"Be fake!": Allen Iverson predicted how LeBron James would grow hated, advised him to put on a facade
Being one of the most interesting NBA players in history to date, Allen Iverson had a lot to say about the inevitable hate LeBron James would face in his career.
In a 2005 interview with Stephen A. Smith, Iverson gave profound advice to LeBron James, who was still early on in his career.
"Learn from what I did wrong," Iverson said. "If you don't wanna go through what I go through right now, as far as being the 'bad guy' in the NBA and all that stuff, be fake then basically. Just be fake. I always let LeBron know, 'They love you right now but please believe me, the first incident, they are waiting.'"
From Iverson's own experience, he knew what it felt like to be heavily criticized by the league and the media as well. For someone who was widely recognized as one of the elite scorers of his time, Allen Iverson got a bad reputation in the NBA for how different and vocal he was.
He would often get into shouting matches with former Philadelphia 76ers coach Larry Brown about varying approaches to the game of basketball. Iverson was also a flashy type of player both on and off the court, which the NBA had a conflicting stance on.
Despite all the feuds he got into with his coach and the NBA's stance on him, the 76ers superstar still showed up on the court when it mattered.
During the 2000–2001 season, Iverson led the Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. He even managed to secure Game 1 against the Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal tandem.
He posted an iconic 37-point performance (14-of-32 shooting, including 3-of-11 from 3-point range) and 3 assists.
However, the 76ers would end up losing the series to the Lakers in five games. Despite Iverson's heroics, the 76ers would not repeat the same level of success in the following seasons, resulting in more headaches for the 76ers guard.
It all the more makes sense for Iverson to give advice to the young and promising players in 2005 from the likes of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Carmelo Anthony.
Looking back now, the trio got scrutinized a lot either due to playoff and finals losses or even simple mistakes. Through it all, they remained on course and achieved numerous accolades despite the outside distraction. They carried themselves in a professional manner, devoid of any issues or public incidents.
For Iverson however, he found himself in a position where he would rather be true to himself than be in the league. He played in 17 seasons of his career.
LeBron James gives praise to Allen Iverson
Back in an interview with ESPN's Tom Haberstroh, LeBron James gave Allen Iverson his due flowers after the career he had, as mentioned in a Bleacher Report Article by
"[Iverson] reminds me of Floyd Mayweather," James said. "You could never question [Iverson's] heart, his will to want to win. A true warrior.
Prior to this praise from LeBron James, he previously described Iverson as "pound for pound, the greatest player ever," according to the New York Times article by Harvey Araton.
Despite his size of 6-foot-0, Iverson was able to battle it out with the best that the league offered. From mid-range shooting to dribble penetration, Allen Iverson was able to score whenever and however he wanted.
For his career, he averaged 26.7 points per game (42.5% shooting, including 31.3% from 3-point range) and 6.2 assists.