Monday, February 6th, 2012 at 3:35 pm  |  66 responses

Report: Allen Iverson Being Recruited By League in Puerto Rico


Allen Iverson’s NBA prospects have been rendered virtually non-existent, but there’s a report out today via Yahoo! Sports indicating that The Answer could possibly end up taking his talents to Puerto Rico: “Iverson’s business manger Gary Moore has talked with Puerto Rico officials, and the league’s teams are discussing a bidding process to woo Iverson. The Puerto Rican league, which starts its 30-game season in March, pays its stars about $20,000 a month, plus living expenses, sources said. The league’s commissioner is selling Iverson on the chance to work his way back to a possible return to the NBA. The league is hoping to convince Iverson to take a trip to the island and look closer at the possibility. Since Iverson returned from an ill-fated stay in Turkey last season, it’s unclear if he has had much, if any, interest among professional leagues outside the NBA. The Puerto Rican league sees Iverson as a potential ticket seller and iconic addition. In recent years, the league has been a landing place for players trying to return to the NBA. The Caciques de Humacao team recently signed former NBA players Rashad McCants and Ike Diogu for the 2012 season.”

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  • axel

    Iverson should put an Ad on Craigslist..former NBA MVP looking for a team.

  • David Moore

    Keep fighting A.I. Your career will end on a high note in the NBA homie.

  • OTB

    ^ lol. AI has no one to blame but himself.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    He already served his “punishment” – him not getting another chance in the NBA is stupid. It’s absolutely ridiculous that he has been relegated to being recruited by a Puerto Rican team.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFmsDQ0rOlE&feature=g-all-u&context=G24d4923FAAAAAAAACAA anynomous

    You keep fighting AI. Do what you feel like you have to do. @David Moore & @nbk cosign. AI served his time in missing the entire 2010-2011 nba season when he was looking to return. The nba is hurting itself, its image with respect to real basketball fans, and its future.

  • http://www.slamonline.com the_unknown

    why is he still not in the nba? is it because of his unwillingness to come off the bench?

  • c.a.

    Practico?

  • bike

    C’mon, A.I. Don’t keep doing this to yourself. This is making us very uncomfortable.

  • anynomous

    what is the league coming to? signing players like baron davis who is 34 yrs old in human years but 45 yrs old in physical stability while not even considering Iverson. The nba is gradually losing all credibility.

  • sadeye6

    Whatever

  • OTB

    ..why would an NBA franchise take on the responsibility of bringing back Iverson? He not only messed up with the Grizzlies (who gave him a legit chance at redemption), but also with the Sixers, who he could have simply stayed with and finished his career. Be it personal problems, or selfishness, AI caused his own downfall.

  • OTB

    Dude doesn’t know when to call it quits.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLAT9x0pjUc&feature=related nbk

    He caused no problems in Philadelphia when he returned. wth are you talking about.

  • OTB

    He didn’t cause any problems with the Sixers, but he was battling his own problems, those that have nothing to do with the game of basketball. He left to attend to his sick daughter – that’s admirable and warranted – but there has to be a reason why even the SIXERS did not ask him to come back. What that reason is, I’m not sure, but I do know that judging by how he handled reduced playing time in Detriot and Memphis, I’m not surprised.

  • JML-G

    Stern has made NBA a ‘no country for street n*ggas’ – thats the only logical explanation i can find for nobody giving AI at least a shot.. also Arenas being free agent, SJax never becoming allstar etc.

  • OTB

    I’m just sick of people making excuses for him year and year out. I get it, he was a “warrior”, SLAM loved that he “kept it real” and played his heart out, but he was also selfish as sh**T and couldn’t accept his basketball mortality. It was his ego that killed his career.

  • OTB

    @JML – Arenas is a free agent cause the moron was stupid enough to bring a gun into the locker room, not to mention his steep decline in production. That has nothing to do with being “street”. AI also got not one but TWO shots post-Detriot to stay in the league. He flamed out.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    Your goin to punish Iverson exhaust of what happened to his daughter, classy. And he swallowed his pride and admitted his faults. What he did in Memphis and Detroit was inexcusable, but he showed his remorse. And his HOF career merits a second chance.

  • OTB

    I said Iverson leaving for his daughter was warranted and admirable. But the Sixers not asking him to come back (hence him having to go to Turkey instead) is fishy and demonstrates the lack of faith that the owners had in Iverson’s mental stability. Its not like he can’t still play – he posted some decent numbers when he played with the Sixers, but it just seems as if he’s not mentally ready to be back in the league.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    You mean the sixers getting all of their guards healthy? That’s what happened, they had 4 small guards other then Iverson pining for playin time. And they were all young. Nothing fishy at all.

