INTERVIEW: Allen Iverson Talks 'Misunderstood,' Career & Relationships Challenges, 'Practice' Press Conference

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The Breakfast Club

Episode: INTERVIEW: Allen Iverson Talks 'Misunderstood,' Career & Relationships Challenges, 'Practice' Press Conference
Date: October 10, 2025
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God
Guest: Allen Iverson

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Overview

This deeply personal episode of The Breakfast Club features NBA legend Allen Iverson discussing his new book "Misunderstood," his complex journey through fame, loyalty, personal growth, and the burdens of being an icon who redefined basketball and culture. Iverson opens up about painful relationships, the consequences of generosity, the infamous "practice" press conference, and his battles with self-worth, sobriety, and public perception. The conversation is rich, candid, and filled with heartfelt advice, reflections, and iconic Iverson moments.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Pain and Loyalty of Friendship

Timestamps: 02:16–14:34

• Navigating Fame & Friendships: Iverson reflects on how success brought both opportunities and challenges, especially when it came to helping friends and family.

  "I've never had a person say, 'Once Chuck got some money, he changed.' You know, I've never heard that...the people that know me and love me know I'm me." (04:58 – Allen Iverson)

• The Hard Lesson of Saying No: He discusses the emotional toll when those helped the most react negatively when denied, and the burden of feeling responsible for everyone's wellbeing.

  "You want to find out if somebody’s your friend, you tell them no once. And their reaction would say it all..." (06:20 – Allen Iverson)

• Giving Without Expectation: Despite being taken advantage of, AI never expected repayment, viewing his role as the "head of the snake" much like leading a team on the court.

  "I ain't never asked for nothing back... I just feel like me being the head of the snake..." (12:33 – Allen Iverson)

2. Being Misunderstood & Cultural Impact

Timestamps: 19:21–25:39

• Why 'Misunderstood': Iverson explains the book and documentary title, his relationship with media portrayal, and how the depth of his story has been largely missed.

  "You think you know how your mom feel, your uncles, your aunts, your homeboys, your homegirls. But then when they actually tell you from their point of view how they felt...you didn't see how you was up." (20:26 – Allen Iverson)

• Pushing Against Stereotypes: He unpacks his experiences with the NBA's efforts to curb individuality ("dress code"), the labeling of "thug," and his resolve to remain true.

  "They wanted me on a magazine because of my talent and who I was, but they airbrushed my tattoos off. So you want me, but you...want some of me." (23:13 – Allen Iverson)

3. The Infamous 'Practice' Press Conference

Timestamps: 28:59–32:42

• Setting the Record Straight: The hosts and Iverson delve into the context behind his legendary "practice" rant, revealing the grief and pressure he felt at the time.

  "Best friend just got killed...I'm coming in there, like, I'm on cloud nine...This dude just keep on asking me about practice, practice, practice." (31:45 – Allen Iverson)

• Emotional Impact: AI admits embarrassment but views openness as his gift, hoping his story can help others.

  "I'm embarrassed about—not really embarrassed, but it wasn't smart for me to..." (29:01 – Allen Iverson)

4. Public Persona vs. Reality

Timestamps: 33:31–34:57

• Warmth Contrary to Reputation: Jess Hilarious highlights Iverson’s affectionate nature, directly countering labels like "thug."

  "When you see him out, he's the total opposite. He gonna hug you. He gonna ask you how your family is..." (33:50 – Jess Hilarious)

• Iverson Embracing Himself: Iverson’s pride in being authentically himself, not striving to be anyone else.

  "Yes, I wanted to be like Mike growing up, I wanted to be like Mike, yes. But I didn't want to be him...I love being me." (34:23 – Allen Iverson)

5. Self-Reflection, Challenges, and Growth

Timestamps: 45:52–63:46

• Sobriety & Change: AI shares his journey away from alcohol, making clear this decision, supported by his longtime partner, changed his life and outlook.

  "When I told her I was stopping...she prayed on it, and she said that was the only time she ever prayed on it...and I was authentic with it." (48:15 – Allen Iverson)

• Relationship Growth: He opens up about his relationship with Tawanna—divorce, reconciliation, and growth—admitting faults and the transformative power of real love.

  "I know in my heart and in my mind that I can't live without her...I took her love for me for granted." (60:15 – Allen Iverson)

• On Therapy & Pressure: The difficulty and necessity of finding peace, balancing fame, and affirming boundaries.

  "It's so much. You go out, when you come in the crib, man, it's supposed to be peace...fall on the couch and...done made it through the storm." (64:36 – Allen Iverson)

6. Connection to Fans & Legacy in Philadelphia

Timestamps: 67:42–70:51

• Philly Love: Iverson describes his unique, enduring bond with Philadelphia, rooted in playing "every game like it was my last."

  "I think I have the best relationship with a fan base, I think, in sports history..." (68:01 – Allen Iverson)

7. Embracing Individuality and Inspiring Others

Timestamps: 71:15–73:43

• Cultural Influence: Iverson expresses pride in how his individuality paved the way for athletes and artists now celebrated for their uniqueness.

  "Now I finally get a chance to...man, you was wrong...that ain't what it is..." (71:15 – Allen Iverson)

• Final Reflection: He shares his philosophy—don't question God's plan, live, laugh, love, and be unapologetically yourself.

  "He driving his car and I'm just sitting there, ride shotgun. Wherever he take me, that's where I'm going." (73:43 – Allen Iverson)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On why saying “no” hurts:

  "You throw your kids in there...everybody know Christmas on the 25th...But, man, my kids ain't gonna have nothing...What I supposed to do?" (07:39 – Allen Iverson)

• On stereotypes and NBA culture:

  "Why would everybody dress the same? You got different basketball games. Why everybody look the same?" (27:22 – Allen Iverson)

• On practicing gratitude:

  "When I pray, I pray for my family, I pray for my friends...I'll handle the rest." (39:22 – Allen Iverson)

• On being the people’s champion:

  "I'm not a thug. I'm not a gangster...I love it, you know people coming to me, 'AI, what you doing here?'...I'm shopping like you." (38:35 – Allen Iverson)

• On authenticity and inspiration:

  "All I want is for people to get out of it, man—it's all right to be you." (73:43 – Allen Iverson)

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Important Timestamps

• 02:16 – Allen Iverson opens up about navigating fame, loyalty, and friendships
• 06:20 – On the cost of saying "no" to people he loves
• 12:33 – Describes taking care of his friends without expectation
• 19:21 – Discussing being misunderstood and the evolution of his image
• 23:13 – On the NBA dress code and being stereotyped
• 31:45 – Behind the emotion of the "practice" press conference
• 39:22 – Expresses gratitude for his life and status
• 48:15 – Story of giving up alcohol and how it changed him
• 60:15 – The depth of his relationship with (ex-)wife Tawanna after divorce and reconciliation
• 68:01 – On the unique relationship with Philadelphia fans
• 71:15 – Final reflections on individuality and sharing his story

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Tone & Style

The conversation is open, raw, and intimate, with Iverson speaking earnestly and sometimes humorously, unafraid to be vulnerable and reflective. The hosts probe supportively, offering admiration, relatability, and room for Iverson’s candid self-exploration.

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Takeaways

• Allen Iverson’s legacy extends far beyond basketball—it’s about resilience, self-acceptance, and redefining authenticity for generations.
• His book ‘Misunderstood’ and upcoming documentary are less a defense than a gift—empowering others to love themselves, learn from his mistakes, and thrive unapologetically.
• Genuine connection and pain: At every stage—from friendships, family, and fans to hard lessons with money and trust—Ai’s story is a testament to the cost and reward of being real.
• Being "the people’s champ" matters to Iverson as much as (if not more than) championships, and his impact on culture, fashion, and the NBA endures.

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“All I want is for people to get out of it, man—it’s all right to be you. It’s all right… Live and laugh and love, man.”
—Allen Iverson (73:43)

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Transcript

[Podcast Host]

This is an I Heart podcast.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Narrator (Graves County Podcast)]

The murder of an 18 year old girl in Graves County, Kentucky went unsolved for years until a local housewife, a journalist and a handful of girls came forward with a story.

