Philadelphia 76ers (1996–2006) Early years (1996–2000) in a 2003 game After two seasons at
Georgetown, Iverson was selected with the 1st overall pick in the
1996 NBA draft to the
Philadelphia 76ers. Listed at tall, he became the shortest first overall pick ever, in a league normally dominated by taller players. Iverson came to a Philadelphia team that had just finished the previous season with a dismal 18–64 record. In his NBA debut, Iverson recorded 30 points and 6 assists on a 103–111 loss to the
Milwaukee Bucks. He tied
Willie Anderson for the third highest scoring output by a rookie guard in his debut. On November 12, 1996, Iverson recorded a then career-high of 35 points to go along with 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals on a 101–97 road win over the
New York Knicks. In a game against the
55–8 Chicago Bulls, Iverson scored 37 points and memorably
crossed over Michael Jordan. He broke
Wilt Chamberlain's rookie record of three straight games with at least 40 points, doing so in five straight games, including a 50-point effort in Cleveland against the Cavaliers. Averaging 23.5 points per game, 7.5 assists per game and 2.1 steals per game for the season, Iverson was named the
NBA Rookie of the Year. Iverson was only able to help the Sixers to a 22–60 record in
1996–97. Aided by the arrivals of
Theo Ratliff,
Eric Snow,
Larry Hughes,
Aaron McKie, and new coach
Larry Brown, Iverson continued to help the 76ers move forward the following season, as they improved nine games to finish 31–51. During their time together in Philadelphia, Iverson and fellow guard Hughes were nicknamed "the Flight Brothers", for their above-the-rim and athletic play style. On January 26, 1999, Iverson signed a six-year, $70.9 million max contract extension. The
lockout-shortened 1998–1999 season would mark great improvement for the 76ers. Iverson averaged 26.8 points (which led the league, earning his first scoring title) and was named to his first All-NBA First Team. The Sixers finished the season at 28–22, earning Iverson his first trip to the playoffs. He started all ten playoff games and averaged 28.5 points per game despite being hampered by a number of nagging injuries. Iverson led the Sixers to an upset over the number three seeded
Orlando Magic in four games, before losing to the
Indiana Pacers in the second round in six games. During the
1999–2000 NBA season, the Sixers would continue to improve under Iverson's leadership, as they finished 49–33, once again qualifying for the playoffs (this time earning the fifth seed, one spot higher than the previous year's sixth seed). In the playoffs, Iverson averaged 26.2 points, 4.8 assists, 4 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. Philadelphia would advance past the
Charlotte Hornets in the opening round, but was eliminated by Indiana in the second round in six games for the second straight year. That season, Iverson was selected to the Eastern Conference All-Star team for the first time of what would be 11 straight selections. He was the only player other than
Shaquille O'Neal to receive an
MVP vote that year. In the 2000 off-season, the 76ers actively tried to trade Iverson after his numerous disagreements with then-coach
Larry Brown, and had agreed to terms with the
Detroit Pistons before
Matt Geiger, who was included in the deal, refused to forfeit his $5 million trade kicker.
MVP season and trip to the NBA Finals (2000–2001) During the
2000–01 season, Iverson led his team to a franchise record 10–0 start to the season, and was named a starter at the
2001 NBA All-Star Game, where he won the game MVP. The Sixers posted a 56–26 record on the season, the best in the Eastern Conference, earning the top seed. Iverson also averaged a then-career-high 31.1 points, winning his second NBA scoring title in the process. At the same time, Iverson won the NBA steals title with 2.5 a game. Iverson was named
NBA Most Valuable Player; at 6 feet and 165 pounds, he became the shortest and lightest player to win the MVP award. He had 93 first-place votes out of a possible 124. He was also named to the All NBA First team for his accomplishments. On top of Iverson's awards, recently acquired big man
Dikembe Mutombo won
NBA Defensive Player of the Year, fellow guard
Aaron McKie won
Sixth Man of the Year, and Larry Brown won the
NBA Coach of the Year, all of which contributed hugely to the Sixers' success that year on top of Iverson. In the playoffs, Iverson and the Sixers defeated the Indiana Pacers in the first round, before meeting
Vince Carter-led
Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Semifinals. The series went the full seven games, though Philadelphia eventually prevailed. In the next round, the Sixers defeated the
Milwaukee Bucks, also in seven games, to advance to the
2001 NBA Finals against the defending champion
Los Angeles Lakers, featuring the duo of
Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal. Iverson led the Sixers to their first finals since their 1983 championship. In game one of the
2001 NBA Finals, Iverson scored a game-high 48 points and beat the heavily favored Lakers 107–101; it was the Lakers' only playoff loss that year. In the game, he notably stepped over
Tyronn Lue after hitting a crucial shot. His 48 points remain the highest ever scored in an NBA Finals debut. Iverson would go on to score 23, 35, 35, and 37 in games 2–5, all losing efforts though the Sixers were not swept like many predicted. Iverson enjoyed his most successful season as an individual and as a member of the Sixers during the
2000–01 NBA season. Iverson began using a
basketball sleeve during this season during his recovery from
bursitis in his right elbow. Other players, including
Carmelo Anthony and
Kobe Bryant, adopted the sleeves as well, as did fans who wore the sleeve as a
fashion statement. Iverson continued wearing his sleeve long after his elbow had healed.
