One of the most famous athletes to ever come from Hampton Roads is the subject of a new documentary.
Allen Iverson was known as “The Answer.” But his life was a puzzle to a lot of his fans.
Iverson influenced a generation of new players. His style on and off the court made him stand out. Corn rows, tattoos. Flash everywhere.
Iverson had been the center of attention since he was a teenager. He not only led Bethel High schools`s basketball team to a state championship, but it`s football team too.
When a brawl broke out at a Hampton bowling alley in 1993 it was Iverson and three of his friends who were prosecuted. Iverson was sentenced to fifteen years in prison. Governor Doug Wilder commuted the sentence.
Then a turning point: Georgetown coach John Thompson recruited Iverson when most other coaches had given up on him.
“He saved my life. He gave me another opportunity. All I needed was one chance. God sent him to me,” Iverson says.
Iverson spent two years at Georgetown before leaving for the NBA. He played 14 seasons and was the league`s MVP in 2001.
“I didn`t realize the magnitude of who I was at that time because I was in the moment and I had to fall down a lot of times to be able to get back up,” he says.
Off the court he faced lawsuits and legal troubles. Today he denies he has financial problems and says he wanted to do the documentary to reach out to the next generation.
“I wanted kids to see that they can make it in life regardless. You hit roadblocks in life. I’m living proof that you can overcome those road blocks and become what you want to become,” he says.
The documentary debuts Saturday night at 9:00 p.m. on Showtime.