[Allen Iverson]

America, y' all better wake the hell up. Bad things happens to good people in small towns.

[Narrator (Graves County Podcast)]

Listen to Graves county on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts and to binge the entire season ad free. Subscribe to Lava for Good plus on Apple Podcasts.

[True Crime Podcast Host]

Short on time, but big on true crime. On a recent episode of the podcast Hunting for Answers, I highlighted the story of 19 year old Lashay Dungy. But she never knocked on that door. She never made it inside. And that text message would be the last time anyone would ever hear from her. Listen to Hunting for Answers from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Allen Iverson]

Every day I wake up.

[DJ Envy]

Wake your ass up. The Breakfast Club.

[Allen Iverson]

Y' all finish or y' all done?

[Jess Hilarious]

Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy. Jess. Hilarious Charlamagne. The God we are the Breakfast Club. Lauren laros is here as well. We got a special guest in the building.

[DJ Envy]

Come on, man. Another cultural icon. We having a week of cultural icons, brother.

[Jess Hilarious]

AI. Allen Iveson, Bumbache, whatever you want to call him, Mr. 757. He's in the building. New book, Misunderstood is out right now. Allen Iverson, ladies and gentlemen. How you feeling, man? Good.

[Allen Iverson]

Life. Life be life. It's same fight, different round, you know what I mean? I want to. Before we start. How much time we got?

[Jess Hilarious]

As much time as you want, bro.

[DJ Envy]

What you mean?

[Allen Iverson]

Because I don't know how where this going to go, but look, man, friends. All right, so I know you know what type of I mean. I'm just mean, Jess. But you know, you know how you get to know somebody from. From afar and you can basically kind of tell what type of person they are, you know what I mean? Obviously I've known you since I was in high school and big fan of you, bro. Move closer.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay.

[Allen Iverson]

My bad friendships, man, it's hard, you know what I mean? Cause when you think about your friend, obviously, you know, you can't choose your family members, you know what I mean? You born into that. But your friends, you feel like, you know, y' all got so much in common with each other, and you have so much love for them because, you know, they kind of like a. Basically a reflection of you or you got the same type of things in common or whatever, and you just grow to love them like family. They become, you know, the guys become brothers and your homegirls become your sisters. But it's rough, man, navigating through that, you know what I mean? I know how much I love my family, my friends. I got so much flack when I first got into the league, you know what I mean? It was the entourage.

[DJ Envy]

Absolutely.

[Allen Iverson]

Bringing your homeboys from where you from, you trust them so much, you love them. You want them to go on a ride with you. You want them to take this journey, you know, through it is new to me. I've been poor my whole life, and then snap of a finger, I'm rich and famous, and it's a lot, you know what I mean? So you want to have so many people around you that you love and you trust, you know what I mean? And the money, man, just. You know what I mean? It just, you know, and it's so different for me. And it's so hard for me because with my athletic ability that I was blessed with, I've been like this since I was 8 years old. Like, I always felt that I was rich when I was poor. I always been famous, you know what I mean? When I was 8 years old, I go in the barbershop and guys, 17, 18, 20, 25 years old, guys like, oh, shit, there you go, you know, that's the one right there. That's him. So it's always been that for me. I always had that attention, you know what I mean? I always been like that. And, you know, once I got some money, it was no different for me. Obviously. I could do things with my family and my friends that I couldn't do before. You know, that's. That goes without saying. And I've never had a person, you know, my nickname, obviously, you know, my name, Chuck, you know, I've never heard a person say, you know, once Chuck got some money, he changed. Once Chuck got to the NBA, he changed. You know, I've never heard that, you know, before. Cause, you know, the people that know me and love me and the people that I love know I'm me, you know, I mean, that's one of my biggest fears, or had been one of my biggest fears of looking in the mirror and not being able to recognize, you know, well, my mom and the people that I love not be able to recognize who I see. You know what I mean? It meant something to me. But, man, just the painful lessons of friends not being who you think they. They are. When you add the root of all evil and the things.

[DJ Envy]

Did something just recently happen?

[Jess Hilarious]

It.

[Allen Iverson]

It happens. And the reason, definitely it happens all the time, but I feel a pendulum swinging in another direction as far as how I feel about it, like how it used to hurt me, you know what I mean? You tell someone you want to find out if somebody, your friend, you tell them no once.

[DJ Envy]

That's right.

[Allen Iverson]

That's right. You know what I mean? That's right. And their reaction would say it all, you know what I mean? Chuck, hey, man, I got a business opportunity. I want to start this. I want to start that, man. Can you give me 100,000? And you don't even have to tell them no. You can say, not right now, later on, but these are the same people. Pay their rent, pay their. Over the years, child support, you know what I mean? You know, pay your mom rent. You know, this, that.

[DJ Envy]

Lawyer fees.

[Allen Iverson]

Lawyer fees. Every time you go to a jewelry store, you taking them, you know, because the. The most awkward feeling is, you know, for me, this is just me growing up, being young and. And not knowing early in the preliminary stages of getting some money, you know what I mean? Like, I don't want to be shining and looking good and my homeboy's not. So when I go see Manny, you know what I mean? They going, you know what I mean? When I get caused, they get caused, you know what I mean? Like. And, you know, it's just like, when you tell them no, the way they, you know, they act, you know, somebody saying, yo, man, what's up with your man, AI? You know what's up with him, man, fuck that nigga.

[DJ Envy]

Damn.

[Allen Iverson]

You know what I mean?

[DJ Envy]

Like, after reading your book, nobody should question your loyalty or ever say, fuck it. Not the way you took care of.

[Jess Hilarious]

People, what you seen. But do you regret that?

[Allen Iverson]

Cause, I mean, I. I took Virginia with you everywhere you went. That's where I say the pendulum is swinging. That's what. That's why I say or feel that my maturation is on a higher level now. Because back then, when Some traumatic would happen to me like that. Or I see how they act for me telling them no, like, you know what I mean? Like, it's like I feel myself not giving a damn anymore. Like, you know what I mean? Like, I'm talking about the same people that come to me, you know, be at my practice, 8 o' clock in the morning, you know, Christmas Eve, saying what their kids don't have, you know what I mean? And one thing about the people that you love and people that love you or supposed to love you, is they know you better than anybody. They know my heart. You throw your kids in there, you know what I mean? Everybody know Christmas on the 25th of December every year, you know what I mean? But man, my kids ain't gonna have nothing, you know what I mean? What I supposed to do?

[DJ Envy]

And something you said in the book that hit me too is you was like, man, you was that kid. So you understood what it felt to not have. When they came to you, you was like, I gotta do it.

[Allen Iverson]

And I had the mother and the father that hustled to get us what they could, but they couldn't get us things, you know, I wanted a moped for Christmas. I wanted certain things. And then you wake up that morning and it's not there. You know, you may have a, you know, pair of sneakers or a T shirt and that'd be the only thing you get, you know what I mean? So, you know, I ain't never want my homeboys, kids to, you know, look at them crazy. And now, you know, like I've. I've years ago, you know, I've ran into the craziest shit. But years ago, you know, money got funny, you know what I mean? And you know, I had realized at a point, like, I ain't have the word no in my vocabulary when it come to people, you know what I mean? Like I. I was so used to. I never held anybody accountable for why I had to be the one taking care of everybody, you know what I mean? I was the one going to work every single day. I was breaking bones, stitches, hunted stitches in my face, you know what I mean? And it just taught me a lot, man. And now, you know, I know life be lifeing, but to be still dealing with those type of people and caring about how they feel when you know what you've done for them. You know, you wake up and some people wake up in their life just not where they wanted to be. And the first thing you could think of is blame it on Chuck, you know, and Figure out some way that I can blame it on somebody, somebody else to. Why my life is not what it is.

