The City of Brotherly Love never forgets their own.
Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson received one of the highest and most prestigious tributes an NBA player can receive, with the franchise gifting him his statue outside of the Sixers' practice facility.
Iverson said it is an honor for him to be immortalized through a statue.
"I don't get nervous too much, but just seeing so many people in here that I love ... I want to say all the right things and just let y'all know how much I appreciate y'all," he said during the ceremony.
"I promised myself I wasn't going to (cry), but thanks to everybody for coming out. Thanks to everybody for playing a part in this, for making this dream come true."
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The statue tribute came 18 years after he last played wearing a Philly uniform and around eight years after he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
He became the 10th Sixer to have his statue in the facility.
Others who have their own are Charles Barkley, Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Erving, Maurice Cheeks, Moses Malone, Billy Cunningham, Hal Greer, Bobby Jones, and Dolph Schayes.
AI loves it, but fans think the Sixers can do better
Iverson praised sculpturist Chad Fisher, who created his statue. It features him in a dribbling position, his signature crossover move.
"Loved it," he said. "I loved it. It's so crazy leading up to it. You're just nervous because you're hoping that it looks like you."
However, fans have a differing opinion.
They thought the statue could be better for someone of AI's stature.
"i'm sorry ... this Iverson 'statue' is up there with the Sean Taylor mannequin. it's just highly lazy and not at all a representation of this man's legacy in Philly," an NBA show host said.
Others questioned the statue's size, comparing it to a trophy or a mannequin. They also questioned why it is only in the practice facility instead of Wells Fargo.
One-time Sixer Brandon Jennings also said that tribute was disrespectful.
Must’ve been a quick question https://t.co/KcfKaNx5Kf
— Sydney Colson (@SydJColson) April 12, 2024
In comparison, here's what other Sixers legend statue looks like. They seem to be taller than AI's.
https://t.co/5zN4ntl3Vn pic.twitter.com/FgZP0Q8UTi
— CHRIS FOXX (@FoxxFiles) April 12, 2024
Allen Iverson statue compared to other teams
There have been statutes built for NBA legends since the league started.
The Los Angeles Lakers do it best when it comes to building statues.
The best one is that of Kareem Abdul Jabbar, which features his signature skyhook shot.
The appeal of a statue is in its height. The more towering it is, the more imposing it appears.
They did that with Kareem, who is 7 feet and 1 inch tall.
Another remarkable statue from the Lakers is Shaquille O'Neal's.
Instead of having Shaq's version standing on a marble, his is hanging from a rim. This one gets points for creativity.
The Boston Celtics are also great at paying tribute to their legends.
An 11-foot-tall bronze sculpture of Bill Russell was unveiled in Boston's City Hall, not in the TD Garden. That fact alone says a lot about how much the city values the 11-time champion.
Other great statues are that of Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, and Karl Malone.
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