The Class of 2016 at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame may be one of its best ever. While he was terrific on a per-game basis – he averaged 19.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks while shooting 52.4 percent from the field and 83.3 percent from the foul line – he only played in 486 games in the National Basketball Association, and only 242 of them came over his final six years in the league.
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His journey to the Hall of Fame started on the Peninsula, where as a quarterback, defensive back, kick returner and point guard he led Bethel High to state football and basketball championships. The naysayers, they helped me, too.. In the National Basketball Association, he was an All-Star eight times and finished with career averages of 19 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game. But Iverson also managed to keep getting himself ready to play night after night, despite being listed at 6 feet and 165 pounds – though both of those numbers seem inflated – and employing a style that constantly had him being sent crashing to the ground.
Hall of fame: Shaquille O’Neal, Allen Iverson, and Sheryl Swoopes with their awards. I don’t remember him crossing over Michael Jordan, and Iverson stepping over Tyronn Lue is just a blur in my mind as I vaguely remember watching it. I felt it was enough being who my mom loved.. If his chances for Springfield, Mass., were limited, he had even less of a shot becoming any sort of mainstream advertising presence 20 years ago. “Don’t laugh”, he continued, “because I think this spot belonged to the great Allen Iverson”.
I was a puppy, he said. If you haven’t seen this clip before – or even if you have – turn your speakers on and take a minute to bask in the unfiltered train of consciousness that is Iverson. Now these days what motivates me is applying the life lessons I have learned from my parents so long ago. “Family.” When pressed on the matter, he playfully barked, “That’s the first thing you want to know about me?” and steered the conversation to his basketball career. I don’t know any Olympian that comes off the bench.
“This is a special night for me”, Iverson explained when asked about his unusual attire. “I’m still finding my way”.
Going in with O’Neal, Iverson, Ming and Swoops are former National Basketball Association referee Darell Garretson, current Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo, and John McClendon, the first African-American to coach in a professional league.
“If I had played with him in Philly, we would definitely have two or three”, O’Neal said.
CLEVELAND (AP) – LeBron James has serenaded teammate Kevin Love on his birthday.
“It was in Miami were two of my favourite people would help me obtain my fourth championship, Pat Riley and [Dwyane] Wade”, he said at a Symphony Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Questions about Iverson persisted right up until Thursdays news conference.
Players were ushered upstairs to a function room to answer reporters’ questions shortly after 3 p.m., and O’Neal soon launched into an imitation of Iverson’s notorious “Practice?” speech. Basketball hall inductees have always been presented with a blue blazer.
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“Now you can say ‘My man is solidified, ‘” Iverson said. I was only going to do it my way. “You talking about the Hall of Fame?!” And I’m sitting there and I’m saying, ‘Man, that’s Mike.’ And I’m looking at him.
