by Cedric ‘BIG CED’ Thornton
March 7, 2024
Allen Iverson may’ve been Nike’s golden boy… he selected Reebok as an alternative.
Former Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson was virtually “The Reply” to who was the primary signature athlete to signal with Jordan Model.
In line with Complicated, Nike introduced Iverson with the “Bubba Chuck” basketball shoe prototype to entice him to signal with Jordan Model in 1996. Iverson reminisced concerning the assembly he had with Nike executives earlier than he ended up signing with Reebok.
On an episode of The Complicated’s Sneakers Present again in 2021, Nike and Jordan Model govt Gentry Humphrey divulged that the corporate confirmed “The Reply (Iverson’s nickname by his NBA profession and identify of his signature shoe from Reebok),” a mannequin that was described as a cross between an Air Jordan 11 and a Zoom Flight 95.
Iverson was requested about that assembly, and he verified that he may signal with the sneaker large.
“I keep in mind that prefer it was yesterday. That was an enormous determination for me,” Iverson informed Joe La Puma. “[Nike] had a shoe, however I used to be satisfied after I went into a gathering with Reebok that that’s what I wished to do. They have been nice salespeople. They made me snug about attending to the place I’m at proper now.”
His longstanding relationship with Reebok has been useful as he was appointed Vice President of Reebok Basketball.
Iverson is ready to be honored as soon as once more by the 76ers subsequent month, on April 12. The crew introduced {that a} sculpture depicting his likeness can be unveiled at a ceremony on the Penn Drugs Philadelphia 76ers Coaching Complicated. The sculpture of Iverson can be positioned subsequent to a number of different 76ers legends. Charles Barkley, Wilt Chamberlain, Maurice Cheeks, Billy Cunningham, Julius Erving, Hal Greer, Bobby Jones, Moses Malone, and Dolph Schayes have sculptures alongside the 76ers Legends Stroll on the Penn Drugs Philadelphia 76ers Coaching Complicated.
The 2001 NBA MVP took the 76ers to the NBA Finals in the identical yr he gained the MVP award. Throughout his profession with the franchise, he averaged 27.6 factors, 3.9 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and a pair of.3 steals in 41.4 minutes per sport.