“I just kept telling him how much I loved him.… He was like ‘you don’t love me that much, you wouldn’t cross me like that’” - Allen Iverson recalls funny encounter with Michael Jordan
On March 12, 1997, a rookie Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers took on Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. Iverson scored 37 points in 36 minutes, leading the 76ers in points, field goals, three-point field goals and assists.
He made 15 of his 23 field goal attempts. He also hit five of his eight three-point attempts. What stood out the most, though, was the ankle-breaker of a crossover he pulled off against Jordan.
Iverson relived the experience with Dan Patrick on the latest release of the "Dan Patrick Show." The Hall of Famer recalled a moment when he got the better of Michael Jordan and spoke about a conversation he had with Jordan years later.
Iverson stated:
"I just kept telling him how much I loved him and how much he meant to my life and in my career and, you know, telling him I wouldn't have had that vision of playing basketball if it wasn't for him.
"And he was like 'you don't love me that much, you wouldn't have crossed me like that.' We laughed about it."
Allen Iverson got the better of Michael Jordan but lost the game
It was the 62nd game of the 1996-97 season and the Philadelphia 76ers hosted the Chicago Bulls. The 76ers needed to return to their winning ways as they had won only 16 of their 61 games up to that point.
The Bulls claimed the victory, despite Iverson's season-high 37 points. A four-point differential was enough to secure the win for the Bulls. Michael Jordan scored 23 points while Scottie Pippen led the Bulls with 31.
Allen Iverson hit Michael Jordan with the crossover 24 years ago today 🔥
Still iconic. https://t.co/b2GTS2K4Mz
However, Iverson still emerged from the game with one of the best highlights of his career. His fast-paced crossovers over Jordan have been remembered through their inclusion in countless highlight reels over the years since.
The move got the whole arena in a frenzy as Iverson was too fast for Jordan. Iverson knocked down the deep two-point jump shot, and the rest is history.