"HE'S TRYING TO DO A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH" - GARY PAYTON'S ADVICE TO A YOUNG ALLEN IVERSON AFTER BEATING HIM
When Allen Iverson came to the Philadelphia 76ers as the #1 pick in the 1996 Draft, he was handed the keys of the team. Everyone expected the Georgetown phenom to make Philly an instant playoff contender, but the road to that was a bit longer and more challenging than expected.
Although Iverson's individual prowess was evident from the start, his 76ers squads didn't see too much success in his first years. Allen wasn't used to losing, and being the competitor he was, A.I. wanted to will his team to victories on a nightly basis, as that oftentimes resulted in the young guard chucking up too many shots and forcing the issue.
In a 1998 edition of SLAM Magazine, the legendary Gary Payton shared some constructive criticism for the young Iverson after their matchup, in which the Sonics won led by a maestro 16-point, 11-assist performance by GP.
"He's trying to do a little bit too much...If he was on a team like my team, he would understand he wouldn't have to do all that. But that comes with age," Payton exclaimed about A.I. after an excellent performance in the Sonics win.
"I came to a team that was established. I came out when Bird and Johnson and Isiah were playing, and I got to watch a lot. I learned a lot. (Iverson) is doing a great job. In a couple of more years, he's going to be great," GP added.
Dysfunctional Philly squad
At the time, Payton was already a proven star and name around the Association, as he mastered the craft of running a team to perfection. Just like Iverson, even Gary struggled with the same problem early on in his career, but with time, he learned to trust his teammates and play team basketball. GP recognized himself in Allen and shared his confidence that the young man would figure it out soon.
Payton was on point, as Iverson already showcased significant improvement in his second season. After being criticized for his selfishness, off-court behavior, and demeanor, Allen became more professional, and his team took note of it.
Unfortunately for A.I., his team wasn't the most talented or lucky with health, finishing the 1997-98 season with a 31-51 record. Most of Allen's most prominent teammates, like Jim Jackson, Derrick Coleman, Theo Ratliff, and Jerry Stackhouse, had subpar campaigns and missed noticeable time, adding insult to injury.
Even head coach Larry Brown was frustrated with how his team presented itself on the court during the dreadful year.
"As soon as things start going bad, this team starts playing like a bunch of strangers. The ball doesn't move. They don't rebound. They don't execute...we never make passes to start plays. Every play we run, every guy on the floor thinks it's their play," coach Brown voiced his frustration.
'The Answer' strived to be great
It was dark times for Philly basketball, but at least there was light at the end of the tunnel with an ambitious and talented franchise cornerstone in A.I. The relationship between coach Brown and Iverson would grow over the years, with Larry helping Allen become a superstar and finally making the 76ers a legit contender in the Eastern Conference.
"I know how much (Brown) can help me become one of the best players in the league. I don't want to be just one of the best scorers, but one of the top all-around players," Allen explained his ambition.
The 76ers would show improvement year in and year out, with their peak coming in the 2000-01 season when they made it all the way to the NBA Finals, but only to lose to the powerhouse Los Angeles Lakers in five games. It was a major success story for Philly, as Iverson finally managed to make his wishes come true.
A.I. became one of the biggest stars in the game while his team competed and became relevant for years in the Association. They never managed to get over the championship hump, but Iverson's impact was so deep that he is still vastly remembered as one of the biggest legends in 76ers and NBA history.
2024-04-24T13:54:22Z dg43tfdfdgfd