Allen Iverson may be the greatest Philadelphia 76ers player of all-time, but he is baffled that the organization has not brought him back for a role in his post-playing career.
The retired Basketball Hall of Famer spoke this week with Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks. Iverson expressed confusion as to why the Sixers have not hired him since he retired.
“I’m a Sixer for life,” said Iverson. “I got Sixer blood pumping through me. Everybody knows that I want to help that organization. I been retired, what, 11 years? I don’t know how I’m not a part of that staff in some kind of way.
“Even if it’s [as a consultant],” Iverson added. “I will be the happiest in the world and the money thing ain’t got nothing to do with it. It’s just me being me and me being a Sixer and wanting to help. I don’t know why nothing has been put in place for me. I still love y’all. Don’t get it twisted. It’s all love and it ain’t never going nowhere. But it’s just something I don’t understand.”
Iverson, now 46, defined Sixers basketball during his ten-year stretch with them from 1996 to 2006. While in Philadelphia, he racked up everything from All-Star appearances and All-NBA selections to scoring titles and an MVP award. Iverson is also responsible for the team’s only Finals berth since the 1980s. It sounds like he still wants to return to the organization in some capacity though and is dumbfounded that it has taken so long.
While Iverson’s tenure with the Sixers ended on rocky terms, he eventually returned to the team to close out his NBA career. The Sixers have also since retired Iverson’s No. 3 jersey. With regard to the hiring issue, Iverson once had a prominent endorsement for a Sixers front office spot that ultimately fell through. It sounds like Iverson would still very much love to return to the organization though and is dumbfounded that he has not gotten the call yet.
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