[Jess Hilarious]

Did you ever have imposter syndrome? And the reason I asked is you talk about all that, right? And I remember the bowling alley incident in Virginia. And it feels like regardless of what happened in va, you always came back and you always wanted to show the love no matter what happened. You talk about the people you put on the city was against you. And Virginia could have been racist back then. It was really racist back then. We all seen it. But you still came back to that 757 to show love.

[Allen Iverson]

I am va. I am va. It's me. It's in me. You know what I mean? And the crazy, crazy thing about. I was just talking to my man about this before we got in here. So I had to do all this stuff, you know, all my media runs and all that. Yesterday I signed thousand books and, you know, take a thousand pictures, you know what I mean, with the people that bought the books. Beautiful. But I was, you know, I was tired and right after that is my daughter's birthday and I had to, you know, she wanted to be with me, so I had to, you know, take care of her after all of that. And I got done, Maybe I started six, got done like maybe 10 o'. Clock. She wanted to go bowling and wanted.

[Jess Hilarious]

To go to a.

[Allen Iverson]

Escape room. Okay. But I had no idea that, that the escape room was like you're in a jail cell, you know what I mean? So I'm like, yo, this, this is your life for real. Like out of all the places that she want to go on her birthday.

[DJ Envy]

A bowling alley and a God in.

[Allen Iverson]

A jail, you know what I mean? Escape room. But she's smart, cuz.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You got to figure out how she probably figured out how to get y' all out of there.

[Allen Iverson]

But I'm, you know, I'm, I'm thinking like the last place I want to be from my memory is in a jail and then a bowling alley, you know what I mean? So, I mean, I want to go.

[DJ Envy]

Back to your friends thing real quick, right? Because even in the book, there's nobody that felt like that was around you that didn't help you in some way, shape or form, so you was repaying them. Like you talk about how when you was in jail, they was taking care of your mom and they were the ones that would tell you, you know, you're not going to be hustling, you're going to be playing ball. So it wasn't like you just had a bunch of leeches around. It was people that looked out for you, so you looked back out for them.

[Allen Iverson]

You know what? I would have done it anyway. Like, I ain't never expected. Like, if I. If I, you know, if I look out for one of my. My homeboys, my homegirls, I don't expect you to give it back. You know what I mean? I ain't never asked for nothing back. You know what I mean? I just feel like me being the head of the snake, you know, it's like me, the perfect example. It's like me being on our 2001 team, went to the finals. I'm the killer. Everybody know that. This is the guy gonna put the ball in the basket. This is what he do. Now, what we do is compliment him. We do everything else. All his deficiencies, things that he can't do on the defensive end of the. You know, of the court. You know, he's lead the leading steals year after year. But you gotta gamble. And when he gamble, Dikembe is there to make sure I'm good. Theo is there. The block shots make sure I'm good. They could do all of the things that I couldn't do. And that's what made Voltron, you know what I mean? You put all those things together, and it was me and a bunch of dogs, you know what I mean? And it's the same thing with my friendship. Yeah, he's the guy, you know what I mean? He's like us, but he's not like us, you know, he is AI. So we gotta act accordingly. So that. Yeah, he chucked to us, you know what I mean? But people look at him another way. So I have a role. I have to do this. This is my part. This is what I have to do. You know what I mean? This is what I have to do, you know? And I don't know. I don't know if I said that, but looking out for my mom financially is totally different than going around there and checking on. You know what I mean? It was never. No, you know, like. Like I did when it came to. To their family.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah.

[Allen Iverson]

You know what I mean?

[DJ Envy]

Another thing, too, and maybe this could be part of what you're feeling right now. It seemed like the whole team had a dream. It wasn't you supposed to get on in basketball. You was supposed to get on in basketball, and then everybody else was supposed to make it in rap, so everybody was supposed to be doing their own thing.

[Allen Iverson]

I didn't have the. I didn't have the LeBron James, Mav, Randy and Rich blueprint. I didn't have that blueprint, you know what I mean? I'm like, look, we gonna get in where we fit in, you know what I mean? Like, I had one of my homeboys tell me, like, I'm going to work every day, Working every day. Matt's supposed to be a superstar by now, you know what I mean? I'm going to work. I'm like. Like, I've had incidents. Like, you know, I'm. I'm getting ready to go on the road, and it was a casino, you know what I mean? And I go to the bank, I get 50,000. They got 30,000 in large and 20,000 in, you know, 20s. And I'm getting on the plane. My man come, I give him the 20,000. He looked at it like it was something wrong with it because it was all twenties, you know what I mean? Like, yo, did this, you know, really just. Did that really just happen, you know what I mean? Like, and it's. It's like, you know, you can. You can. You thinking you doing what's right, but you only. You're not holding people accountable, right? You're being a crutch for them. It's like putting a band aid on something, you know what I mean? You're not stitching it up, you know what I mean? Not stapling it up, you know what I mean? And they always feel like that. You know what I mean? But, like, the hurtful part is the response of actually saying no, probably because they never heard it. Like, when I implemented that in my vocabulary, like, no, what. You know what I mean? And. And like, for somebody, I'm. I'm built so different. Like, some. Somebody just, like, envy getting me a barber. Like, that's gonna be something that resonate with me forever. I know we already got a relationship, you know what I mean? But still, like, I needed a barber in New York. My man looked out for me. Like, that goes a long way with me. But you can do a million things for somebody, you know what I mean? The first time, you know what I mean? And I was. And I was warned about it, you know, Aaron McKee told me. He said, chuck, just. You know what I mean? When you cutting your grass, you know what I mean? And you getting them snakes out of there, you ask somebody, you know, let them ask you for something and tell them no, you know what I mean? And I think I'm doing a great job of cutting it, but you still got the little small, you know? The snakes might be gone, but some worms in there, some small, you know what I'm saying?

[DJ Envy]

You know, right now it's Charles Barkley and a whole bunch of people saying, we was trying to tell him this 30 years ago.

[Allen Iverson]

Yeah, but when you, when you like, it's just like the basketball aspect, everything. I ain't never think that I would retire that early, you know what I mean? Man, I ain't never had no backup plan like growing up. Once my mom told me I could be anything I wanted to be. I wanted to be an NBA basketball player. And that was, was no B, C, D. It was just that, that one dream, you know what I mean? I didn't have no blueprint. I ain't even had nobody in my family that went to college, you know what I mean? Nobody ever been married, you know what I mean? Everything was new to me. I was doing everything on the fly, you know what I mean? So my mistakes was coming at a rapid pace, you know what I mean? And you think Coach Thompson used to always tell me, you always listen everybody else. You're always listening to somebody that's never been to, you know, from A to Z telling you how to get there, you know what I mean? And that's what I was. I had everybody that wasn't me and never had the experience telling me how to do it.

[Jess Hilarious]

Now you talk about your BC plan, right? You see what Michael Vick is doing with Norfolk State?

[Allen Iverson]

Absolutely.

[Jess Hilarious]

Have you ever thought about coaching?

[Allen Iverson]

No.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Why not?

[Jess Hilarious]

Because they would listen to you, right? Especially if you go to hbcu, they would definitely listen.

[Allen Iverson]

I've been, I've been one of the players, you know what I mean? Yeah, coach make millions of dollars, but you got these guys making. That's why I take my hat off to anybody that coaches NBA, you know what I mean? Like, you have a unique talent, you know what I mean? To have a bunch of guys with a bunch of egos. Everybody come from being a man and then you put them on a team and everybody got the same goal. And I just don't feel like, you know, I could coach a guy, a bunch of guys to make more money than me. Listen to me for what? That's why it's a God given talent. Any NBA coach that make it that far blessed.

[DJ Envy]

Not even NBA coaches. You talk about in the book how you fouled out and you had to be on the sideline and you just was watching it from your coach's perspective. I think that was in high school maybe. And you was like, damn, this what he see.

[Allen Iverson]

Yeah, yeah.

[DJ Envy]

I wanna ask you about the title of the book, man. Do you think you were misunderstood? Is that the title of the book? Or did people outside of your circle just not take the time to understand you?