  • http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2011/01/post-up-23/ Allenp

    Yeah, I think they didn’t want to mess with their rotation of young players. Iverson wanted to play and they didn’t need him anymore. Plus, he was a shell of himself when he came back to Philly.
    I think dude is done, and that’s fine.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    He was a shell puttin up 14, 3, 4. Which is still good enough to play a 15-20 MPG role (imo)

  • true23

    AI, what are you now, around 36y old? time to let others have a chance at greatness, step aside and embrace a role in mentoring the new kids on the block, teach them about what it takes to become as great as you were. You had a HOF career in the NBA, its a good legacy, there is nothing you can do now to improve that on the court. Its off the court where you can make the real difference :)

  • ripslam

    The fact that he’s made $150 million over a 13-year NBA career and is now broke at age 36 is pathetic. If he wasn’t bankrupt he would be happily retired by now, but this is what happens when you gamble and drink away your fortune. I liked Iverson and rooted for him as much as the next guy, but if I was a NBA GM I wouldn’t take the chance either. After his behavior in Memphis and Philly, he doesn’t deserve a NBA job.

  • MikeC.

    Did anyone stop to think that maybe, just maybe, he can’t physically do it any more? Do you guys want your last image of AI to be him playing near his prime, or getting roasted by garbage time players?

  • http://slam joe gausch

    A.I. could still ball as a role player in the N.B.A.
    especially with some of the ballers they got rollin out their in this short season.
    give him a chance.

  • http://theurbangriot.com The NUPE

    I really liked what AI used to bring to every game. If he was to get another shot in the NBA, I’d defintely watch. However, it’s his own fault if he never get’s another run in the NBA. Both his character/personality ‘issues’ and physical ability are questionable right now. Considering his past ‘status’ in the league, if he had only either personality OR physical questions, I’m sure a team would have picked him up by now. But because he does have so much baggage that’s making it really hard to take the risk. Maybe a veteran team like the Celts or Heat have the star power to keep him in ‘check’, but it’s still a question as to if he has anything left in the tank. I’m sure the Knicks could have used him, instead of taking a broken down Barron Davis if they thought he had anything left.

  • hushabomb

    AI needs to go to the Celtics. A perfect backup role for Rondo.

  • 23

    Iverson loves the game. Nobody here will ever argue that. But he is very selfish. Not his style of play. But selfish in the fact that he thinks he has the right to control his minutes. his glory and legacy mean more to him than winning. He won’t sacrifice his pride to contribute.

  • JP7

    AI makes me so sad, bad habits are hard to break. When ur hella hood like that, it dont matter how good a job you get, ur still gonna do foul, and when ur foul wit hella racks, then you jus get super foul. We all know the same kinda ppl goin thru the same thing as Iverson, tryna get back right when dey bin down bad, and dey be stayin down bad cuz dey still be movin faulty tryna blame the next man. I’m a huge fan tho he was my favorite player after Jordan lol

  • Da-Meat-Hook

    I got love for AI just as much as the next fan. But the risk is far greater than the reward. GMs aren’t willing to risk team chemistry/cohesion for a 6 foot shooting guard who MIGHT score 13 off the bench at best. I just think the same supreme confidence in his abilities that made him so great are now preventing him from aging gracefully and evolving into a mentoring role.