Early playoff exits and Larry Brown's departure (2001–2003) Fresh off their trip to the NBA Finals, Iverson and the Sixers entered the 2001–2002 season with high expectations, but were plagued by injuries, and only able to muster a 43–39 record to barely get into the playoffs. Despite playing in only 60 games that season and being hampered by injuries, Iverson averaged 31.4 points per game to earn his second consecutive scoring title. The 76ers lost to the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs 3–2 in the five-game series. After the defeat, Brown criticized Iverson for missing team practices. Iverson responded by saying, "We sittin' here, I'm supposed to be a franchise player, and we in here talkin' about practice," and went on a rant that included the word "practice" 22 times. He repeatedly said "We talkin' about practice. Not a game." The 2002–2003 season started off poorly for the Sixers, who had just traded defensive-standout
Dikembe Mutombo to New Jersey, and saw a decrease in both offensive and defensive production from
Aaron McKie and
Eric Snow, all three of whom were key components to their Finals appearance two years prior. Iverson would once again put up stellar scoring numbers (27.6 points per game) however, and the Sixers regrouped following the All-Star break to make the playoffs with a 48–34 record. They were able to defeat
Baron Davis and the
New Orleans Hornets in the opening round of the playoffs. Iverson later described Davis as the most difficult opposing point guard to defend in his career. In the six-game second round series, the 76ers were eliminated by the
Detroit Pistons. Head Coach
Larry Brown left the 76ers in 2003, following the playoff loss. After his departure from the 76ers, both he and Iverson indicated that the two were on good terms and genuinely fond of one another. Iverson later reunited with Brown when Iverson became the co-captain of the
2004 United States men's Olympic basketball team. In 2005, Iverson said that Brown was without a doubt "the best coach in the world".
Disappointment and frustration (2003–2006) in November 2005 Prior to the start of
2003–04 season, Iverson signed a 4-year, $76.7 million contract extension which would begin in the 2005-06 and last through the 2008-09 season.
Randy Ayers became the next coach of the 76ers, but failed to develop any chemistry with his players, and was fired following a 21–31 start to the season. During the latter part of the
2003–04 NBA season, Iverson bristled under the disciplinarian approach of the Sixers' interim head coach
Chris Ford. This led to a number of contentious incidents, including Iverson being suspended for missing practice, fined for failing to notify Ford that he would not attend a game because he was sick, and refusing to play in a game because he felt "insulted" that Ford wanted Iverson to come off the bench as he worked his way back from an injury. Iverson missed a then-career-high 34 games in a disastrous season that saw the Sixers miss the postseason for the first time since 1998. The
2004–2005 season saw Iverson and the Sixers bounce back under the tutelage of new head coach
Jim O'Brien, and additions of their first round draft pick
Andre Iguodala, and All-Star forward
Chris Webber, who was acquired in a mid-season trade. On February 12, 2005, Iverson scored a career-high 60 points on 24-for-27 shooting from the free throw line to go along with 6 assists and 5 steals in a 112–99 win over the Orlando Magic. On April 8, 2005, Iverson recorded 23 points, 7 rebounds and a career-high 16 assists in a 103–98 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. A rejuvenated Iverson won his fourth NBA scoring title with 31 points and averaged 8 assists for the year, and helped the 76ers climb back into the postseason with a 43–39 record. They would go on to lose to the eventual Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons, who were led by
Larry Brown, in the first round. In the series, Iverson had three double-doubles, including a 37-point, 15-assist performance in Philadelphia's lone win of the series. Despite O'Brien helping the team back into the postseason, disagreements with players and management led to his firing after just one season. He was replaced by Sixers' legend
Maurice Cheeks, in a personnel move Iverson praised, as Cheeks had been an assistant coach with the team when they reached the NBA Finals in 2001. During the
2005–2006 season, Iverson averaged a career-high 33.0 points per game. The Sixers, however, missed the playoffs for the second time in three years. On April 18, 2006, Iverson and
Chris Webber arrived late to the Sixers' fan appreciation night and home game finale. Players were expected to report 90 minutes before game time, but both Iverson and Webber arrived around tipoff. Coach Maurice Cheeks notified the media that neither would be playing, and general manager
Billy King announced that Iverson and Webber would be fined. During the 2006 off-season, trade rumors had Iverson going to Denver, Atlanta, or Boston. None of the deals were completed. Iverson had made it clear that he would like to stay a Sixer. Iverson and the Sixers began the 2006–07 NBA season at 3–0 before stumbling out to a 5–10 record through 15 games. Following the disappointing start, Iverson reportedly demanded a trade from the Sixers (which he denied). As a result, Iverson was told he would not play in any more games. During the following game against the
Washington Wizards, which was televised nationally on
ESPN, Sixers Chairman
Ed Snider confirmed the trade rumors by stating "We're going to trade him. At a certain point, you have to come to grips with the fact that it's not working. He wants out and we're ready to accommodate him." Iverson ended his 10-year Philadelphia tenure with the highest scoring average in team history (28.1), and is second all-time on the points list (19,583), and the Sixers did not win another playoff series after his departure until
2012.