[Allen Iverson]

You're a smart dude sometimes, a lot. This is one of my favorite shows. So I, you know, I see the good days and the bad days. You been ducking. You've been ducking this for a long time. I'mma come. I'm gonna come up. I watch Dame come up here. It's for real. Get it? Get real. I think this. I think they can answer it better. My perspective is, you know, they were learning on the fly, too. It's like, you know, with my documentary that's coming out, it was like a three hours long. I think I cried like two and a half hours of it. I had to keep walking out of the theater, you know, because you think, you know, when it comes to people that love you, you think you know how they feel about, you know, turbulent times.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Allen Iverson]

You know what I mean? And you think you know how they feel. You think your girl know. You think. You think you know how your girl feel. You think, you know how your mom feel, your uncles, your aunts, your homeboys, your homegirls. But then when they actually tell you from their point of view how they felt, you know, and how they looked at things and how I didn't see how I was up, you know what I mean? How they had to try to address me with certain things, like, you know, you driving the car, we. We riding shotgun, you know what I mean? Like. And it's hard to tell somebody, you know, that's trying to live their life, you know what they should do and what they shouldn't do, you know what I mean? Like, I'm 21 years old, you know what I mean? When I got into the league and at that age, like, you know what I mean? You couldn't. You couldn't tell me nothing.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah.

[Allen Iverson]

You know what I'm saying? Like, I'm here, you know what I mean? Like, the dress code. I'm like, I dress like the dudes, the drug dealers from my neighborhood. Like, you know, I'm dressing like this because, you know, this what I. The old heads from my neighborhood, this how they dress, you know what I mean? I just couldn't afford it, you know what I mean? My cornrows, I got cornrows because I was tired of barbers messing my hair up. I'm like, damn, if I just grow my hair, you know, I Ain't got to deal with that. You know, tattoos just got addictive. I got one. I couldn't afford them. I would have been. Got a lot of them. And, you know, I was playing everything by ear. Like I said, I didn't have. My daddy was a hustler, you know what I mean? He was in the streets. My mom in the streets. Like, I didn't have no. You know, I didn't have nobody sit.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You down and give you structure. Yo, this is how.

[Allen Iverson]

You wasn't no Coach Thompson then.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Allen Iverson]

You know what I mean? Wasn't. Those people. They weren't in my life yet. So all of that was where he was. He was. But it was. It was. He was there, you know, when I got to the NBA, me and his phone calls was, you know, you all right? We never talked about basketball. You all right? Yeah, I'm all right. All right. I'm just checking on y'. All. Swanna, she good. How the kids? You know what I mean? And that was it. He was allowing me and thinking. He was preparing me at Georgetown for what was the inevitable. Me going to the league. But you can't prepare for that, bro. How was that pressure, though?

[Jess Hilarious]

Cause the nicest player, right? But you change culture. But when you change the culture, the NBA pushed back against it, but you never broke. You never folded, even though you. They could have said. They could have been AI and said, now, we don't want you in our league. But you never folded. You never backed down, and you kept it that way, which hurt you at times. Why was that?

[Allen Iverson]

They profited off it, too. You know what I mean? Like, I. I would be on. One of the things that hurt me is I was on a magazine. They wanted me on a magazine because of my talent and who I was, but they airbrushed my tattoos off. So you want me, but. But you. You know, you want some of me. I took the ass whooping for it. But the dress code thing, like, I actually was just. You know what I mean? I was 21. Where am I going after the game? Going to the club. You know what I mean? Like, before that, they were used to dudes wearing suits, and. You know what I mean? I was like, man, I've never worn a suit. Growing up, going to church or to a funeral. The only time I put on a.

[DJ Envy]

Suit in the courtroom.

[Allen Iverson]

In the courtroom, I definitely. In the courtroom. So I never wore a suit to the gym, to play, to the park. Sweatsuit, you know what I mean? Or whatever, you know what I'm saying? So I ain't think, I ain't think nothing of it, you know what I mean? And then, you know, I got some money, so the jewelry. And I always had a fetish, me and my mom, since I was a little kid, you know what I mean? It's always been like that. So, you know, I remember being in college and my teammates like, yo, when you get to the league, man, you gonna get the jewelry like Pac, you know what I mean? You gonna have the jewelry like Puff, you know what I mean? Yeah. You know, and the first thing, like when the first thing I did was come up here and went to Tito, you know what I'm saying? Like, I didn't think I was living, you know what I mean? And David Stern and rest of the NBA was like, nah. Because it was all right when I was doing it. But then everybody else said, okay, like, he can do that. We can do this. So then everybody, you know, you see Kobe coming in with the diamond chains on and the baggy clothes and, you know, everybody started doing it. Then the league was like, hold on, we gotta do something about that. So it wasn't anything malicious, like. And that, in that, that whole situation showed me a lot. It proved a lot to me at a young age about stereotyping people. Because, you know, when you seen John Gotti, John Gotti kept on a $2,000 suit.

[DJ Envy]

But what was he. That's right.

[Jess Hilarious]

He get busy.

[Allen Iverson]

Yeah. You know what I mean? So it ain't about what you got on. You watch Reservoir Dogs.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah.

[Allen Iverson]

What they have on when they, when they rob that suit.

[DJ Envy]

Absolutely.

[Allen Iverson]

You know what I'm saying? So it ain't about, you know, what you got on on the outside is who you are.

[Jess Hilarious]

And they said that bother you the most when they labeled you a thug?

[Allen Iverson]

Yeah. You know what I mean? I'm, I, I, I, I be cool with, I'll be cool with, you know, a street dude cool with that. Cuz that's what I am. I mean, that's where I come from. That's all I've ever been around in my life. That's what I grew up around. You know what I mean? But a thug like n, that's a, that's a stretch.

[DJ Envy]

I was wondering, would you change things? And the reason I asked that, because even in the book you understood you had to wear a suit to court, but you didn't want to do it for press conferences in the NBA.

[Allen Iverson]

I was bad advice. Like, I was, I was, you know, I was told to take a.

[DJ Envy]

Go.

[Allen Iverson]

To trial and go off whatever the judge say, opposed to having a jury. That was bad advice, you know what I mean? Some of the advice. I was getting advice from people that never had been through it, you know what I mean? I was told that if I wore a suit then they'd be lenient. I was, yeah, I was extremely wrong.

[DJ Envy]

So you wish you to just water. Yeah.

[Allen Iverson]

I remember, I remember that same suit. I was in a, in a sale. It was 100 degrees with no, no fans in there. In a holding sale. I was in a four man sale with 15 people, you know what I mean? And that suit, when they came got me, I was in the corner with my boxes on, you know what I mean? Soaking wet and the suit was balled up in the corner. When they came and got me out of there, I had on my boxes, you know what I mean? So. I don't know, I.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Do you regret anything?

[Allen Iverson]

Nah. Because I wouldn't be who I am now, you know what I mean? Anybody. If I died and came back, I would, man, I'd rather be me all over again. But if I change everything if I knew it was coming, anybody gonna. If you're going down a one way street, you gonna get on the right side of the road, you see the track trailer coming, you know it's coming, you know what I mean? That prepared me to be the man that I am today. I had to take this ass whooping with the dress code. So now look at everybody. Everybody give me my flowers for that, you know what I mean? For. You got them all these personalities. Why would everybody dress the same? You got different basketball games. Why everybody look the same? You got different games and people feel good about themselves when you. I love it. I'm thinking about, you know, when it's time to go somewhere. It was time to go to a club or whatever. I ain't battling with the dudes at the club, you know what I mean? I can't wait to meet everybody downstairs, see what everybody got on, you know what I mean? Like, I want to be, you know, I want to be smoother than my man, you know what I mean? Like that, that make you feel good, you look good, you play good. Even on the court. I wanted to look like a superhero, like, like Michael Jordan used to look, you know what I mean? Like, I wouldn't, I wouldn't, I wouldn't, I wouldn't change. I wouldn't change anything, man. In my life, all of these experience, even with the book, man, it's like I love, like I, I, my, my girl always Talked to me about why do you let, like, what I started talking about in the beginning. Why do you let that type of shit bother you?