  • anynomous

    @foreverflylove Iverson`s current and past-due circumstance is a demonstration of the long-lived HATRED that stern and certain nba executives have had for AI since he was drafted into the league where he soon became a cultural icon behind an anti-boy scout (gangster) image. In many ways AI is bigger than the game itself. Fans like us root for him REGARDLESS of how much the nba diminishes his career while trying to convince us (through vilification) that he`s allegedly lost his game (basketball skills), his money, and his mind. They want ppl to believe all of this, even though, the nba refuses to give a now healthy, fit Iverson the opportunity to contradict the first claim; and there is no physical evidence supporting the last two – just the occasional lawsuit to which every public figure is accustomed. The truth is that AI has never lost it. Of course, he has slowed down but his game never deserted him. He had a couple of down years due to lingering injuries (which affected his fitness), some personal issues, and 2 unfavorable situations in detroit and memphis. In detroit, after averaging 26-and-6 in denver, AI was benched in favor of a stuckey. Surprisingly, AI didn`t handle it that well and the nba did not approve of his handling of the situation and by the time free agency hit in the summer of 2009, the early stages of blacklisting had begun and nobody wanted him except for Memphis and I think the clippers. Due to a lack of choices, AI cordially signed with Memphis and seemed upbeat until he realized that he was going to be coming off the bench behind a conley. In Memphis, AI was trying to recover from a lingering hamstring injury while going through a personal issue (troubling marriage). And at that point with all the criticism coming his way and the weight of this problem, I think AI`s confidence took a hit which led to a short-lived retirement. He came out of retirement, went back to philly unfortunately his daughter`s illness took him away from the nba game in early 2010 – the last time he played in the league. Did Iverson have just cause in his desire to start over the likes of stuckey and conley? Any intelligent basketball mind would say ABSOLUTELY. But this does not excuse his behavior, of which even Iverson himself admitted in both past & recent interviews where he set his pride aside and acknowledged his faults. However, this 2-year stint gave stern and his suits all the ammunition they needed to keep Allen Iverson out of the nba REGARDLESS of the fact that they know that when healthy & fit and placed in the right situation he`ll produce (like any other player of his caliber). Now, is Iverson as rich as he was 2 or 3 yrs ago? Logic would tell us that an unexpected termination from a job that a person was employed at from 1996 to 2010 WOULD in fact have a negative affect on that their finances. Iverson wanted and expected to return to the nba the very next season for 2010-2011 but that didn`t happen. So, “NO” AI is probably not as rich as he was 2 or 3 yrs ago. But AI`s financial status is irrelevant and should not be the focus of every article. I`m not even going to address AI`s alleged alcohol and gambling issues (brought about by the ALWAYS DELUSIONAL stephen a. smith) because I don`t want to do Mr. Iverson and his loved ones the disservice. At the end of day, AI`s reactions to a couple of unfavorable situations (in detroit and memphis) is still being used by the nba TWO YEARS AFTER THE FACT TO JUSTIFY ALLEN IVERSON`S CONTINUED ABSENCE FROM THE LEAGUE. And this in a nutshell is the current situation. IT`S ABOUT TIME THAT STERN AND THESE ANTI-IVERSON BIGOTS LET GO OF THEIR PREJUDICES AND LET ALLEN IVERSON BACK INTO THE NBA.

  • http://www.blogspot.com LLC#12

    I think the fact that 0 of the NBA’s 30 teams want Iverson on their roster is a more plausible explanation than David Stern and “Anti-iverson bigots” not letting AI back in the league…

  • anynomous

    It`s so easy to absorb and accept all of these FALSE JUSTIFICATIONS as to why Iverson is STILL not playing in the nba but I`m no sheep and I refuse to swallow all of this crap that the nba/media has been feeding the public since Iverson came onto the scene in `93. Yes, he has his faults just like “everyone else”. Yes, he has made mistakes just like “everyone else” but that`s where the similarities stop because he doesn`t conform to society`s image of how “YOU” should be and how “YOU” should act just like “everyone else”. And his willingness to stick himself out there when “everyone else” is afraid to abandon the pasture; his “GO HARD, DIE HARD” attitude on-and-off the court is reason enough to sign him to an nba team.

  • OTB

    I’d love to see anonymous run a team – his team would be full of “die hard” 30 year olds allowed to play based on past dominance and a refusal to conform. Good luck winning basketball games that way.

    A “die hard” attitude does not do sh*t to a team when the “die hard” man in question is 36 and has been a nuisance for the last 2 teams he played for (I’m not counting the Sixers).

  • ripslam

    The Celtics are not a retirement home, as tough as that may be to believe the past few years. Not only do they not need a chemistry destruction force on the roster, it’s not worth signing a 36-year-old to a contract when Ainge is trying to go young. It’s Stephon Marbury all over again. He’d get minor minutes at best, b*tch out Doc, and take another ‘leave of absence’.

  • Stroshow

    @ananymous- That is the stupidest rant I’ve ever read.
    The fact is that at no point has Iverson ever shown an ability or willingness to adapt his game to his role or the players around him. All of the successful teams AI was ever on required every player around him to adapt to his game. Now that his skills have fallen off he would simply ruin a team’s offence and possibly their chemistry. Dude’s had 3 chances to prove he can adapt to a new role- Detroit, Memphis and Philly; none of them worked out. His game requires a superstar skill set and now that he doesn’t have that anymore he’d only ruin a team’s efficiency.

  • Boris

    This whole iverson is a victim movement is getting kind of sad. He isnt being “punished”, Stern hasnt created any, “no signing iverson” rules, and there is no conspiracy against the guy. plain and simple, his ability to play basketball at the NBA level has eroded and the fact that he is a negative presence in the locker room due to being a bitter old man quite logically means nobody wants to sign the guy. Time to give up, A.I. already did about 3 years ago.

  • http://www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=pawtucketymca Gametimeweezy

    Iverson is one of my favorite players ever, but even I have come to cope with the fact that he probably has played his last NBA game. Which sux… See the thing with Ivy, and a lot of players with a similar game, is once all the speed goes you have to learn how to adapt your game. And its not offensively which isn’t the hardest part, but its mostly defensively. He simply cannot keep up with these younger faster players now a days. Now I’m not saying he can’t play in the league anymore, but he’d be no use to the Doc Rivers’ Celtics or in any sort of defense-first philosophy. But anyways Puerto Rico always knows whats good though! Got the BADDEST chicks… Period. Not to shabby homie!

