As celebrated as Allen Iverson was for his incredible basketball skills, what truly made him beloved not just on the hardwood floor but off it was his authenticity. The man had many flaws and wasn’t afraid to lay all those out for the world to see.
From his tardiness to practices and team engagements to taking plenty of ill-advised shots, Iverson’s career is littered with moments of imperfection. But what truly stood out about the former Philadelphia 76ers superstar was his unwavering loyalty to his friends. He stood by them when they had nothing back in Hampton, Virginia; he stood by them when he had everything in the NBA.
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However, Iverson’s loyalty was tested when his friend was busted for a drug-related offense; what he did next truly defined his character.
Loyal to a fault
Growing up with only his mother, Ann, who was also busy making ends meet, Iverson built many relationships with different kinds of people, even those with sketchy backgrounds. However, he never shied away from anyone who supported him and once he made it into the big league, he tried to repay everyone as much as he could. At one point, he had 35 different families on his payroll, which stretched his finances to their limits.
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According to Jim Spencer, a columnist who followed Iverson’s life back when he was still an up-and-coming high school star at Bethel, there was a day when he heard whispers of Iverson being at the courthouse. Spencer soon found himself in a courtroom watching Iverson take the stand.
“I went up to this hearing where he was testifying as a character witness for a guy who was very close to his family. The guy was in there on a third-strike charge, possession with intent to distribute. I think it was cocaine,” Spencer recalled, emphasizing the gravity of the offense and the urgency of the situation.
While most NBA superstars would have stayed as far away from the situation as possible, fearing an association with a drug offender would stain their reputation, Iverson chose to stand by his friend and speak on his behalf.
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“Iverson was telling the judge, ‘Please don’t put him in jail; I will take care of him,'” Spencer shared. “That was the people he was around, and that’s how loyal he was to them.”
Prison is no place for anyone
Iverson passionately advocated for his friend, fighting to keep him out of jail. His efforts were driven by loyalty to his close buddies and a deep understanding that prison is no place for anyone. After all, he experienced what life behind bars was like when he was sentenced to 15 years in prison after he was convicted of “maiming by mob,” which was a felony.
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Iverson spent four months in prison after Douglas Wilder, then the governor of Virginia, pardoned him. However, four months felt like forever, especially for a 17-year-old like Iverson.
“When he first got out, he didn’t leave home for a week. He had the expression on his face that he got knowledge while he was in there,” Iverson’s aunt, Jessie Iverson-Bowman, revealed. “The part that made tears come to my eyes, we were sitting in the living room and he didn’t speak about things that went on in there.”
Iverson eventually crawled out of his shell and refused to let that chapter of his life define him.
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“I had to use the whole jail situation as something positive,” Iverson disclosed. “Going to jail, someone sees something weak in you, they’ll exploit it. I never showed any weakness. I just kept going strong until I came out.”
Prison is no place for a teenager or a full-grown man. Iverson knew this and fought with all he had to keep a friend out of prison. That was the type of person he was — despite being saddled with the responsibility of lifting the 76ers back to legitimacy, he always had time to look out for others.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 20, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.