On March 12, 1997, rookie Allen Iverson faced off against his idol, Michael Jordan. In what was a tight game from start to finish, the Chicago Bulls came out on top, 108-104.
Iverson finished the game with a then-career-high 37 points on 15-of-23 shooting with five made threes, while Jordan finished with 23 points, five boards, three assists and two steals.
Still, most people do not remember the game score, but Iverson’s famous signature crossover on Jordan.
“He’s very quick, you try to pick and choose which direction you want to send him at. I figured he wanted to come back to his right hand, but he keeps the ball real low. He’s small and closer to the ground than I am,” the Bulls legend said in a postgame interview.
Iverson vs. Jordan
Iverson was selected as the first overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the legendary 1996 draft. Filled with many future greats and hall-of-famers from the likes of Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Ray Allen, Stephon Marbury and many more, Iverson was seen as the best and most promising player in his class.
On the other hand, Jordan was still seen as the best player in the world. He was also someone Iverson looked up to.
Naturally, the then-76ers rookie was completely starstruck the first time the two went against each other on November 2, 1996.
“I’m looking at it, that’s him. I’m looking at his socks; he got the Jordans on… I was blown away. But once they did that (mimicking the referee’s tip-off) – SHOWTIME. They always gonna know who the 23 is, but tonight, they gonna know who the No. 3 is,” Iverson said in his interview with The Players’ Tribune.
Amid Iverson’s awe of Jordan, he had to lock in and show his idol what he was made of. In the end, the Bulls beat the 76ers 115-86. Jordan finished the game with 27 points, five assists and four steals, while Iverson had 15 points on 4-of-13 from the field.
Jordan’s impact on Iverson
Iverson was never shy about expressing how big of an impact Jordan had on his game. Growing up, he wasn’t just a fan of Jordan; he mimicked his work ethic, determination and love for the game.
“I wanted to be looked at like him,” the legendary guard told GQ of Jordan last year. “I wanted to be feared like him. I wanted to be popular like him. I wanted to be in game situations like him. I wanted to dominate like him. I wanted to be the guy that walk up in the room and then drain the goddamn room, regardless of who in there.”
Throughout his career, Iverson was a cultural icon and still is to this day. He changed the game not only with his game on the court, but off it as well. Displaying a fashion style that revolutionized the NBA, he was a rebel and an innovator.
Iverson and Jordan were both leaders on the court with their unique presence and aura. The competitiveness that drove their game was immaculate — they were absolutely fearless and never backed down from any challenge in front of them.
With his on-court and off-court presence, Iverson left an impact on a whole generation, and his influence is still seen to this day. It all started from the first time he met his idol Jordan to the famous crossover, which was the beginning of a legendary player Iverson turned out to be. One that showed that the heart is bigger than height. One that brought style to the NBA and turned the whole league around.
If it weren’t for Jordan, there would not have been Iverson.