LeBron’s Second-Favorite Player: Iverson

Until recently, LeBron James was dogged by constant criticism that he was a pass-first kind of player, especially during big moments in important games. Nobody ever accused Allen Iverson of the same. And yet, in an interview published in ESPN the Magazine, LeBron says that second to Michael Jordan, his favorite player as a kid was the Answer.

How often do you watch tape of other guys?
A lot. A lot. I watch Jordan more than anybody, for sure. But I’ll watch tapes of AI [Allen Iverson] too. I don’t take anything from AI. Well, I do — his will. They say he was six feet, but AI was like 5’10½”. Do we even want to say 160? 170? Do we even want to give him that much weight? And he played like a 6’8″ 2-guard. He was one of the greatest finishers we’ve ever seen. You could never question his heart. Ever. He gave it his all. AI was like my second favorite player growing up, after MJ.

Hey, depressed Sixers fans! Here’s something to cheer you up: The best player in the world used to be a big fan of your best player from last decade!