Allen Iverson is officially eligible to be elected to the NBA Hall of Fame as early as 2016. The Hall of Fame made the announcement on Friday that it would be disregarding Iverson’s short amount of time playing in Turkey in 2010-11, making him eligible for the Hall of Fame’s next class earlier than previously expected, according to NBA.com’s Scott Howard-Cooper.
Iverson’s 14-year resume on the court speaks for itself, and there is no reason he shouldn’t be a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2016.
The 40-year-old, scrappy bad boy from Hampton, Virginia, was known around the NBA for a number of things: his attitude, his size, his nasty crossover and his displeasure for speaking about practice with the media to name a few.
"We’re talkin’ about practice!"
But off the court, Iverson has been in the public eye since high school for being a trouble-maker. He was the focus of a highly publicized court case after his involvement in a bowling alley brawl, a case that was documented in ESPN film’s "No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson" in 2010.
After putting that behind him, Iverson had publicized issues with alcohol and financial trouble while playing in the NBA that have followed him since his retirement.
A recent book written by Kent Babb suggested Iverson was drunk during his famous 2002 "practice" rant.
That is all irrelevant, though, when it comes to the Hall of Fame conversation.
Simply put, Allen Iverson is one of the best players in the history of the NBA.
The six-foot guard never ceased to amaze when it came to putting the ball in the basket.
With stints in Philadelphia, Denver, Detroit and Memphis, Iverson, the first overall pick of the 1996 NBA Draft, was an 11-time All-Star and led the league in scoring four times.
He was also named the NBA’s MVP in 2001, when he led the 76ers to the Finals.
Iverson averaged 26.7 points per game throughout his career, good enough for 7th best all-time. Who was better? Only Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Jerry West — all of whom, besides James and Durant, of course, are Hall of Famers. Iverson is also 23rd on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with 24,368 points. The top 38 on that list, besides current players and future Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, are already in the Hall of Fame.
No, Iverson never won that elusive NBA title, but that will not stand in his way of being a first-ballot selection. Just ask any other ringless Hall of Fame members, such as Charles Barkley, John Stockton, Elgin Baylor, Karl Malone and Patrick Ewing.
Iverson was a game changer who many of today’s stars idolized as children and young players.
His cornrows and tattoos were as well known as his ball handling and his pure scoring ability.
For a player known as "The Answer," the final question in an illustrious career will be met with a resounding "yes."
Follow Alex Maminakis on Twitter @alexmaminakis
