Allen grew up in the projects as the son of a 15-year old single mother. Their house in Hampton, Virginia lay on top of the city's sewers. Whenever they burst, the floor would be coated with sewage.
Iverson's biological father who stayed in Connecticut (where the family lived before Allen was born), never played any role in his life, and earlier this year, pledged guilty to stabbing a former girlfriend. Shortly after being born his maternal grandmother - often the pillar in an inner-city family - passed away as well. Mom Ann had a hard time making ends meet, and the house was often without water or electricity because of unpaid bills.
"She did whatever she had to do," Allen explains, while refusing to elaborate on that cryptic statement. Growing up, Iverson was often responsible for taking care of his younger sisters Brandy (born 1979) and Iiesha (1991), which was especially difficult with the toddler, who suffered frequent seizures. Mounting medical bills pushed the family further in debt.
Ann's boyfriend, Allen's de facto father, Michael Freeman has been in and out of jail all of his life. After a car accident got him unemployed once again in 1991, desperate for money Freeman was caught and convicted for drug possession with intent to distribute. "I didn't buy Cadillacs and diamond rings," Freeman explains, "I was payin' bills."
Iverson used to blame the man who taught him how to play basketball and pushed him to excel at it. Today he's proud of Freeman. "He never robbed nobody," said Allen. "He was just tryin' to feed his family. It would kill him to come from jail and find out how his family was living. One time he came home and just sat down and cried."
Before I let you know my opinion about this whole "posse" thing, here are some facts: Rahsaan Langford is 24, from New York. Used to attend Norfolk State. Has known Allen Iverson since he was 14. Says he visits a lot. Langford is one of Iverson's friends who frequently wait for the 76ers rookie guard after practice, who sometimes plays half court basketball while Iverson is showering or watching post practice film. Some days, the group includes Marlon Moore, Eric Jackson, Kevin Spence, Alex Rhoden. Sometimes Iverson's uncle, Greg Iverson. Some days, there are others. Allen considers his friends his family. He says he wants them around to not feel alone. The dictionary defines "posse" as a force of men, taken from the group sometimes put together by a peace officer in pursuit of wrongdoers. But it has also become a term used by the MTV generation, defining a circle of friends. Sometimes, though, there's a negative connotation, including groups who ride the coattails of the rich and famous. Ok, enough facts. The thing is that Iverson travels, hangs out and lives with his friends. They may not look like fellows from the WB network, but they are Iverson's friends, and why can't he just choose the friends he wants? I do understand why people are a bit scared of Allen Iverson's friends - they see a gang, a bunch of youngsters wearing baggy clothes, hanging out together and they think of it as a posse - a gang. Most people are afraid of the gangs; they are often affiliated with bad things, such as drugs and guns. But, still, if some gangs are like that, that doesn't mean they're all like that. Iverson says that his "posse" (I hate that word!) is friends who have proven to stay with him in good times and bad times. He is young and still wants to hang out with his friends, wants them around. So, I say, let Iverson be himself. If he wants to have his friends around - that should be all right. But lately they have started to mess up Iverson's career - which they should not do. But I think Iverson is very loyal to is friends, and it's admirable that a young star has that kind of loyalty.
For you who haven't heard about this, I will explain to you what this is all about: In a game against the Bulls last year, Iverson allegedly said "Get the hell out of my way" to his Airness. Courtside microphones caught the words, and all of a sudden the whole world knew what Iverson had told MJ. Henry "Que" Gaskins, Director of Marketing for Allen Iverson at Reebok, laughs at the incident: "Anyone who knows Allen knows Jordan is his guy," Gaskins said. "Allen's a heck of an artist, and when the family lived in a project in Virginia he drew a life-size mural of Jordan on the door." I think the whole thing has something to do with the no-respect thing. Players trash talk. Other players have done that too. But when Iverson said something like that, he was haunted by bad publicity. Besides, Iverson did not say "Get the hell out of my way". He said something like that, but he didn't put it that way. That's about it. Players trash talk and get away with it, but when Iverson does it, it makes the headlines.
Ok, another hyped-up thing. To make a long explanation short, read this quote from Allen Iverson: "If they would ask me if I had respect for the NBA, I would say: 'Definitely'. I mean, how can I not have respect for the NBA? I have dreamed all my life about ending up here, it has always been my dream. How can i not respect the NBA?” A lot of people say that Iverson doesn't respect older players on the league. He has heard the critics from...in my opinion big-headed NBA players like Karl "Fatso" Malone, Charles "Whiner" Barkley and Dennis "Freak" Rodman about his lack of respect for players like them. Ok, here's the fact: Iverson says he has a lot of respect for these players. But if he steps onto the court with tons of respect for his opponents, he has already lost the battle. That's what Iverson says, and he's right. One can not over-respect ones opponents if one want to succeed in the NBA. But, again, Iverson is misunderstood. Critics listen to the players who says Iverson doesn't respect, and all of a sudden, he's the bad guy, the kid with no respect for the players who built the league. Iverson says: "They misunderstand me. I have a lot of respect for the older players. No doubt, they are the ones who paved the way for me. But if I bring that respect to the hardwood, the battle is already lost." Bottom line? Iverson has a lot of respect for the older players, but he doesn't bring that respect to the hardwood. People have misunderstood the whole thing, and think Iverson doesn't have any respect for the older guys. But according to the man who holds "the Answer", Allen Iverson, he has.
