'Black Jesus' and his cigar: Allen Iverson shares favorite Michael Jordan story
Allen Iverson is tired of the “same-old topics,” but the Philadelphia 76ers legend and Hall of Famer does want to let everybody in on who he thinks is the real GOAT.
Coming in at No. 5 on a list of things he wants people to know about him, published at The Player’s Tribune on Thursday, Iverson shared his best story about GOAT nominee and Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan.
Or, as Iverson dubs him, “Black Jesus himself.”
It was 2003 in Atlanta, the site of Jordan’s final All-Star game, and Iverson wanted to pay homage to the superstar.
He wore a Jordan throwback — making sure to cut out the Nike swoosh, since he has a lifetime deal with Reebok — and went looking for Jordan before the game.
Iverson didn’t find him in the locker room, so he set off for the coaches’ office to ask if they knew.
“Open the door……. But there’s no coaches in there. It’s just Mike.
It’s just Mike, and man….. you wouldn’t even believe this. You wouldn’t even believe what I’m seeing. It’s Mike, and he’s got his uniform on……. and he’s in one of those reclining desk chairs, leaning back in that thing like he doesn’t have a CARE in the WORLD. In the world. Got his feet kicked up like he’s on some beach! And then to top it all off?? He’s smoking one of those big-ass Mike cigars.
And he just looks at me — looks over my fit for a second — and he smiles.
Nods.
And then he goes right on back to puffing that cigar.
ARE YOU SERIOUS!! Man, I think I’m a cool guy. I’m alright. But Mike is the only person I ever — I mean ever — met who can be so effortless in his cool that he leaves this…. GLOW. It’s almost like I’ll remember the details about that moment and then I’ll get worked up from remembering it, just thinking about how cool that man is, you know what I’m saying?? I mean, he….. Y’all! Y’ALL. He’s smoking a CIGAR, with his UNIFORM on…… before the NBA ALL-STAR GAME. And man, he’s in the COACHES’ OFFICE. He’s in the coaches’ office. You’re smoking your big-ass cigar in the coaches’ office, in your damn uniform, with your feet kicked up like it’s nothing, before your very last All-Star Game?? Man — you run everything. You run EV-ER-Y-THING!!”
Iverson detailed his respect for LeBron James, but insists “Mike is always going to be the GOAT.”
Iverson listed his all-NBA starting 5, all-time MCs and all-time movies. He also dove into his love of drawing and what happens if you get on his bad side:
I would take my paper, my pen, that good ink — and I would straight-up bury you. I would draw you as a cartoon, man. And all your worst features, your worst whatevers, I’d just put them on blast.
AI also goes into generational fashion, legacy, a cute story about his youngest daughter at the HOF ceremony and *that* Larry Hughes story that honestly concludes as if Iverson has magical vehicles that refill on gas in his garage.
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