"Puppy" Allen Iverson on his iconic battle and crossover vs "The Greatest" Michael Jordan: "No. 23 was on the court but after that game, he was gonna know who No. 3 was"

Allen Iverson put his idol Michael Jordan on skates with his iconic crossover dribble almost 25 years ago.[Photo: Open Basketball]

Allen Iverson and Tracy McGrady, two of the most skilled and confident players in NBA history, went one-on-one on Verzuz. In the spirit of the All-Star Weekend, the hugely-popular face-off platform featured the Hall-of-Famers "AI" and "T-Mac." Instead of battling it out to rap music, the legendary players showed and compared their highlight-reel plays.

One of Allen Iverson’s most memorable and iconic moments in the NBA came against none other than Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. The then-rookie Iverson introduced himself in the most sensational way possible to his idol by putting Jordan in a blender with his signature crossover move.

Here’s what Allen Iverson had to say after he did his thing against the player he still considers to be the best-ever:

“That’s when I was a puppy and I was playing against the greatest to ever play the game. I was gonna start off with that one because that was introducing myself to the world and letting them know that, obviously, No. 23 was on the court, but after that game he was gonna know who No. 3 was. That was when I was a puppy before I turned into a great dane.

"No. 23 was on the court, but after that game he was gonna know who No. 3 was"

AI talks about his iconic crossover on MJ 🔥 https://t.co/cf92ss3NrF

The jaw-dropping moment took place on March 12, 1997, when the Chicago Bulls went up against the Philadelphia 76ers at CoreStates Center in Philly. Michael Jordan, who was still one of the best defenders at the time, guarded Allen Iverson just off the top of the three-point line.

Iverson's now infamous move started with a fake to his left, which completely hooked Jordan. Then, with a lightning-quick crossover, Iverson shifted to the right, leaving Jordan clutching at straws while the former made a clean jumper.

Coming into the game, Allen Iverson, who won Rookie of the Year that season, had a reputation as a big-game player from Georgetown in his college days. The then 21-year-old point guard took on all comers, including the player who most influenced his love of basketball.

Allen Iverson hit Michael Jordan with the crossover 24 years ago today 🔥

Still iconic. https://t.co/b2GTS2K4Mz

Michael Jordan led the Bulls to a win that night to improve their league-leading record to 55-8. Meanwhile, the 76ers dropped to 16-46 with a horrific 8-23 record at home. Despite the loss, Iverson’s stunning crossover grabbed the headlines. More than two decades later, the moment is still fresh in the minds of many NBA fans.

Michael Jordan is still a little salty years after Allen Iverson crossed him over

According to AI, Michael Jordan still hasn't gone over the cross over after close to 25 years. [Photo: Bleacher Report]

Almost 25 years later, the Allen Iverson moment that unfortunately made Michael Jordan look rather foolish on defense, is still a little tender for the latter. For many fans It’s not surprising finding out that it stung Jordan a bit, knowing his competitive and unforgiving nature.

In an interview with Shannon Sharpe on Club Shay Shay, Iverson recounted a time when the six-time NBA champion told him how he still feels about the whole thing.

“I went to a Charlotte Hornets game, and he [Jordan] had me come in, and we in the back, and me and him just sitting back and drinking and reminiscing or whatever, and I was like, ‘Man, I love you, man.’ And he was like, ‘You don’t love me, you lil b****. You wouldn’t have crossed me up like that if you did.’ Man, and everybody in the room just busts out laughing, man. It was crazy.”