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.”

  • Add a Comment
  • Share
  • RSS

Tags: , , ,

Newer Comments →
  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    From Allen Iverson’s Twitter:

    -”I thank Donnie 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”

    .
    The D-League is another opportunity you jackass lol.

  • 23

    Nobody can say he was never given a chance.

  • 23

    Some people never change. And that’s why the saying goes “Every man’s strength is also his biggest weakness.”

  • snasty10

    Agreed, I’m still a fan, but damn… does he always need to shoot himself in the foot, or put his foot in his mouth

  • Andyk

    hahaha hilarious!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=509819249 Gaurav P.

    We talkin about the D-League!…not the NBA, not the CBA, not the ABA, we talkin about the D-League! What’re we talkin about man? We talkin about the D-League. I know that I killed my own career due to my ego, but we talkin about the D-League!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=509819249 Gaurav P.

    He’s had tons of chances. This is the last one.

  • shockexchange

    To ask A.I. to play in the D-League is an insult. Dude brought a lot of unnecessary baggage with him by getting into fights with his girlfriend/wife, an alleged beef with Stackhouse and his entourage, giving backtalk to Larry Brown, missing practice, etc. But let’s not forget that ESPN and the media reeled in a of advertisers/website hits chronicling A.I.’s fights with his girlfriend/wife, an alleged beef with Stackhouse and his entourage, giving backtalk to Larry Brown, missing practice, etc.

  • Redd

    Nice quote

  • Redd

    Man, he’s just ruining it both for himself & the fans who’ve supported him. Mostly however, for himself.

  • T-Money

    damn, this is sad. pride has really derailed his career. mike james killed in the d-league and got back to the show in less than a week.

    ai should be in the league right now getting buckets off the bench for a contender like ray allen is doing. he could have embraced a 6th man role and be a rich man’s jason terry.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=509819249 Gaurav P.

    Why is it an insult? The man is what, 38? The fact that some team is even giving him a chance to be affiliated with an NBA team in any way is a miracle. Its not an insult, its an opportunity. And clearly, he doesn’t deserve it.

  • shockexchange

    You don’t disrespect the former face of the L like that. Either he can play in the show or he can’t. That D-League team only wants A.I. as a sideshow in order to sell tickets.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    the D-League is not an insult. That is the only way he can get back in the NBA. because, if you don’t remember, he has never proven to be ok with coming off the bench and playing a role player role. So, he has to PROVE he is able to do that. By going to the D-League and playing for the love of the game, rather than to say he made it back or whatever, he is showing he is willing to “sacrifice” so to speak, which will be a huge boost to the opinion of him throughout the league.

    .

    Mike James, Jamal Tinsley. Two guys who have no business being in the NBA (or wouldn’t 10 years ago), who went to the D-League and earned their way back in by changing the perception of them from troubled veterans, to lockerroom presence, worth spending money on. Iverson, conceivably, would have to do less than they did in the D-League to get his chance. But he has to go to the D-League in order for that opportunity to present itself. It’s not an insult. It’s the way the NBA has gone.

  • shockexchange

    We’ll just have to agree to disagree on this one. A former MVP and face of the L for many years gets an invitation to the D-League? Either he goes straight to the Show or keep his name out ya mouth.

  • Max

    Tinsley has actually had some solid games this year.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    you are right, we should just be happy with him playing in China, and considering the Puerto Rican and Mexican leagues. That serves his legacy MUCH better.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    and he’s been absolutely awful other than that. yet, he’s f*cking starting for an NBA team. I think it’s pretty obvious the D-League is the smart choice for Iverson (and it has no effect on his legacy, contrary to stupid v opinion).

  • KBlank

    Disrespect? Iverson has most definitely been a top 15 player in the NBA, speaking in the context of the last 15 years. But as the road for him as a player has been bumpy since Detroit, he has basically missed two seasons of professional basketball and you take his age into consideration, then what does respect have to do with it? Dallas needs nothing but production on court right now, so why would they risk it and not check out the player´s shape and will. It might have taken him two weeks´ to be on Dallas´ bench if Mark Cuban would´ve been ready to take that sort of chances. My bet is, that he would´ve done it. Being the former face of the league has nothing to do with earning another chance the way everybody else has to do it if you´re not proven. It´s not like he´s been playing for a top team in the EuroLeague for the last seasons and still shows the capability to run with the best and be a solid role player off the bench on NBA level.

  • shockexchange

    In China, Puerto Rico and Mexico, we at least don’t have to witness his ingnominy firsthand … we only have to hear about tangentially.

  • spit hot fiyah

    it’s ova! “kenny smith voice”

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    HA!
    .
    Because you watch SO MANY D-League games right?

  • shockexchange

    (Fredo Corleone voice) “Mike, you don’t treat a man of Moe Greene’s stature like that! That’s not how they do things out here Mikey. Either he goes to the show, or keep his name out ya mouth.”

  • ATL dynamite

    Agreed. Looking at how Jamal Tinsley has become the starter for the Jazz recently, it seems like AI can do the same and be a NBA starter if he want to (given that he can and give proofs to the GMs). He considers himself a legend and refuses to take the badge off, this I totally understand.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    The D-League is the farm system of the NBA.

    .

    - How you feel about Roger Clemens career after his time in the minor leagues?

    - How about Ricky Henderson?

    - How about John Smoltz?

    . You are going to have to catch up with the times sooner or later. The D-League is where former player’s who find themselves out of the league HAVE to go. You or anyone acting like a player is too good for the league doesn’t make a difference. Not for anyone but yourself. It doesn’t affect anyone’s view of a player’s career. Anyone that matter’s that is.