[DJ Envy]

How about the practice press conference?

[Allen Iverson]

No, just. Just with my friends. How people. You know what I mean? It's like, why? And. And, yeah, I don't know. You know what I mean? Like, I love the people that I love, and it hurt when they show you who they really are. Of course, because I'm thinking you somebody else. You know what I mean? And she, like, you know, why do you stress out over stuff like that? And what you different. You have a talent, and you. You're blessed to be able to brush that stuff off. It's hard for me. Now, my talent, obviously, is, you know, legendary. With who? But I think another blessed blessing that I have is to be an open book, to be someone I'm embarrassed about. Practice rent. I'm in. Embarrassed about. Not really embarrassed, but it wasn't smart for me to, you know, because I. I remember, you know, people telling me, AI, you cannot take care of everybody. And I used to let it go on one ear and right out the other, like, yo, you know what I mean? I'm gonna be the exception to the rule. I'm gonna take care of the people that I love. Like, that's just me, you know what I mean? And.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I think that's why I hurt you so bad, because your heart is in it. You love these people, you know? Yeah, yeah, yeah, you Superman. But you still have a heart, you know what I mean?

[Allen Iverson]

And you, like, but this is. But this is my. This is my gift. Like, this is my gift to this book, this, this documentary, my experiences, the turbulent, the ups and downs. Like, if one kid or one adult, whatever, read this book and they can take something from it. I have people come to me all the time, be like, yo, man, you inspired my life, man. I would have died if it was for you. I would have went to jail for the rest of my life. You know what I mean? Like, you. You changed my life. You know, you inspire me. You know, your story and this, that, and the third, like, and that. That motivate me, you know what I mean? Like, to. To give more, like, to. To Even when you embarrassed, you're uncomfortable, you know, talk about it. Somebody might not have to go through it. Somebody might. You might save somebody's life.

[DJ Envy]

I agree.

[Allen Iverson]

You know what I mean? Like, talking about. Talk about it, you know what I mean? You might not be, you know, man, you was on top of the world. You had all the money you know what I mean? All you had to do. It's easy for a motherfucker to tell Chuck what to do with his. Easy for somebody to say, what I would have did, man, if I was him, I would have did. You ain't me, motherfucker. You know what I mean? You don't know how. I'm sorry.

[DJ Envy]

Do your thing.

[Allen Iverson]

You, not me. You know what I mean? I make mistakes. I'm human, just like you.

[DJ Envy]

That's why we love you. And I love how the whole book Misunderstood is literally an explanation as to why the whole infamous practice press conference even happened, because you was dealing with so much at the time. So it wasn't even about, you know, those people in the room. It's everything else that was going on outside, man.

[Allen Iverson]

Best friend just. Just got killed. You know what I mean? I'm like, I'm coming in there. But Charlamagne, I'm coming in there, like. Like, I'm. I'm on cloud nine. I'm like, yo, I get, you know, my kids dealing with this. Like, they going to school every day, and their classmates, tell your daddy, don't leave. Tell your daddy, don't leave. You know, my wife going, you know, she out in the city. People tell your husband, please don't leave. We love them, so they going through it, you know what I mean? My kids don't really understand. Daddy don't. Don't get traded. Don't leave. Like, I don't have no control over it. So when they called me in there and was like, yo, you ain't going nowhere. So I'm like, shit, can we call a press conference? You know what I mean? Yeah. Got all everybody in there. I get to tell the world I ain't going nowhere. This dude just keep on asking me about practice, practice, practice. You know what I mean? I'm like, practice, yeah. You know what I'm saying? I'm like, this is not what we here for. This is we. I mean, let's rejoice. Let's be happy.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Allen Iverson]

You know what I mean? But it's you. You. If. You know what I know, you got beat writers that write every day. And then, you know, I was telling Stephen A. On this show yesterday, like, they want exclusives. You turn them down for exclusive, the first chance they get, kicking you back in, they're gonna kick. You know what I mean? And it was him. I'm sitting there looking at him, you know what I mean? Like. And if I was. If I was prepared, which I wasn't. If I was Prepared. I'm like, yo, man, I was the MVP last season. The best player in the whole world. You know what I mean? Coming from where I come from. And if I didn't practice, how would I be able to accomplish something like that? I must be really good, you know what I mean? Like. But I wasn't prepared for it like that because I was so emotional and angry that, you know, this is about being happy, man.

[Jess Hilarious]

That's what the misunderstood is about. Right? One thing I would say about AI is if you ever see him out, he's gonna talk to you. He's gonna hug you. Like, he's. And it's funny when people say, you from the street or when they labeled you a thug, I'm like, when you see him out, he's the total opposite. He gonna hug you. He gonna ask you how your family is.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Jess Hilarious]

Right when he used to have a look at it, he gonna kiss you.

[Allen Iverson]

On your forehead and be like, brother, I love you.

[Jess Hilarious]

Like, no, for real, I love you.

[Allen Iverson]

And he goes.

[Jess Hilarious]

And he means it, and he means well for all his people. And that's the side I don't think people see. I was saying something the other day.

[DJ Envy]

I was like. I was walking down the street in.

[Jess Hilarious]

Virginia, and Charlamagne was like, if you was walking.

[Allen Iverson]

I was like.

[Jess Hilarious]

I was walking down the street and.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Hey, I pulled up.

[Jess Hilarious]

Envy, what's up?

[Allen Iverson]

Hop out the car.

[Jess Hilarious]

How's your family? Gave me a hug.

[Allen Iverson]

No, forget what you doing tonight.

[Jess Hilarious]

You got something to say? All right, I'm gonna come.

[Allen Iverson]

Then.

[Jess Hilarious]

Text me later on. Yo, I'm sleeping. I ain't gonna bring it. I'm like, yeah, but that's him with everybody. And I'm like, that's the side that people.

[Allen Iverson]

The people's. I look at it like. I look at it like. I watch. I watch people and how they get down. And I'm like, damn. I would never. You know what I mean? But TJ's on, you know, me being me is, you know, the best thing in the world to me. Yes. I wanted to be like Mike growing up, I wanted to be like Mike, yes. But I didn't want to be him. You know what I mean? Like, I love being me. Everybody else is taking up anyway, you know what I mean? Like, I love who I am. I never disrespect my God.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Allen Iverson]

All I know is what I've been told and that to half truth is a whole lie.

[Narrator (Graves County Podcast)]

For almost a decade, the murder of an 18 year old girl from a small town in Graves County, Kentucky went unsolved until a local homemaker, a journalist and a handful of girls came forward with a story.

[Allen Iverson]

I'm telling you, we know Quincy killed her.

[Narrator (Graves County Podcast)]

We know a story that law enforcement used to convict six people and that got the citizen investigator on national tv.

[Allen Iverson]

Through sheer persistence and nerve, this Kentucky housewife helped give justice to Jessica Curran.

[Narrator (Graves County Podcast)]

My name is Maggie Freeling. I'm a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist producer and I wouldn't be here if the truth were that easy to find.

[DJ Envy]

I did not know her and I.

[Allen Iverson]

Did not kill her or rape or burn or any of that other stuff.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That y' all said. They literally made me say that I took a match and struck and threw it on her. They made me say that I poured gas on her.

[Narrator (Graves County Podcast)]

From Lava For Good. This is Graves County, a show about just how far our legal system will go in order to find someone to blame.

[Allen Iverson]

America, y' all better wake the hell up. Bad things happens to good people and small towns.

[Narrator (Graves County Podcast)]

Listen to Graves county in the Bone Valley feed on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And to binge the entire season ad free, subscribe to Lava for Good plus on Apple Podcast.