Denver Nuggets (2006–2008) On December 19, 2006, the Philadelphia 76ers sent Iverson and forward
Ivan McFarlin to the
Denver Nuggets in exchange for
Andre Miller,
Joe Smith, and two first-round picks in the
2007 NBA draft. At the time of the trade, Iverson was the
NBA's number two leading scorer, with new teammate
Carmelo Anthony being number one. On December 23, 2006, Iverson made his debut for the Nuggets. He had 22 points and 10 assists in a losing effort to the
Sacramento Kings. In his first year as a Nugget, they made the playoffs as a sixth seed. In the First Round, they won the first game and lost the next four to the
eventual NBA champion San Antonio Spurs. Iverson was fined $25,000 by the NBA for criticizing referee
Steve Javie following a game between the Nuggets and Iverson's former team, the Philadelphia 76ers, played January 2, 2007. During the game, he committed two
technical fouls and was ejected from the game. After the game, Iverson said, "I thought I got fouled on that play, and I said I thought that he was calling the game personal I should have known that I couldn't say anything anyway. It's been something personal with me and him since I got in the league. This was just the perfect game for him to try and make me look bad." Former referee
Tim Donaghy supported the claim that Javie had a longstanding hatred for Iverson in his book,
Personal Foul: A First-Person Account of the Scandal that Rocked the NBA, which a Florida business group published through a self-publishing arm of
Amazon after it was dropped by a division of
Random House, who cited liability issues after reviewing the manuscript. In a December 2009 interview with
60 Minutes, Donaghy said he and fellow referees thought the punishment was too light. Before Iverson's Nuggets played the
Utah Jazz on January 6, 2007, Donaghy said he and the two other officials working the game agreed not to give Iverson favorable calls as a way to "teach him a lesson." Iverson attempted 12
free throws, more than any other player on either team. On 12 drives to the basket, he drew five
fouls, three of which Donaghy whistled himself, and did not receive a call on one play in which Utah's
Mehmet Okur clearly fouled him. Iverson returned to Philadelphia on March 19, 2008, to a sell-out crowd and received a standing ovation after scoring a game-leading 32 points in a 115–113 loss.
Detroit Pistons (2008–2009) in December 2008 On November 3, 2008, Iverson was dealt from the
Denver Nuggets to the
Detroit Pistons for guard
Chauncey Billups, forward
Antonio McDyess and center
Cheikh Samb. Due to
Rodney Stuckey already wearing Iverson's preferred #3 jersey, Iverson switched to number 1 for the Pistons, which Billups previously wore for the team. Iverson scored at least 24 in four of his first five games with Detroit (they won 3 of the 5), and would score 20 or more with 6 or more assists on a consistent basis, but as the season wore on, he would lose playing time to
Rodney Stuckey. Some speculated that Pistons President of Basketball Operations
Joe Dumars did not envision a long-term role for Iverson on the team, but traded for him to make Stuckey the point guard of the future and free cap space with Iverson's expiring contract. On April 3, 2009, it was announced that Iverson would not play the remainder of the 2008–09 season. Dumars cited Iverson's ongoing back injury as the reason for his deactivation, although two days prior Iverson stated publicly that he'd rather retire than be moved to the bench as Pistons coach
Michael Curry had decided.
Memphis Grizzlies (2009) On September 10, 2009, Iverson signed a one-year, $3.1 million contract with the
Memphis Grizzlies. He stated that "God chose Memphis as the place that I will continue my career," and that "I feel that they are committed to developing a winner." However, Iverson again expressed his displeasure at being a bench player, and left the team on November 7, 2009, for "personal reasons." On November 16, the Grizzlies announced the team terminated his contract by "mutual agreement." He played three games for the Grizzlies, averaging 13.3 ppg, 1.3 rpg, and 3.7 apg in 22.3 mpg.