  • shutup

    Read this article and it reminded me of this joke, thank god I was able to google it and find it so I didn’t butcher it when I typed it…

    A religious man is on top of a roof during a great flood. A man comes by in a boat and says “get in, get in!” The religous man replies, ” no I have faith in God, he will grant me a miracle.”

    Later the water is up to his waist and another boat comes by and the guy tells him to get in again. He responds that he has faith in god and god will give him a miracle. With the water at about chest high, another boat comes to rescue him, but he turns down the offer again cause “God will grant him a miracle.”

    With the water at chin high, a helicopter throws down a ladder and they tell him to get in, mumbling with the water in his mouth, he again turns down the request for help for the faith of God. He arrives at the gates of heaven with broken faith and says to Peter, I thought God would grant me a miracle and I have been let down.” St. Peter chuckles and responds, “I don’t know what you’re complaining about, we sent you three boats and a helicopter.”

  • shockexchange

    No way in hades would Smoltz have gone to the minors after the numbers he put up in the majors. Clemens would have taken enough steroids so that his performance never would have dropped off, so he’s a moot point. And if that D-League team from Dallas had insulted Ricky Henderson with that invitation the headlines would have read – “Ricky Henderson refuses to apologize for burning down D-League Arena in Dallas.”

  • speedy

    Didn’t Amare do a game in the D-League before returning from his injury?
    I don’t understand what the problem is.
    Show, that you have it in you a few games, then get your ticket to the NBA.
    Sorry that is not a sign of disrespect, AI didn’t play at a high level for some years now. I wouldn’t give him a contract before knowing he is able to do what I wan’t him to do.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    Smoltz went to the minors before he came back to play in the bullpen (where he won another Cy Young).

    . Ricky Henderson made numerous trips to the Minor Leagues.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=509819249 Gaurav P.

    Nice one man.

  • shockexchange

    *crickets*

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    awesome.

  • shockexchange

    The difference is that there was “lifeline” back to the L for Amare – same with John Smoltz. The problem with guys like MJ, A.I., Magic, et. al. is that they set the bar so high for themselves that it’s almost impossible to go back.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
    .
    i’m sorry, you putting AI in the Magic and MJ conversation is too damn funny.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    you realize the Crickets are coming from you when you say that right? i mean, when you don’t have anything to respond with and just say *crickets* that implies you have no rebuttal. just checking, not talking sh!t.

  • shockexchange

    nbk, the Shock Exchange doesn’t do the “back and forth.” You should think long and hard before commenting anymore today … you know what comes after “49.”

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    fiFTy.

    .

    again, Fiddy: Word used by morons who cant pronounce or for that matter spell fifty http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fiddy

  • shockexchange

    Not quite an “apples – to – apples” comparison with Smoltz, A.I. and Hendo. Smoltz had a lifeline to the L and Henderson was tryna to make it back to the majors … dude had to have been in his 40s. If Dallas really wanted A.I. they would have (i) watched some of his current games and (ii) invited to camp on the strength of what they saw. All of this is a moot point though. A.I. isn’t going to the D-League.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    I don’t blame him. As a huge AI fan (he’s my favorite player of all-time), I’d like to see him retire and just go into the Hall of Fame when it’s time. He’ll never get the respect he really deserves because of who he chose to be…which was himself. For better or worse. The anti-Jordan. Anti-Kobe. Blessed with unique athletic gifts. Never had the work ethic because for so long, he didn’t need it. Every star since 96 who is famous for just being themselves owes him. None of them have to try to be Jordan anymore because AI made it clear that he wasn’t going to try to be anyone but himself and it was either going to be accepted or not.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    Ricky Henderson is a pretty great parallel, i mean, Iverson is the basketball equivolent of 40, and does wanna get back to the “majors”.

    . “If Dallas really wanted A.I. they would have (i) watched some of his current games and (ii) invited to camp on the strength of what they saw.” – the last time Iverson played in a real basketball game was 2010 man. WHAT are you talking about? he would have had to agree to play in the D-League for them to watch a “current” game.

    .

    Do you actually know what you are talking about? or are you just assuming Iverson has been playing?

  • shockexchange

    “46, 47, 48, 49 …”

  • Ant

    Love of the FAME..no love of the GAME

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    this is what you revert to when you have nothing to say? i mean, instead of just walking away, or accepting you are wrong, or don’t know about something you stated, you just revert back to what you claim you would do on a basketball court? really?
    .
    speaking of, how is the college team search going? find anywhere yet? — really asking.

  • Anthony Dixon

    Allen Iverson is a HOF…. he better not go to the d league

  • shockexchange

    We just agree to disagree on whether (i) the invitation was disrespectful and/or (ii) a ruse to sell tickets to D-League games. Secondly, my son has forbade me from talking about him on social media.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    HAHA so old Ralph is the one who uses what he thinks would happen (definitely wouldn’t) on a basketball court to win arguments? a 40 something year old adult man, who is successful enough to publish his own book resorts to that? oh dear.
    .
    and good luck to your son. i apologize for thinking this was him. and am shocked & disappointed it isn’t. the disappointment stems from knowing a father and (what i assume is a) respected person in his community acts this way on the internet.

  • Anthony Dixon

    Amare is nothing compared to A.I . Amare may be playing now but it’s about legacy.

  • Fat Lever

    Unless I’m missing something, what current games are there footage of where you can see AI balling? Precisely the reason why he got a D-League invite.

    You also realize AI is like 37, 38, right? Dallas is doing what every sound investor does when kicking the tires on an investment. They’re doing their homework.

  • shockexchange

    Fat, it’s more about respect and protocol. It doesn’t sound like much of an investment really. Dallas would give him an initial look to see if can play, then they will witness his performance over 40 or 50 games before making a longer term commitment.

  • http://twitter.com/RyanDeahn RyanDeahn

    Pride before the fallen.

Newer Comments →
Advertisement