I’ve accomplished so many things in basketball. I financially secured my kids’ life and their future. I’m just happy. I’m just blessed. So anything that I’m not awarded doesn’t matter because I’ve been rewarded enough in this lifetime.
If that many people recognize how hard I go every night and what I put into my game, to make myself and my team better, it means a lot to me. I’m fortunate; I’m blessed to be in the situation that I’m in right now.
I wasn’t a fan of the Sixers. My dad was a big Mo Cheeks fan, and he wanted me to be drafted by the Sixers. My thing was, if that could make my dad happy, then that would make me happy, you know what I mean?
You hit road blocks in life, but I’m living proof that you can overcome those road blocks and become what you want to become.
Coming into the league, if I would’ve had money, then obviously I would’ve had more tattoos.
Either you give in, or you fight. That’s all I know, being where I’m from. You fight for what you want. You go after what you want. The only thing I could do was give up or keep fighting for what I wanted in life.
I don’t watch college basketball.
I don’t really care too much about what people who don’t care about me say about me, but a lot of times, you know, I get tired of defending myself.
You don’t want to hear about how much money I donate to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America or to AIDS awareness or to give out scholarships. You don’t want to hear about that.
All I ever wanted to do was wear Jordans. I think there was only one or two pair I never had.
I love my fans in Philadelphia, but this is the hardest place in the world to play in. And I think it’s the hardest place to play in to be a superstar. Just to be the No. 1 guy. All eyes on you – because everybody wants you to be perfect, but not themselves.
I gave everything I had to basketball. The passion is still there, but the desire to play is not. It was a great ride.
I knew I was gonna be the number one pick, but I didn’t know.
I failed, got back up. I failed, got back up.
My actions, right or wrong, there were people who supported me through this long, hard journey.
Tattoos, cornrows, headbands, hip-hop. I never meant to start any trends. I got my butt kicked, but if that meant that the guys who came after me could be themselves, then it was worth it.
If I could take back all the mistakes that I made throughout my career, I would have had a perfect career. I would have missed no shots. I would have made no turnovers. I would have went right instead of going left when I was supposed to, every game.
All I ever wanted to do was wear Jordans. I think there was only one or two pair I never had.
I couldn’t have accomplished the things in my career if I didn’t practice, and the worst part about that whole thing is when a kid comes up to me and says ‘Allen, I don’t like practice, either.’ I’ve got to straighten that kid right then.
I dressed like the guys who I grew up with. I looked like the guys I grew up with.
My whole thing was being wanted and being accepted by a ball club. That was the most important thing to me.
I couldn’t have accomplished the things in my career if I didn’t practice, and the worst part about that whole thing is when a kid comes up to me and says ‘Allen, I don’t like practice, either.’ I’ve got to straighten that kid right then.
When you win, everything is everything. But when you lose, it’s all about Allen Iverson and Larry Brown. When we win, I know that I get the praise and Larry Brown gets the praise, but when we lose, it’s on me and Larry Brown. That’s something that I have to learn to accept and deal with.
Being in a fishbowl, everybody looking at every move you make, talking about everything you do – it’s just a hard life to live.
At times, I might have been too young; I might have been too naive at times and didn’t understand who I really was to a whole culture.
When you win, everything is everything. But when you lose, it’s all about Allen Iverson and Larry Brown. When we win, I know that I get the praise and Larry Brown gets the praise, but when we lose, it’s on me and Larry Brown. That’s something that I have to learn to accept and deal with.
Guys is supposed to be able to be original and dress like how they want to dress. The NBA can’t dress no grown man.
I am sick of defending myself, and I am not going to keep on doing it.
I wanted my fans and my family and my friends to be proud of me.
I surround myself with people who make me laugh.
God gave me all this; why waste the talent that he gave me? Why not go full throttle with it all and try to become in the class with the greatest players that ever played the game? That’s just a great feeling.
I got a lot of love for NBC, Tom Brokaw. He did a lot for me, and I appreciate him, and I owe a lot to him for that.
Any one of my shoes that I had, you knew that, night in, night out, I gave my teammates and my fans everything that I had.
Obviously, if I could go back and change anything, I would be a perfect man. And I know there’s no perfect man.
I just feel this is my planet.
I’m not going to be the same as I was when I’ve made so many bad mistakes.
You gotta do what you gotta do. And I had to figure that out, and I used to – I couldn’t stand the media, but I realized they have a job. They gotta do what they have to do.
I owe all of this to the guys I’ve played with and all the coaches that have helped me get to where I’m at right now. I’m honored to be here.
I wish there was a season where I was playing and didn’t have no aches, no pains, no bruises, no nothing.
My mom always told me that I could be anything I wanted to be. And I truly, actually believed it. And I fought.
People and what they say don’t bother me like they used to. When I was younger, I really couldn’t take it because I couldn’t understand where the criticism was coming from.
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