tariq

    I had always appreciated Allen Iverson, but I think the moment that made him my favorite player was when he cried after being eliminated by the Charlotte Hornets in 2000. I’ve seen players cry (most recently Bosh). I just felt that at that moment, AI didn’t want anyone to see him weep, but he just couldn’t help it. That made the run to the Finals and the MVP the very next year extremely satisfying for me. Of course, I don’t know Allen Iverson and the way I interpreted that moment may be very different from how he actually felt, but that’s sports fandom, isn’t it?

  • Dudley L.

    Finals 2001. My homeboy Allen Iverson has the ball. Tyronn Lue on him. AI takes one dirbble, than cross over between is legs.l Tyron Lue bites on it. AI takes the jumper, SWISSHHHH! in lue’s face. BUT the best part of course, Lue falls in front of Iverson and is bench and AI just steps over. COLD BLOODED!

  • J2ice

    My favourite moment (most memorable too) was when AI, after all the chaos with in the post-Denver trade, bouncing around the NBA, finally came back home to Philly land, and kissed the mid-court before the start of the game. There’s nothing better than the hero coming back home.

  • J Mac

    When he sent notice to the world that he was born to take the crown.
    The crosses he put on MJ were crazy. Reebok executives musthave been crying tears of joy watching it on repeat.

  • Billy

    The commercial where he sits on the trainers table before the game and it goes over all his injuries and the announcer is talking about them and saying how tough he is. Watching him play through injuries as the small guy and just scoring at will some nights is something no one in the NBA like him can match today. Time to go to work!

  • Niko gaspar

    Everyone alreadt had some great moments…but id have to say jada and a.i commercial tops it all. You know everyone and they mommas was tryin that behind the back spin crossover…pretty made way for and 1.

  • Erik Franke

    It most definitely has to be AI’s rookie year when they were playing the Bulls. Jordan was guarding AI. Most players would be a little nervous to have the best player ever on them. It didn’t faze Iverson. He crosses Jordan up and then hit the jumper from the free throw line. It really proved that he is the “Answer”.

  • Michael

    My favorite memory of AI was that Georgetown vs Uconn game in the Big East Tourney when Ray ALlen hit that little runner at the buzzer to win it. AIs energy and speed that game was insane. I knew he was going to be a legend after watching him play in that game. That was my first and favorite memory of AI

  • deejaynola

    My favorite Allen Iverson memory is the 2001 50th All Star game when he single-handedly (with a lil help from Starbury) helped the East come back from a huge deficit with 8 or 9 mins left to win the game and the MVP. AI scored like 12 or 16 of the East’s final 25 points in the final minutes. I still have this game on a VHS tape and watch it from time to time even though I already know the outcome. EPIC

  • PatFondz

    My favorite memory was seeing him return as a 76er in ’09. I remember watching the press conference after the Sixers announced they had just signed him, and seeing A.I’s emotion throughout the entire thing. I still remember watching his first home game, seeing him kiss the 76er’s logo in the middle of the court and the crowd just going crazy. You could tell that he never wanted to leave Philly in the first place, and that he wanted to show them that he still had it. He may not have his quickness and he may not able to cross players over like he did in his prime, but he still has his determination and the heart that got him to be the player that we all admired.

  • Joshua Rodriguez

    My favorite memory of Allen Iverson is in the 2001 NBA Finals vs. The Lakers and the game was in overtime and Iverson has the ball right in front of the laker bench and he’s being guarded by Tyronn Lue and he dribbles the ball out with his right and brings it back under his legs and drains a net damaging swish and tyronn lue falls on the floor and then iverson steps right over him right in front of the laker bench and at that point right there everybody knew the lakers was in trouble. Man can literally do whatever he wanted to do. The reason why this is my favorite memory is because this was his first and only finals appearance and everybody was rooting for the lakers and that it was going to be a given sweep but as long as Allen Iverson is on the court, anything could happen and he could single handedly lead his team to victory which he did in this game. Thats why he’s my favorite point guard of all time..

  • QQQQ!

    My memory of AI isn’t really a specific moment in his career, yet is the reason I play and love the game of basketball. Even though I was a big Jordan fan as a kid, I didn’t really play basketball at all because I thought I was too short. Then I bought NBA2K1 with AI on the cover. The Sixers were my favorite team in the game, and they became my favorite team in the NBA. When I found out that AI stood at only 6’0” and was dropping 30 a night in the land of the giants, I picked up the basketball again and haven’t looked back ever since. Of course, I play nothing like him, but he was the inspiration for my hoop dreams. Thanks AI.

  • Josh

    Obviously being the bad-boy of the NBA,stepping over Lue, talkin’ bout practice and all those things are great memories. My favorite though was in ’97 when the cornrows made their debut at the Rookie Challenge. You could just tell that he was going to be a bad man (see: Lue, Tyrone, et al). He rocked those cornrows to the tune of Game MVP, and I remember after the game he was being interviewed and talking about his hair, he said “…I guess I just get tired of the haircuts on the road, things like that, when I can just get a girl to braid it and it will stay done for a while”.. Classic.

  • J7

    To try and pinpoint one memory from a Hall of Fame career that featured so many spectacular moments is very difficult. The thing that seperated Allen from the rest was that when he said, “I play every game like its my last.” Other players in the league may have said things along the same lines, but Iverson was the only one that truly played that way. Playing through the numerous injuries, sacrificing his body on his blindingly quick drives to the cup and going all out every game made this evident. I would have to say that my favorite memory of Iverson was his put back dunk against the Raptors. Eric Snow took a pull up leaner that banked too hard and AI crashed hard, basically climber Marcus Camby and crammed it home. Just the thought of a smaller dude getting up like that, especially against a 7 footer will always stick out in my mind.

  • http://SLAM Larry Cross Jr.

    My favorite Allen Iverson moment was when he was a rookie trying to prove himself to the veterans in the NBA and he did the crossover on one of the greatest players of all time Michael Jordan. I believe that year was his break out year and he let it be known he is a force to be reckoned with. That moment right their to me will always be one the greatest highlights of his career.

  • http://www.leaguelineup.com/uashamrocks HD QUE

    That jacket invokes memories of the Championship Sixers! My Favorite Sixers Memory is when Dr. J went up and under and around the back of the goal and made the basket. I cannot tell you the amount of hours I spent in the driveway trying to work on my airtime and hanging in the air like Dr. J. My other memory is of Mo Cheeks no look passes and threading the needle to the post through a space that was not there when he threw it.

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