Chris Paul: Allen Iverson had biggest impact on NBA culture
By Tom West
LA Clippers point guard Chris Paul believes that new basketball Hall of Fame member Allen Iverson had a greater impact on NBA culture than anyone else.
Allen Iverson is officially a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. One of the most incredible athletes the NBA has seen, playing at 6’0″ but tirelessly attacking the basket and fighting through the contact of bigger opponents and always getting back up with energy. Amassing 24,368 points with that fearless mindset, Iverson made 11 All-Star teams, ranks 7th in NBA history in career points per game (26.7) and ranks 28th in total points. He had a brilliant career and delivered some amazing playoff moments as the leader of his Philadelphia 76ers, but he went beyond that. Iverson was a cultural icon of the game, too. And that’s what LA Clippers point guard Chris Paul has praised.
Rowan Kavner of Clippers.com reported some comments from Paul back in February of this year. At a game in Philadelphia, a few members of the Clippers shared their thoughts on what Iverson meant to them and his influence around the league.
Paul expressed that no other player had a bigger impact on the culture of the NBA than Allen Iverson:
"“I’ve always said Allen Iverson had the biggest effect on the culture of the NBA out of any player. He started a culture. He started the arm sleeve, the tattoos, all that stuff. He’s the biggest influence in the NBA out of anybody… I wanted braids, because AI had them. I just loved the grit that he played with. He always played with a chip on his shoulder. I feel like I sort of do the same.”"
The hair. The clothes. The heart on the court. Everyone looked up to Iverson, and his impact on the game and its culture was (and still is) huge.
On top of that, how he overcame an incredibly poor, tough upbringing to get to where he is today is something that anyone can admire and respect.
If you missed it, make sure to watch his enshrinement speech from this week as he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
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Kavner included some comments from other members of the Clippers as well. Doc Rivers admired Iverson’s grit in a more physical era of basketball:
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"“They’ve taken the touch out, but Allen played during the touch era, when you could body and check, and he still was effective. Part of it is toughness. I don’t think people appreciate how tough he was, because he was small.”"
Jamal Crawford added the following:
"“His impact was one that’ll be felt for generations. If you see him in person, a guy that little, that small, that was that good and could take a team like that to the Finals, it’s unbelievable.”"
Allen Iverson will never be forgotten for so many reasons. He was the 2000-01 MVP and led the 76ers to the Finals the same season. He was a tremendous scorer, leading the league in points per game four times, and never hesitated to attack the basket when flying into opponents that dwarfed him. He was simply a player that fans and players alike enjoyed watching and admired.
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But just as much as all of that, Iverson will be remembered for his impact on NBA culture. For the hair, the clothes, the attitude, for “talkin’ about practice”. There’s no doubt that he’s a beloved Hall of Fame caliber player.