Today Is a Stronger NBA; Iverson No Longer Fits

Everyone has been writing about Iverson. Unfortunately, I have yet to find an article that I agree with, so I'm lending my keyboard to the masses.

In a world where "The Greatest" had retired, one man stepped up to the plate of entertainment and created a meal for us to enjoy.

That man was Allen Iverson.

He had already shown great potential, and there are Youtube videos of him crossing over Michael Jordan, but essentially Iverson was the player that people used to replace the void in their hearts that Jordan left behind. Leading the Sixers to the Finals in 2001, he shocked the world by breaking out 48 points and shocking the Lakers in Game 1.

It was then and over the next four years that Iverson would post fantastic numbers for a team that wouldn't make it to the Finals again, much less past the second round of the playoffs.

From then, it all went downhill.

In 2002, after a first round exit, Coach Larry Brown criticized Iverson of missing practice, which then triggered the famous "practice rant".

What followed was a disruptive series of fired coaches, early playoff exits, and bad blood. I honestly find it hard to look at Iverson past 2000-2002 seasons with a positive attitude.

Everything that could've gone wrong, went wrong.

People ask, "Why are teams passing up Iverson?" It's simple. Iverson's seasons in the NBA has brought forth a list of reasons not to have this player:

1. Coaching problems. Many people say, "Well, the administration doesn't know how to handle Iverson.” That's the problem right there. 

The administration does not need to handle anyone. When the administration says jump, the player, who's getting paid millions, is supposed to ask how high, what direction, and which pose he should do.

It is never the other way around.

2. His position. Some fans will say he's changed the game for point guards. Yes, he did. He created the "me guard" position. He takes the ball up the court, and makes his play. Yes, he had a decent amount of assists per game, but in his recent years he looks a lot more like a "me guard" rather than a "point guard.”

3. Leadership. If a team picks up a veteran, more than just their stats, they want their experience on the team. If someone thinks of himself too highly to sit on the bench, how do they expect the team to follow by example?

If Iverson is 36, and the rest of his team averages 27, his experience becomes just as valuable as his numbers. Without on-the-floor leadership, a team fails.

4. Attitude. No one likes players with bad attitudes. Some coaches and GMs will let them run over them, but others won't. The better teams in the league will not let players have their way all the time.

Respect is part of the game. Earn it and give it.

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It's time for people to get away from the notion that Iverson's setup with the Grizzlies was a bad match. Iverson saw a chance and said, "God chose Memphis as the place that I will continue my career," and that "I feel that they are committed to developing a winner."

He was injured, and he needed to come off of the bench to properly integrate with the Grizzlies' offense. He missed training camp, all of the preseason, and three regular-season games, which would have given him a starter position after he fit into the offense.

By the way, this isn't the first time this has happened. Iverson, who had been through three coaches with the Sixers since Larry Brown left had a similar problem with Chris Ford in 2004, when he put Iverson on the bench while he came back from an injury.

I'm tired of all this fan love and appreciation for someone who only positively contributed to the NBA for six seasons.

The NBA is a lot stronger than it used to be. In 2000, Iverson was the only person to get an MVP vote besides Shaq. We didn't have the "Big 3" then.

The league has grown, and Iverson is acting like a rebellious teenager who finally gave up trying to get his way. His recent years have been a bruise on the face of the NBA and I would be lying if I thought he deserved a Hall of Fame induction. None of the players inducted into the Hall of Fame had as much negativity as Iverson (not even Barkley).

So Iverson retired. Good riddance. Iverson is the embodiment of selfishness, a lack of leadership, and an attitude that can be infectious to other players; players like Mike Conley, OJ Mayo, and Rudy Gay who are just starting to mold their careers and develop into role and franchise players. The NBA is better than that. We have better players and stronger teams with his absence.

In the face of rejection, Iverson's retirement says it all:

The NBA doesn't need him anymore.