Tuesday, January 29th, 2013 at 10:55 am  |  72 responses

Allen Iverson Not Willing to Play in the D-League


Word got out yesterday that the Texas Legends, the Dallas Mavericks’ D-League affiliate, were interested in the services of one Allen Iverson. The Answer responded via Twitter this morning, essentially saying thanks, but no thanks: “I thank Donnie (Nelson) and Dallas for the consideration and while I think the D-League is a great opportunity, it is not the route for me … I realize my actions contributed to my early departure from the NBA, should God provide me another opportunity I will give it my all … My dream has always been to complete my legacy in the NBA … To my fans, I love yall! Not a day goes by that I am not asked when am I coming back, we all must accept my return is not up to just me.”

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  • The Philosopher

    Iverson has hurt the game, in my opinion, almost as much as he has helped it.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Junior-Taylor/100003121138419 Junior Taylor

    You don’t really expect a guy with AI’s resume to go do the D-League, do you?

  • 23

    I’d say mostly for his fans. He seems to be perfectly fine with not going all out again to enter the league, when his fans bring his name up everyday. I’m pretty sure 10 years from now his fans will make claims he can still help a championship caliber team

  • The Philosopher

    “PRACTICE?!? MIKE DIDN’T PRACTICE.”
    And they did not play in some bush league, either.
    SO… that is his argument.

  • Josh Elam

    I would say the vast majority of 37 year olds that have played in the NBA would be unwilling to play in the d-league. And, no disrespect but read the post. It quoted everything you quoted already.

  • TBRK

    his way or no way…..or China

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    LOL – ahh, ““Everything deep is also simple and can be reproduced simply as long as its reference to the whole truth is maintained. But what matters is not what is witty but what is true.” <– Albert Schweitzer

  • The Philosopher

    Without a doubt.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    The vast majority of 37 year olds that have played in the NBA aren’t trying to come back either…
    .
    And really? No way? I never noticed when i read it the first time and cited it. maybe i just reposted specifically those words to give clear context to my comment? maybe

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    your comment reminded me of that quote so much. now that you raised that flag so obviously I think that pretty much explains the structure of Shock Exchanges commenting in it’s entirety

  • davidR

    who would’ve thought iverson and vince would have a chance to play on the same team, both off the bench?

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    Best little men to ever play the game are Isiah Thomas, Tiny Archibald and AI. No need for AI to ever step foot on a basketball court again unless he really wants to. And the only court he should step on is an NBA court. He’s walking into the Hall of Fame easily. He may think he needs to go out a certain way. But to his real fans, he has nothing left to prove. Few players have had more impact on the game than he has whether people want to admit it or not.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    but, since HE wants to play in the NBA again, the D-League is his only route. And it’s not going to affect his legacy negatively if he does. It’s really just the idea that he may fail that could hurt his legacy.

  • Larry

    If you actually expected Iverson to accept that invitation to the D-League beyond a reasonable doubt WITHOUT ANY GUARANTEE of ever getting back to the nba (i.e. being signed by an nba team), you are an idiot. The profession of the average “Developmental League” player is full of uncertainty and hope. Uncertainty in not knowing if they will make it to the nba and stay there. Many players are signed to 10-day nba contracts and that is as close as they ever get after they expire. Many players don`t get any contracts. Yet they continue to HOPE for the opportunity to get there – in most cases (greater than 50%) though after months or sometimes yrs of playing in the D-League they accept defeat, and either play overseas or switch professions. This is what Dallas was offering. A D-League opportunity. NO GUARANTEES. And from the beginning, I was skeptical whether or not Iverson would want to subject himself to such ambiguity after an already 3 yr wait and in my opinion Dallas knew this as well.
    .
    On a different subject, the lack of LOGIC and sports knowledge on this site is astonishing. Obviously, people have some strong feelings, bias (positive and negative) towards Iverson but that should never interfere with common sense. He left the league as a borderline starter/reserve in February or March 2010. He became a free agent following the mutual separation between him and team. Since then he has been excommunicated despite the consensus among “sophisticated” basketball minds that he can contribute 10-15 points a game (at the very least).

    .
    http://bebe310.blogspot.com/2012/05/allen-iverson-vs-2011-12-nba-guards.html
    .
    In addition to playing in Turkey (the only professional basketball league he`s played in other than the nba), Iverson has also played in local pro am games, exhibition games, and has maintained regular workouts throughout this period from 2010-present – some of which I have video footage.
    .
    In light of other nba veterans returning to the nba via training camps and 1 yr minimum contracts, I don`t think it`s too much to ask for the same opportunity for Iverson. And clearly, Iverson feels the same. There is a substantial difference between playing in the D-League in an attempt to get into the nba as opposed to already having a guaranteed contract from an nba team but playing in the D-League to improve fitness or to rehab an injury.
    .
    Rasheed Wallace had played his last nba game in 2010 (same as Iverson) until recently being by the knicks. The knicks were reportedly interested in his services during the offseason and they backed up their interest when they invited him to training camp and later signed him. THAT IS A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN TO THE NBA. It is the closest one can ever get to ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY or GUARANTEE in sports rhetoric (because a player can be waived). Even so, there is an obvious distinction between the two transactions: one player was assured an nba return while the other was not. Give Iverson the same opportunity. Give him the same assurance. That`s all he`s asking for.

  • http://twitter.com/Jzakoni Sanchez

    haven’t heard this since the pursuit of happiness

  • http://twitter.com/Jzakoni Sanchez

    agreed

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    A guy who’s done the things he’s done in this league has to have a pretty huge ego. He will never be able to entertain the idea of playing in the D-League. Guys who have had the kind of career he’s had don’t play in the D-League. One day, if he doesn’t get a call from an NBA team, he’ll have to retire. He’ll be 38 this year so that day is coming soon.

  • Mike Jones

    What former mvp came back through the D-league, what former 4 time scoring champion came back through the D-league, what former 3 time steal leader came back through the D-league, what former 11 time all star came back through the D-league. I can go on and on, Iverson is way to good to go through the D-League.

    Did Jordan have to go through the D-league when we returned for the Wizards no and neither should Iverson.

    I love Iverson he is the reason i started watching the NBA, But i don’t want him to come back and ruin his career stats. But in saying that i would love nothing more than Iverson to be back in my life.
    But he is too good for the D-league, A team needs to give him a training camp if they are serious about having him on a team, let him have a run against your current roster and he will put any reserve PG to shame.

  • kick back

    on point.

  • ballin

    ey so you think A.I. will still be waiting for the call up to the NBA at his hall of fame speech??

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    I understand, but egos don’t create reality.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    Rasheed Wallace has also shown the ability to accept a bench role. Rasheed is also a big man, who has NEVER been a defensive liability. Comparing him to Iverson just because they are similar doesn’t mean your argument is legitimate. There is no reason for Iverson to feel entitled to a guarantee, because he has never proven to be able to play under anyone else’s terms. Cute that you think you know so much more than the average person in here and come about citing f*cking open run footage and a few games over seas 2 years ago while boasting about Iverson deserving a guarantee because he was wronged a year before that. Sorry Larry, but despite you being correct about how Iverson was excommunicated from the league, he is not deserving of any guarantee from any team.
    .
    “That’s all he’s asking for” <— why don't you guarantee him that money if he doesnt make it, if that's "all" he's asking for?

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