Allen Iverson was recently inducted in the Basketball Hall of Fame. This brought back so many memories watching him growing up.

I will never forget it. It was a Sunday night at the crib in 2001. I had a nerf basketball set on my bedroom door that I always played on before I watched basketball on NBC. I would go outside and emulate my favorite players in hopes that I could possess the same magic on the court that the All-Stars did. That night was the first night of the 2001 NBA finals. It was a highly anticipated matchup between the defending champions Los Angeles Lakers. The legendary duo of Shaq and Kobe were easily the favorites. They were matched up against the Philadelphia 76ers. The MVP Allen Iverson was the only hope for the Sixers. Most analysts anticipated a 4-0 sweep. Iverson had other plans. I’ve seen Kobe, Lebron and so many other greats take over games when no one thought they could pull it off. Till this day, I have never seen anything like Game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals. A.I., barely six feet fall, playing a game made for giants, was a man among boys. Everybody was a victim. The Answer fearlessly cut through the lane like a switchblade the entire night. He challenged Shaq several times at the basket. He owned Kobe and anyone else who dared to guard him. I sat on my bed memorized by this legendary performance. One man took the entire team on his back. Iverson barely touched the net all night. Everything was nothing but net. His signature crossover was at its summit that night. Nobody could stay in front of him the whole game. He ran circles around the Lakers defense. The game was tight and went to overtime. That’s when it happened. I moved closer to the TV. Iverson was on the right baseline. He was isolated with Tyronn Lue guarding him. One dribble. Stepback through the legs. Lue stumbled backward. Iverson rose up and shot the jumper. SWISH. Lue stumbled to the floor in an attempt to contest the perfect release. In one classic moment, Iverson stares at Lue in disgust and steps over him in defiance. That one play symbolized Iverson’s play that night. I remember yelling at the top of my lungs after that moment. I was nine years old and I experienced the birth of an icon that night. One of the greatest to ever to do it. He was instantly my favorite player after that. 48 points on the biggest stage in basketball against one of the greatest teams ever assembled. Allen Iverson was best player that night. He dominated a team that no one gave him a change against. I will never forget that Sunday night. Thank God for YouTube because I can relive that night any time I want. Respect to the greatest pound for pound basketball player I have ever seen!