Return to the 76ers (2009–2010) , shoots a jump shot for the 76ers in 2010 On November 25, 2009, analyst
Stephen A. Smith published on his blog a statement attributed to Iverson announcing plans for retirement, which also said, "I feel strongly that I can still compete at the highest level." Less than a week later on November 30, Iverson and his representatives met with a
Philadelphia 76ers delegation about returning to his former team, and accepted a contract offer two days later. General manager
Ed Stefanski declined to go into the terms of the agreement, but an unnamed source told the
Associated Press that Iverson agreed to a one-year non-guaranteed contract at the league minimum salary. Iverson would receive a prorated portion of the $1.3 million minimum salary for players with at least 10 years of experience, and the contract would become guaranteed for the remainder of the 2009–10 season if he remained on the roster on January 8, 2010. Stefanski said the team made the decision to pursue Iverson after starting guard
Lou Williams suffered a broken jaw and was expected to miss at least 30 games. On December 7, 2009, Iverson made his return to Philadelphia, garnering a thunderous ovation from the sold-out crowd, in a loss against his former team, the Denver Nuggets. He finished the game with 11 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, a steal, and no turnovers. Iverson's first win in his return to Philadelphia came one week later, in a 20-point effort against the
Golden State Warriors, ending the Sixers' 12-game losing streak (which stood at 9 games before Iverson returned). He shot 70 percent from the field in the game. On January 3, 2010, he returned to Denver to face the Nuggets; Iverson scored 18 points and had seven assists in the 108–105 win. He was voted as a starter for the
All-Star Game for the 11th straight season. He scored a season-high 25 points (on 56% shooting from the field) in a 99–91 loss to
Kobe Bryant and the defending champion Lakers. On February 22, 2010, Iverson left the 76ers indefinitely, citing the need to attend to his 4-year-old daughter Messiah's health issues, which he revealed years later as
Kawasaki Disease. On March 2, Stefanski announced Iverson would not return to the 76ers for the rest of the season to deal with the personal matter. His final NBA game was a road loss against
Derrick Rose and the
Chicago Bulls on February 20, 2010.
Beşiktaş (2010–2011) On October 26, 2010,
Yahoo! Sports reported that Iverson agreed in principle to a two-year, $4 million
net income contract with
Beşiktaş, a
Turkish Super League team competing in the
second-tier level of pan-European professional basketball, the
EuroCup, the competition level below the
EuroLeague level. The club announced the signing at a press conference in New York City, on October 29, 2010. Wearing jersey No. 4, Iverson made his debut for Beşiktaş on November 16, 2010, in a
EuroCup 91–94 loss to Serbian side
Hemofarm. Iverson scored 15 points in 23 minutes. Iverson returned to the United States in January 2011 for
calf surgery. He only played ten games for Beşiktaş that season, and did not play professional basketball after that.
Official retirement In January 2013, Iverson received an offer to play for the
Texas Legends of the
NBA D-League, but he declined. On October 30, 2013, Iverson announced his retirement from basketball, citing he lost his desire to play. At the 76ers 2013–14 season home opener that night, he received a standing ovation at the beginning of the second quarter. The news conference at which he announced his retirement was attended by former Georgetown coach John Thompson and Sixers great
Julius Erving. Iverson said he would always be a Sixer "until I die," and that while he always thought the day he retired would be a "tough" day, he instead stated it was rather a "happy" day. The ceremony took place in front of 20,000 spectators and 76ers greats such as Julius Erving, Moses Malone, and former team president Pat Croce. He headlined the
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2016 along with Shaquille O'Neal and
Yao Ming. Iverson highlighted John Thompson and Larry Brown when speaking to the media on who he credited for a Hall of Fame career. In 2017, the creation of the 3-on-3 professional basketball league
BIG3 was announced, with Iverson set to be a player and coach on
3's Company. In March, it was announced that Iverson's co-captain would be
DerMarr Johnson. 3's Company drafted
Andre Owens,
Mike Sweetney, and
Ruben Patterson during the 2017 BIG3 Draft. On June 25, 3's Company played its first game of the
inaugural BIG3 season against the
Ball Hogs. In the game, Iverson scored 2 points on 1-for-6 shooting in 9 minutes of play. On only playing 9 minutes, Iverson stated, "I signed up to be a coach, player and captain. Coach part is going to go on throughout the game. Playing part is not going to be what you expect. You're not going to see the Allen Iverson of old out there." ==National team career==