LeBron James: Michael Jordan inspired me, Allen Iverson was the god
Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James has previously professed his admiration for Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson but offers even more high praise for the Philadelphia 76ers legend in Lee Jenkins' "Where are they Now" profile in the latest Sports Illustrated.
“He represented what black kids were all about and he resonated with every inner-city kid in the world who had a struggle,” LeBron James says. “Michael Jordan inspired me, and I looked up to him, but he was out of this world. A.I. was really the god.”
As a member of the Miami Heat, James played Philadelphia in 2013 and was in attendance for Iverson's retirement ceremony.
Iverson scored 23,368 points in his 17-year NBA career, leading the league in scoring four times. He was named to 11 NBA All-Star rosters and seven All-NBA teams. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame last year.
Iverson is currently playing in Ice Cube's BIG3 basketball league.