  • http://www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=pawtucketymca Gametimeweezy

    BTW…. team chemistry has nothing to do with it there isn’t a player ailve who wouldn’t ball with Iverson DON’T get it twisted….

  • MikeC.

    Unless AI has developed into a deadly spot up shooter, he has no place in the league. Why waste a roster spot on a 36 yr old with chronic health problems, questionable character and a history of being unreliable? Starbury is aging more gracefully because he’s bigger, and for all his loony behavior, he kept himself in the weight room. I remember reading about AI hiding in the bathroom during weight sessions in Philly. This is nothing more than past bills coming due. If a GM needs an end of the bench gamble, that gamble is always going to be on a young big who may develop into a rotation player. Who needs an old chucker?

  • http://www.slamonline.com 2sikh

    Anonymous is 100 % right… AI is defintily being kept out of the league… they did it after they brainwashed the hell out of the public… THE NBA has a new image if AI’s image were to pop up on the screen in 5 years it would be labelled the “dark days” of the league they would show baggy jeans , throwback jerseys, du-rags and tattoos, a bunch of black men in jewlerry… thats what Stern wants he wants that to be labelled bad…. it couldn’t at one point be looked at that negatively because AI was the best in the league at the time, he was too powerful, so they labelled him washed up and a cancer, yes it was easy to label Iverson that but they took advantage of that the fact that 30 teams dont want him says somethings up…. the new age is button up shirts, cartigans and suits, nerd glasses. Its Kevin Durant,Blake Griffin,Chris Paul etc.. people who will listen and represent what Stern WANTS. This operation to keep AI outta the league was like 9/11 it was all an inside job.

  • MikeC.

    And give it up on Stern blackballing AI from the league. If Rasheed got to play until he wanted to retire and JR Rider got to stick around as long as he did, then there is no such thing as blackballing players that still have it. If Stern had that juice, Sheed would have been strapped to a rocket and fired into outer space sometime around 1998.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    JR Rider? He couldn’t get back in the league at all. He was playin in a men’s league down here a couple years ago talking about a comeback ahahaha

  • MikeC.

    Rider stuck around for a long time. For all his issues (getting busted with cloned cell phones, smoking weed out of a coke can on the interstate, assault, kidnapping, etc) GMs were still taking chances on him until it was proven he couldn’t play at an NBA level any more. Much like Iverson. Too much risk for too little reward. I still have my Wolves Rider jersey.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    8 years is sticking around?

  • http://www.slamonline.com Pardeep

    @MikeC: JR Rider and Sheed didn’t have the following that Allen Iverson, their jersey wasn’t the highest selling, a lot of kids didn’t know about JR too much, they were never superstars let alone a MVP’s…. JR Rider and Sheed did not have the influence AI had on the public, those two could be in the league and it did the NBA no harm especially Rider. Theres a reason AI was black balled.

  • hyperactive

    how do jr rider and rasheed wallace make it into this conversion. @mikec. I`m starting to wonder about your age and your basketball knowledge because you`re all over the place. half of the players in the nba are high risk, low reward acquisitions. go and research players` injury history. Any player who has suffered a severe injury (an ailment that causes the player to miss at least 4 weeks of the season) in half of the nba seasons they`ve played is a high risk signing. Examples: oden, wade (most recent), b. davis, ginobili, boozer, bogut, bynum, mgrady, kwame brown, jameer nelson, josh howard, j. oneal, tyrus thomas, maggette, grant hill, eddy curry, … the list goes on. Are these players not high risk and low reward as well as. I mean a lot of these players and ones that I haven`t mentioned can`t even stay on the court. Why are THEY in the nba? Is their impact on the game or their team so great as to where the league can`t do without?

  • JP7

    dudes gonna go play in beautiful sunny puerto rico, good for him and u kno like get some racks, smash some smokin hot latinas and cross some boys up, thats fun. yall should be happy for the man, the old days is over bruh, done. ur ex aint gon start choosin again, ur mom and dad aint gon get back, ur bro aint gon stop doin foul and alley i aint comin back to the league lol body aint tryna conspire gainst nuthin, hes not good enough no more, from goin so hard in his young days hence hella injuries, hes not a pure shooter or pg, not quick enough on d, and hes not the mentor coachy type dude that be on the bench spittin game to the yougins. he was a superstar, big man on campus, gladiator, the man. but now, it is what it is right. its hella cuties in puerto rico tho, i wish i was there right now haha

  • Wall Ball

    He’s BEEN BANNED…BLACKLISTED…JUST LIKE RASHEED.

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