Credit: Howard Smith/USA Today Sports
Allen Iverson is one of the most iconic players in the history of the NBA. Iverson’s legendary status comes even though he never won a championship; it was his influence on the game and its culture that cemented his legacy as much as his play on the court. Iverson is remembered as the player who changed NBA fashion and the way star athletes presented themselves to the world, promoting self-expression.
And while some of the things he said and did during his career may have led people to think of him as arrogant and brash, Iverson is someone who never forgot his roots. AI didn’t have much growing up, so when he made it to the status of NBA superstar, he ensured that the people who were growing up with him were also taken care of.
A piece GQ magazine did on Iverson had a quote from Larry Platt, Iverson’s biographer, about the star’s generosity. Platt revealed that AI had stayed true to the pact he made with some of his friends from his younger days. The pact involved taking care of them and their needs if he made it to the top of the game.
“Growing up, he made a pact with his friends, some of whom had long criminal records: They were going to be rappers, and he was a baller. And whoever made it, the rest were along for the ride. At one point, there were about thirty-five families on the payroll, both relatives and friends.”
AI made over $150 million in just salary throughout his career in the league. But his lavish lifestyle and his generosity to the people he grew up with meant he ended up struggling for money after his retirement. His fame saved him, though. A lifetime deal with Reebok ensures Iverson won’t go broke. It is a testament to his character and loyalty, though, that even after becoming one of the greatest ever, Iverson never forgot the people that helped him get there.
.