Two weeks removed from announcing his retirement from the NBA, Allen Iverson signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, the same team that drafted him 13 years ago. Since entering the NBA after playing two years under John Thompson at Georgetown, Iverson has been in the headlines, both on and off the court, as much as any other player. Despite his age (34) and relentless criticism from the media, the 76ers are willing to take a chance on the man who brought them to their last NBA finals in 2001.
In 2006, the 76ers organization practically ran Iverson out of the city, citing his selfishness and off−court antics as detrimental to the franchise's progression. This offseason, Iverson signed with the Memphis Grizzlies in a marriage that was doomed from the start. Unhappy with his role as a bench player, Iverson took a leave of absence to attend to "personal matters" after playing just three games with the team. The two parties agreed to part ways and Iverson was waived into free agency.
Throughout his career, Iverson has been an enigma and certainly a polarizing figure for fans. Over 10−plus seasons with the 76ers Iverson posted a scoring average of 28.1 points per game, good enough to win him four scoring titles, seven All−Star selections and two All−Star game MVPs. His 27.02 career points per game places him 6th on the all−time list and gives him status as the most prolific scorer in NBA history under 6−feet.
Off the court, Iverson has been chastised more than any player in the last 25 years. Whether it was his infamous "Practice?−We're−talking−about−practice!" speech, arriving at games late or missing corporate−sponsored and charity events, his behavior reached a tipping point for the 76ers years ago. Ultimately, management in Philadelphia felt it was time to give its franchise a new face. Although the 76ers made the playoffs last season led by emerging swingman Andre Iguodala, the team has been struggling mightily of late, beginning the season 5−15.
The 76ers are in the midst of a nine−game losing streak and coach Eddie Jordan hopes that Iverson can provide a much−needed spark for his team. The 76ers are 19th in the NBA in scoring at 97.6 points per game and are 28th in the league in total defense. Iverson, though slowed by injuries and age, is a future Hall−of−Famer because of his skills on both ends of the court. He currently ranks 13th all−time with 1,965 career steals along with his prolific scoring averages.
There is no doubt that the 76ers are young and talented. Iguodala, one of the league's most athletic shooting guards, is the team's leader in points and assists, averaging 19.0 and 6.0 a game to go along with 6.9 rebounds in almost 40 minutes per game. Lou Williams and former Georgia Tech star Thaddeus Young have been doing an admirable job shouldering the offensive load so far, averaging 17.4 and 15.5 points per game, respectively.
But with Williams expected to miss two months because of a broken jaw, the Sixers clearly need a player to handle a large portion of the scoring load and Iverson can certainly be that player. Although he was never a true point guard, Iverson's scoring ability and quickness to the basket will attract defenders every time down the court. This should relieve a lot of the pressure off of Iguodala and allow him to take better on the perimeter.
Elton Brand, signed to a five year deal worth nearly $80 million in 2008, was expected to give the Sixers an All−Star caliber forward down−low. When healthy, he was considered one of the best post players in the NBA. But Brand had a disappointing inaugural season with the Sixers, ending with season−ending shoulder surgery in February after averaging a then career low 13.8 points per game. This season Brand has been even more disappointing, averaging career lows in points (12.3) and rebounds (6.7). A near−career 20 and 10 player (19.8 points, 10.1 rebounds), a Brand resurgence coupled with the addition of Iverson has the potential to save the 76ers' season.
The 76ers chose to bring Iverson back to the place where his career started in the hope that it would not only light a spark under the franchise but also under Iverson, who hopes to elevate his game one more time in the twilight of his career. In his tear−filled press conference after signing with the Sixers, Iverson thanked the organization for giving him another chance. This chance will mark Iverson's attempt at redemption in Philadelphia.
