Required Reading: Allen Iverson- Fallen Star

Robert Huber of PhillyMag.com recently traveled to Turkey to profile Allen Iverson and how his stint playing minor league basketball overseas is going.  It’s long but a fascinating read.

“With his NBA career over, his marriage in trouble, and rumors swirling about drinking and money problems, the greatest Sixer of his era finds himself playing minor-league basketball in Turkey and spending his nights at a T.G.I. Friday’s in Istanbul. Isn’t it, weirdly, exactly how we always thought it would end for Allen Iverson?”
- Allen Iverson: Fallen Star

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

Iverson is a polarizing figure and the more you hear about his upbringing, the harder it gets to paint him as simply a stuck up, rich basketball player.  If you haven’t already the Spoon Feed highly recommends watching the 30 for 30 doc “No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson” to get another look at the man behind the cornrows and tattoos.

  • m street

    Hoya Saxa!

  • http://twitter.com/formerly_fiddy Formerly Fiddy

    “Friday’s? Friday’s? He in Istanbul talking ’bout Friday’s?” This story almost makes me feel bad for the guy. Then, I remember that he’s made more money than God himself doing something that he loves to do. If he’s truly managed to piss that away by employing a posse of yes-men and a gambling at Bally’s, then shame on him.

    Iverson is a classic case of the spoiled athlete. Ever since he was young, he’s had an entourage of “supporters” telling him that he’s the greatest thing since sliced bread. Now that his star has fallen, he’s having a hard time dealing with the fact that he’s no longer relevant in a young man’s league. It happens to us all. Some of us are just better prepared to handle it by virtue of having a support system that doesn’t blow sunshine up our backsides simply because we can “ball”.

    I think the lesson here is to enjoy it while it lasts because it does come to an end. When it does, hopefully you’ve prepared yourself to be something other than a washed up baller.

  • http://www.lacrosseallstars.com Crave

    It’s true that he’s a spoiled athlete but he’s also a spoiled athlete that came from being dirt poor to becoming something of a symbol to both his hometown in Virginia and an entire generation of NBA players. Not trying to defend him in the least but his rise and fall has a lot of dimensions to it.

  • http://twitter.com/formerly_fiddy Formerly Fiddy

    He’s definitely an interesting character. You can’t deny that.