Michael Jordan has influenced generations of athletes to take up basketball and other sports. Some of the biggest names that we know today were inspired by MJ’s dominant run with the Bulls. Allen Iverson and the late, great Kobe Bryant are two of the biggest examples in this category.
Iverson, a lifelong MJ fan, has never shied away from expressing his admiration for the six-time NBA Champion. He even mentioned Jordan during his Hall of Fame acceptance speech. AI also got to compete against his idol during the tail end of his career.
Despite his own accomplishments and the fact that many consider him one of the all-time greats, when it comes to Jordan, AI is still a little kid who looks up to his hero. During a recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Iverson talked about the Bulls legend.
“Like, it’s so embarrassing when I’m around him,” Iverson said. “Because I’m still star-struck, you know what I mean? I’m embarrassing my friends. My friends gotta tap me like, ‘Chuck, okay man…Calm down.”
Iverson is an 11-time All-Star, a Hall of Famer, and arguably the most influential NBA athlete of all time. But when it comes to Jordan, none of his accomplishments matter to him. While it shows the genuine love and admiration he has for Jordan, it’s also an example of how genuine AI is as a person.
During his conversation with Fallon, he referred to the Rick James skit from Chappelle’s Show to say that when he saw MJ the first time, he could see his aura around him. Iverson stated that it was the first time in his life that he experienced being star-struck by someone.
Allen Iverson Credited Michael Jordan for His HOF Career
Iverson was a big name in college basketball in the mid-90s. Known for his charismatic style of play and incredible movements, his reputation earned him the first overall draft pick in the 1996 NBA Draft.
AI went on to have an illustrious 15-year NBA career and won ROTY, league MVP, four scoring titles, among other accolades. In his opinion, a part of the credit for his success goes to Michael Jordan because of the impact he had on him.
“Growing up, all I wanted to do was watch Mike,” Iverson told Fallon. “That was my hero, he was my vision, he was the reason why everybody knows who Allen Iverson is today, because of him. Definitely.”
When he got opportunities to play against MJ, Iverson, despite his fanboy moments, managed to leave a lasting impression. One such instance happened in his rookie season when he famously crossed over the Bulls legend.
The 76ers ended up losing the close game, but the matchup is remembered for his courage to pull off the signature move against Jordan.
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