Allen Iverson, Tracy McGrady to Compete in VERZUZ Highlight Battle

Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson is set to compete during the 2022 NBA All-Star weekend in Cleveland... Sort of. 

On Wednesday, Bleacher Report and Triller's VERZUZ announced they are collaborating on an All-Star weekend event to celebrate basketball greatness.

VERZUZ, which was launched by Grammy award-winning producers Swizz Beatz and Timbaland, debuted in 2020 during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

What started as a friendly rivalry battle between two producers turned into a series of must-see events as legendary artists would put their catalogs up against one another, highlighting some of their best work while entertaining music fans from all over.

These days, the success of VERZUZ has allowed them to branch out beyond music. And when All-Star weekend rolls around, music and sports will tie in together as Sixers legend Allen Iverson will battle it out against fellow Hall of Famer, Tracy McGrady.

According to a release, Iverson and McGrady will compete in a live stream presentation of their best highlights throughout their career. The event will stream live across the Bleacher Report App and the VERZUZ Instagram channel.

Also involved with the battle is the NBA Hall of Famer, and former competitor of Iverson and McGrady's, Shaquille O'Neal. Serving as the event's "Commissioner," Shaq will introduce the competitors, and have a say in who won each round. 

In addition to Shaq, recording artist Fat Joe will serve as an "analyst" for the event, giving feedback and advice to Iverson and McGrady, and bridging the gap between culture and sports. Meanwhile, CJ Envy will be the official DJ of the battle.

And lastly, Bleacher Report's Taylor Rooks will serve as the official host for the event. The Iverson-McGrady B/R x Verzuz Highlight Battle Powered by AT&T 5G event is set to take place on Friday, February 18, in Cleveland, Ohio, the hosting city of the 2022 NBA All-Star game. It's slated to tip-off at 11 PM ET. and can be viewed from either the BR app or VERZUZ's Instagram channel. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.