[Allen Iverson]

By wanting to be something else. I never disrespect him, you know what I mean, by wanting to be somebody else. I love. I didn't win a championship, but I'm the people's champ. I love facts, you know, people coming to me, AI, what you doing here? I'm in Walmart or I'm in Target on the grocery store, you know what I mean? What you doing in here, man? I'm shopping like you, you know what I mean? Where's your entourage? Where's your security? Man, that part of my life is. I just. Man, I'm not a thug. I'm not a gangster, you know, who hurt me for what? You know what I mean? What am I scared to just. You know what I mean? Like, what am I. I always say.

[DJ Envy]

You the only player who didn't win a ring, who feel like a champion because to us, like a champ. I got 10 rings.

[Allen Iverson]

It's crazy that you say that, because I'm blessed. Look at all of the. Look at all of the other things that he's done for me. When I wake up every morning, when I say my prayer, because I don't do it at night. I do it in the morning. I fall asleep and forget watching Sam and Son, you know what I mean? All night and I'm gone. But when I pray, I pray for my family, I pray for my friends, you know what I mean? Keep us healthy, keep us safe. If, you know we sick, cure us, you know what I mean? I ain't never asking for no money. I never asked him for no opportunity. I never. I'll handle the rest. Just keep us safe, keep us healthy. And I'll go out. I'll come out, I'll go out there and open the door and say, what's up, world? What you got to. Got to offer? What's going on today? And navigate through it and tackle it, you know what I mean? Like, I'm blessed, you know what I mean? So a championship, you know what I mean? I'm top 75 all time. You know how many players played this game, man? That's right. Millions and millions and millions. I was said that. I was told that I wasn't even. I was too small. I couldn't make it. You can't make it in this type of game. And, you know, and I'm a Hall of Famer, you know what I mean? All star scoring champion. You know what I mean? Like, I'm just not a champion. You know what I mean? I'm not. We came up short to a juggernaut. Kobe Bryant and Shaquille o' Neal in their prime. You understand? Like, I'm cool with that. You know what I mean? Now I get an opportunity. I'm still here. I get to root for. That's why I want certain people that haven't won a championship to win one. I want them to feel how I never got the opportunity to feel. So when people talk about who you want to win this year, I want to see the guys win that haven't done it before. Gotcha. You know what I mean?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You would do things that nobody ever did if. If you did, you would go so viral these days. You had your mother braiding your head at the game.

[Allen Iverson]

That was at my mom.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What was it?

[Allen Iverson]

Who was it? It was her sister. Okay, so everybody think it was Mommy.

[Commercial Announcer]

Okay.

[Podcast Host]

All right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So that was your aunt. Why wasn't no time before y' all was rushing?

[Allen Iverson]

No, listen. Okay, first of all, you already know Jess and I. And I know you might have. You might not have joked about it, but you. You probably joked about it to your home girls or your homeboys or whatever, because I ain't never had my hair always been long up here. I ain't never had no hang time. I ain't never, never, never. I mean, it's the truth. Never. You know what I mean? And, you know, if you don't put rubber bands in my joint, then they would come out.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Allen Iverson]

So we were actually rushing. I used to. I used to get to the game so late, you know, because I used to leave so late with the traffic going to the game. I used to always get called into. And then I used to Always had to ride on the media strip. The side.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah.

[Allen Iverson]

So playing, it was like first quarter, and I felt, you know, it was coming out and my aunt was in the stands. I was like, yo, she came and just.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, just fix it up.

[Allen Iverson]

I mean, it was simple as that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Back in the game.

[Allen Iverson]

Okay. It was simple as that.

[Podcast Host]

That photo is, like, so loved and cherished now. But when it happened at the time. Did you feel like people, like, loved and cherished the moment? And how did you handle how people would come for your family because you are such a family person?

[Jess Hilarious]

Damn.

[Allen Iverson]

That's a good question. I don't want to say I didn't, I didn't care, but it was like, what you going to do? Like, there's nothing you can, you can't. I'm not gonna change. I couldn't change what people think about me. This book not gonna change what people think. This documentary motherfucker don't like you. They don't like you. They hate you. They hate you. They gonna find some reason, you know, they gonna find some reason to not like you. And that's what you deal with. And it's like, I had to learn that early. Like, you know what I mean? Like, like for real, like, everybody not gonna love you, you know what I mean? You just concentrate on the ones that do. You just appreciate the ones that, that, that love you, you know what I mean? I mean, they gonna say crazy shit, you know what I mean? I heard somebody say Michael Jackson can't sing, you know, Like, I mean, I've heard it when you ranking people and you know what I mean? Ranking where AI stand in this? And, and, and you know what I mean? Like, you paying attention to what the comments and what people say. And man, listen, you gonna be hurt for a while. Like, the comments even on Instagram, like, I, I posted a picture of my daughter up there and dude, I looking at the comments for whatever reason, you know what I mean? Like, I need my ego stroke anymore, you know what I mean? Look, man, fuck that little ugly bitch.

[DJ Envy]

Lord, that man, you know what I mean?

[Allen Iverson]

I'm like, damn. I'm like, okay, I don't do the comments no more, you know what I mean?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Get off of there.

[Allen Iverson]

Turn back on San Franisun, you know what I'm saying? It's like people gonna, you know, that's what they do. Cause a lot of times people, and we talked about that earlier, they wake up and they mad at their own life and, you know, that's just, that's the world we, the world we, we live in. That's the reason I can't be a, A commentator.

[DJ Envy]

Commentator.

[Allen Iverson]

Yeah, yeah. Like, I'm not getting up there talking bad about nobody, man.

[DJ Envy]

You talk about that in the book.

[Allen Iverson]

I, I just, I just, that's not something that, because if, just think about it, if you're an NBA basketball player and you never get in the game and everybody think You a bum. Put them in again. How you get there, first of all, right, and then put them on the court, you know what I mean, with anybody else. Put them in the ymca, put him on the court, on the college court, you know what I mean? High school, whatever. It looked like Michael Jordan out there, you know what I mean? And I just respect everybody that made it, because I know what I actually went through, you know what I mean? I went through a lot to get there. Like, I ended up being the first pick in the draft, and a couple years ago, I was getting released from. From jail, you know what I'm saying? So I don't know. I just respect people that.

[DJ Envy]

That.

[Allen Iverson]

That want to do something and don't let nobody stop them from trying to do it.

[Jess Hilarious]

I seen also that you.

[Allen Iverson]

I seen an interview.

[Jess Hilarious]

You gave up drinking six months ago.

[Allen Iverson]

Yeah.

[Jess Hilarious]

What got you to that point where you said, this is enough?

[Allen Iverson]

It was. It was. I'll be lying if I would say it just. Just stopped the brother, you know what I mean? It was. It was situations, you know what I mean? I. You know, where's my at? You know what I mean? Like, I know I put it here, you know what I mean? It's the same thing with having certain guys around you. Everybody, when they.

[Jess Hilarious]

Your people.

[Allen Iverson]

Your people know when you drunk. Yo, just chill, man. Just give him two more glasses of dawn, man. Hey, yo, man, I'm up right now, man. God damn it. I need you. You know what I'm saying, man, My dis going on. That going on, man. I need you. Waited till I get this in, because when I.

[Jess Hilarious]

And.

[Allen Iverson]

And Emmy just talked about it. When I get. Nice, man. We're giving you the shirt, man. Yo, I went to sleep last night. I had 25,000 on me, man. I got 1200.

[DJ Envy]

Couldn't wait to run to the liquor.

[Allen Iverson]

Phone for you, man. You gave such and such your. Your. Your. Your Louis sneakers. You gave your sister your. Your.

[DJ Envy]

Your.

[Allen Iverson]

Your. Your fur coat, you know what I mean? Like, yeah, and that's just. That's just small compared to the. The real. You know what I mean? Not feeling well, you know what I mean? I mean, I did all this, and I was to wake up feeling like this, you know what I mean? Then my responsibilities, you, You. You know what I mean? You missing flights and. You know what I mean? I mean, just a. It's a plethora of things, man. You just drinking, you know what I'm saying? Like, I started evaluating, like, what good does it do for me?

