Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan might never forget what happened on March 12, 1997. The final result was but a formality given the Bulls’ superiority over the rest of the league. Still, that night in Philadelphia, Allen Iverson gave His Airness a lesson in dribbling artistry as the rookie went into his bag of tricks and pulled off one of the most iconic moves in NBA history: the double-crossover.
A rookie trying to make a name for himself
At that time, Iverson was just a 21-year-old rookie sensation from Georgetown who was trying to make a name for himself in the Association. Still without all the tattoos, but already with the unwavering swagger and confidence, Iverson recognized his moment in the spotlight when Jordan switched onto him at the top of the key. What happened next was a moment that lives forever in NBA legends:
“This that young boy s***, you know what I mean. You ain’t seen nothing like this,” Iverson said. “And then I heard Phil Jackson call him out. He called him out on the switch. Now I’m going to try my move on the best person that I’ve ever seen play the game. Now I’m going to see if this move is real. And now I’m like, ‘Oh s***’, and the craziest part is I didn’t know what I did until ESPN and everybody else talking about it. I hit him with that thang.”
The Bulls won, 108-104, with Jordan putting up 23 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Iverson, though, was unstoppable as he had 37 points on a super-efficient 15-of-23 from the field.
Not over it
In a talk with NFL legend Shannon Sharpe, Iverson revealed that Jordan remains bitter over the move that the “Answer” busted out on him.
“I went to a Charlotte Hornets game, and he had me come in, and we in the back, and me and him just sitting back and drinking and reminiscing or whatever, and I was like, ‘Man, I love you, man.’ And he was like, ‘You don’t love me, you lil b****. You wouldn’t have crossed me up like that if you did.’ Everybody in the room just bust out laughing, man. It was crazy,” Iverson said.
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