A.I. Was So Damn Tough He Once Tried To Send A Ball Boy To Buy Shoes For Him Because The Sixers Hid His Stuff Whenever He Was Injured

[Source] - When he was injured and we knew he couldn’t play we used to hide his jersey. Because he would come to the locker room looking for his jersey, we’d lock it somewhere so he couldn’t get it…. One time, in New York, he found his jersey but didn’t have any shoes. He was trying to send the ball boy to the Foot Locker around the corner. He said ‘just give me a pair of their Reeboks. I can play in those.’ Then he pointed to an attendant, ‘what size are you, just give me those shoes,’ because he wanted to play so bad.

I know people don't love throwback blogs and talking about players that aren't playing currently, but Allen Iverson is still the coolest motherfucker alive. Listen, I wasn't a fan of him as a player strictly because he played for the Sixers and I was a Knicks fan surrounded by Sixers fan. It was pure jealousy. If he played anywhere else (besides Boston), I would have been a fan. Loved him at Georgetown. That number 3 in the Georgetown grey with the kente is iconic. 

Doug Pensinger. Getty Images.

I've said it before, Coley has said it before, a bunch of other people have said it before. Allen Iverson is one of the most influential and important players in NBA history. The dude was listed at 6'0" and he wasn't pushing 6'0". He didn't give a fuck what people thought about him, forcing David Stern to institute a dress code - still the dumbest thing ever. Iverson was always just authentically AI because that's who he was. He didn't care, he was honest, he was himself. It was refreshing to watch a guy like that. 

You know what else he was? A tough motherfucker. I mean that as a compliment. The dude just wanted to play basketball. Oh you thought AI was hurt? Better literally lock that jersey and shoes up. I want to know how he found the jersey one time. Did he figure out the hiding spot? Did he get someone to rat where they hid it? Either way that's perfectly AI. The only thing to top it was trying to get a ball boy to run to Foot Locker like he needed a snack. Yeah, just get Reeboks, any one. Bro, you know they probably sell your own shoes there? Not to mention the shoes were fucking awesome - especially The Question, The Answer 3 and The Answer 4

Jeff Fusco. Getty Images.

Thearon W. Henderson. Getty Images.

This is just another reason why people loved Iverson. The dude would take a beating, move on and then cross someone up. Anyone my age, mid-30s, distinctly remembers watching Iverson cross people up. Not even just when he did it to MJ. We all wanted to try and mimic his crossover. He wasn't going to be perfect. He wasn't Steph. He wasn't Chris Paul. He was his own sort of guard. A guy who took a beating, got to the rim while leading the Sixers. The man just wanted to play basketball.