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, yeah.

[Allen Iverson]

You understand like, you, You. I mean, you can. You can have fun with your homeboys, your homegirls, you know what I mean, without that. And I found out that that's something I, you know, gotta get used to as well, you know what I mean? Because I don't like being around a bunch of drunk people. And I ain't. Like, we can't have a conversation. Like, I'm talking. I'm trying to get you to understand something, but I'm talking to somebody drunk, you know what I mean? You ain't trying to hear nothing I'm talking about. We ain't. Our conversation is not gonna matter until some other time, you know what I mean?

[DJ Envy]

And so if Bron call you right now and he said, hey, man, Hennessy got this bag for you, man.

[Allen Iverson]

God damn about no bag. I don't. I've been there. I done had it and long. I done experience having millions and losing, like. And I'm not talking about. I've always been a millionaire, you know what I mean? I'm make millions regardless. But for me, once I done hit the pinnacle, you know, 10 million a year is not enough for me. You know what I mean? Is. Is. Is not enough. Like, but at the same time, if I won the lottery, if I hit one of them joints that went up to a billion or something like that, the last thing I would want is for anybody to know, you know what I'm saying? Like, man, that's. That's the last thing. Like, right, man, you know what I mean? But, like, I wouldn't. I wouldn't. I wouldn't sell my. And. And I talk to God about it. I. I asked them to. To help me be strong. I ain't go to no AA or nothing like that. Like, I. I was like, okay, I'm not. I'm not doing it. And that's what it was. And the crazy thing about it is I've been with her for 15. I mean, for 35 years, and since I was 15. And this crazy part about it is, she said when I told her I was stopping that after that, she prayed on it, and she said that was the only time that she ever prayed on it. Like, I said it plenty of times in the past, and she said that was the only time that she prayed on it, and I was authentic with it.

[DJ Envy]

Was there ever a time in your life where you truly felt like a kid? Because when I read your book, it feels like you never got the opportunity.

[Allen Iverson]

To be a child. Yeah. Hell yeah. I remember, like, people talk all the time. About. I mean, I was. How tough was it, you know, growing up poor? You know what I mean? I'm like, it was the best, right? You know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean? Because everybody around me was. It won't. Like, everybody, you know, it was only until I got to high school and I'm wearing, like, I had two, what, three pair of pants and my. And one of them was my sister's, you know what I mean? You know, it was. It was bad. And I'm looking at it. It's called Farmington, you know, where I'm from, you know what I mean? You see the kids in Farmington, they come in there dressed like they got the polo and the guests on, and you know what I mean? I'm like, damn, Jabot. Them dudes, it was. That was competition for real.

[True Crime Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Allen Iverson]

You know what I mean? They come up with their act, legends and you know what I mean? Like, it was tough, but, you know, know, before then it was like, man, you know what I'm saying? Like, all I wanted. All I wanted growing up was a pair of Jordans. Yeah, that's it. I ain't give a damn. I go to school, I have a goddamn pamp on, long as I got Jordans, you know what I'm saying? Like, yeah, it was. It was. It was. It was nothing to me. I was a kid, man. I mean, I was a kid. I had a childhood, man. I don't have no excuses on anything that's happened in my life. I don't have no one to blame. I don't have. I don't. Man, I don't. When. When things don't go right, you know what I mean? When. When you ask somebody to do something for you, you know, I mean, they don't do it. How mad can you get with them? But I'm not doing it. Do it yourself, you know what I mean? Or, don't, don't. Don't put that on them, you know what I'm saying? Like, I just. I just. I. I concentrate so much. I. Like, we just. You just heard me go on about the seven and Son. Like. And my. My girl said, like, how do you watch this every day? Love it. You know what I'm saying? How do you watch Good Times every day? Like, I love now. I love my gangster shit. Like, I love, you know, all of that. You know what I mean? But I just like to make shows.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Allen Iverson]

I like to laugh like a kid again. Like a kid again. And then. And I. And I. It ain't that bad. You ain't, you know, obviously dead. That's one thing. But you ain't in jail, man.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Allen Iverson]

You ain't blind, you ain't deaf.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Allen Iverson]

You know what I mean? You got all your limbs. Like, what you complaining about, you know, that's the one thing I try to control in my life. Just complaining about all the time. You know what I mean? Like, I mean, and it don't. It won't do no good. I mean, for you to do it.

[DJ Envy]

There's not one excuse in that book making. All it is is accountability throughout the whole.

[Allen Iverson]

That's right. I ain't making none, man. And then. Because that's the. Easy for somebody to look up to Allen Iverson, have a. To have a cop out, you know what I mean? Easy way. You know what I mean? Complaining about something, man. Do it. And, and I hate when people think that like that it's arrogant and that's kind. I've always been confident. I ain't. I mean, I've never been arrogant. I've never been cocky. Just confident, you know what I mean? And the one thing about, like just, just people just. It bothered me that you don't think that this is your world. This is your world. It don't mean you're not being arrogant, you're not being selfish, thinking, you know what I mean? Like, you the only one that matter in the world, you know what I mean? But it's yours. This is your life. Everything happens. You know, you the one. You ain't going nowhere. You might see everybody go before you, you know what I mean? It's going to hurt when people go or whatever, but this is, this is the one shot that you got, you know what I mean? To be happy, to make these decisions and live with them, you know what I mean? You concentrate on making mistakes and hopefully you don't make the same mistake twice. And, and live your. Live your life, man. It's. You got one shot at this, man. Ain't nothing wrong with being you, man.

[DJ Envy]

That's right.

[Allen Iverson]

Ain't nothing wrong with it, man. You can't be everybody else. You can't. You know what I mean? You can't worry about. Worry about what you can control, man. You know what I mean? Like, I want some money. I want to be the richest man in the world. I want all the money. Yeah. You know what I mean? Yes.

[DJ Envy]

You know how you missed out on some money? Not registering. Not registering. AI.

[Allen Iverson]

How much time?

[DJ Envy]

As a domain name.

[Allen Iverson]

I got the real AI, but register the sleeve, you know?

[DJ Envy]

What I mean?

[Allen Iverson]

Like, like, like, damn, if I get that copywritten. Like, the sleeve, man. Everybody wear, man. People playing golf wearing the sleeve, man. I seen R. Kelly had a sleeve on. I said, what? R. Kelly fell off the stage. You know what I mean? The man got a sleeve on in the video, yo. See, yo, man, like, dudes, like, the famous, man, it's part of people. Like, it's a swag. Yeah, yeah, I'm wearing it. Like, the whole reason I'm wearing it. Cause I'm hurt. You know what I mean? Like, it was a lot of opportunities that were there that I passed up on. But, like, I don't look at it like that. I think, now what? Like, now where you going now? Now what you gonna do? That's right. You know what I mean? Like, every time God opened my eyes, I'm just, you know, I'm just trying to think positive. But life be lifein', like, you know, you get a phone call, you know, hey, man, like. Like, yo, I need you to do this, bro. You asking me for this? You know what I mean? Thousands of dollars, Christmas is a couple days away. Like, why you ain't ask me this? You know what I mean? I'm asking you. All right, you know, can you do that? All right, I'm gonna do it for you. You know what I mean? You just need to say, homie, that's.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Why they do it.

[Allen Iverson]

I ain't saying every video, he know who he is. And all the people, People that I'm talking about, they ain't certain people not gonna get upset because they know I'm not talking about that. You know what I mean? But, you know, like. Like, dude, you know, I say, yo, I'm gonna do it. I take care of that. You know what I mean? You my man. I take care of that. You know what I mean? I said, but I'm gonna do it with my card. Put it on my car. So send me the information.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Don't like that I'm doing on my car.

[Allen Iverson]

Oh, no, no, no. I need cash, man. I need cash. What difference do it make? It's gonna be taken care of.

[DJ Envy]

Vegas can't be choosing.

[Allen Iverson]

And then I got called a clown. And no, yeah, crazy. Like, I'm talking about I've been and I've been. This dude was my homeboy since I was, like, 30. I mean, like, it's been 30, 38 years. Me and them been homeboys.

[DJ Envy]

You went above and beyond, my brother.

[Allen Iverson]

That's right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Has anybody ever tried to, like, come to you and say, Look, Chuck, look, my bad. I was tripping. Like, back then. I kept asking and asking and asking, and you would do it. And I just. I took advantage for you. Has anybody ever come to you to. To take accountability? One person.

[Allen Iverson]

You are incredible. Because it just happened. It just happened. And my man was telling me that. The same thing you just said. He told my man that, and my man told me, and it was like. Went on deaf ears. I was like, man, yes. I've heard him say that before. And he keep doing it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You know what I mean?

[Allen Iverson]

Like, you keep doing it. You know what I mean? The hardest part. The hardest part is when it's a homeboy or homegirl and you want to cut them off because of how they treat you, not because of how you treat them. You know, they think you treating them bad because you implemented that word no in your vocabulary. But the hardest thing is when it's somebody that you love. The hardest thing is questioning yourself like, damn, am I wrong for this? Am I going too far? You know what I mean? Like, you always try to look at yourself and feel like if you could have did something wrong. I mean, if you. I'm sorry. If you could have did something right. You know what I mean?

[DJ Envy]

Nothing wrong with boundaries, my brother. Nothing wrong. Boundaries.

[Podcast Host]

I got a question for you. You talked about your wife Tawanna praying over you decided not to drink anymore. As a husband, what have you discovered?

[Allen Iverson]

I'm a boyfriend. Y' all married for life, man. Y' all married for life.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It's like a boyfriend.

[DJ Envy]

I didn't understand that in the book.

[Allen Iverson]

Yeah, well, I mean, we got divorced.

[DJ Envy]

So you married, divorced, and y' all got right back together, like six months later or something.

[Allen Iverson]

You said, I'm. I. I mean, I wanna. I don't. I want this point to be made because you think I'm who I am. And I was out of control. I was out of control. And this threat was there for years, for years and years and years and years and years. And it's like the boy cried wolf. Like, whatever. I heard that before. You know what I mean? And then it was like she got to the point where like, yo, I gotta show this motherfucker. I gotta do something to show him I'm serious. And that's what happened. You're in that courtroom, and you looking over there and you see number one right there, and you looking down at that paver and them tears hitting that. That paper. And they don't say, you know, I've been Georgetown versus Georgetown, and it's been A scrimmage or Sixes versus Sixes and you looking at the stat sheet. Whatever. I'm looking at Iverson vs. Iverson, you know what I mean? And like, yo shit is real. You know what I mean?

[DJ Envy]

Did you wear a suit?

[Allen Iverson]

Oh, my God. Oh my God. And look, I really was defiant then. You know what I mean? Like, you got me in here, you know what I mean? And I had a judge. The judge was vicious. Like, I couldn't do nothing right.

[Podcast Host]

Even in that moment, you were defiant.

[Allen Iverson]

Yeah. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

[Podcast Host]

No, no, this is your interview. I was just gonna say, even in that moment, you were defiant and I guess upset even though you knew. Cause you said you knew you were out of control. But so like, in that moment where. Why are you defining upset if she's just doing what she thinks is going to help, I guess, to get you to a better spot for her.

[Allen Iverson]

I was selfishly thinking about my demise. Because I know in my heart and in my mind that I can't live without her. You know what I'm saying? Like, I know it. Like I. I know it. I. I took. I. I took her love for me for granted. You know what I mean? Like, as far as she loving me so much that I felt like, you know, that she would never. She would never go. Go nowhere. Like I. This all I've known. This is the only love that I've ever known as far as. Like, I've never loved someone like this in my life. You know what I mean? Then a lot of times, you know, all women would say. Or even guys, you know, anybody that's, you know, logical about anything. How you love us so much and you do the things.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Allen Iverson]

And I don't have an answer for.

[DJ Envy]

We never do, though, as men. We never do. We don't know why we do the dumb. We do.

[Podcast Host]

So how has not drinking and, you know, it seems like you're, you know, your focus is different in this time of your life. How has that made you guys rediscover each other in a relationship?

[Allen Iverson]

Oh, yeah. I'm. I'm. I'm Claire Huxtable. I mean, Cliff. She's Claire. I'm Cliff Huxtable now.

[Podcast Host]

Like.

[Allen Iverson]

I kind of get a feeling like I'm the guy. Like I always felt like, you know, I was the guy she always wanted. You know what I mean? Wanted to, you know, wanted me to be. But I really feel like that guy now. Like, I feel like it's not the Hux moves around there, obviously, but, like she love, you know, this me, you know, because you always getting this me. It's hard to take advantage of somebody that can see clear as hell, you know what I mean? Opposed to being nonchalant about everything, you know what I mean? Like, it's, you know, my homeboy says a different Chuck now, you know what I mean? I see, I see what's going on, you know, I mean, all the stuff that I used to, you know, not pay attention to, I'm. I'm paying attention to it now, you know what I mean? And I, I just think, you know, by me making this decision, it's so much better for not just myself, everybody around me, right? I can help better. My. My advice is better, you know what I mean? Like, I'm a better friend now. I'm a better family member. I, you know, this shit is clear, you know what I'm saying? Like, I, I promise you, I, I'm the smartest man in the world, because I know I'm not, you know what I mean? I, I know I'm not like. But I know how if it's a certain field of, you know how we need some help. Help. And you know, I mean, opposed to just, Just doing it all way and thinking, we know. No, man, we gotta go to. We got to go to this person, we gotta go to that person. We got to do it this way, we got to do it that way, you know, I mean, put your ego aside, man. We trying to get it done, we need to get it done, but we're gonna get it done, right? And it's just a evolution of me. It took long. Yeah, you know what I mean? But I just think about it like, yo, you embarrassed. You know, first it was embarrassing that, you know, talking about seeing the. Went viral yesterday, and you embarrassed, you know, with the whole thing.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But.

[Allen Iverson]

But it's like, damn, bro. That's another thing that, you know, by you being you and being comfortable in your own skin, it's gonna help somebody else. Somebody might make that decision.

[Jess Hilarious]

You're right.

[DJ Envy]

Somebody trying to be sober right now.

[Allen Iverson]

You know what I'm saying?

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

Was there ever a time. Cause I didn't get it from the book where anybody recommended therapy to you. Cause it was clear you was dealing with my girl. Okay, okay.

[Allen Iverson]

Like you need some help.

[DJ Envy]

You know what I mean?

[Allen Iverson]

You don't remember what we was. How you come into a get up that you said last month, you know what I mean? Just starting, you know what I mean? Like. And then she used to be like, you ran. You Running around with all these dudes all day long, and y' all drinking a half a ball. And you come in here with me. I'm talking about where your piece is at, man. You know what I mean? Because you go out, women know. You leave that house, man, we tackling the world.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Allen Iverson]

Like you. Hey, it's. It's going down. It's hard for me, like I said, to go to the grocery store.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Allen Iverson]

To go to Target, Walmart. I got to be Alan Iverson. Every day I walk in the house. And one thing about it, everybody, everybody out there, if you think about it, somebody gonna see you and feel like, this is the last opportunity that I'm ever gonna get. Yeah. To see him. And this is my moment. That's right. You know what I mean? When they see. Oh, it's like. And then you. You somewhere and you. You paying for something. And then you finish and you turn around and you see so many people. You see cameras. And then you see. And they do the shot of me, like. Like they're getting ready to jump rope. You see everybody, like. You know what I'm saying? Everybody. It's everybody time. You know what I mean? And it's like. It's like. It's like, bro, you want to be. You want to, like, you wanna. It's so much. You go out, when you come in the crib, man, it's supposed to be peace, you know what I'm saying? Like, fall on, you know, on the couch and. And. And you. You done made it through the storm, you know what I mean? Because, like, my fans, like, they. They got real love, man. You know what I mean? But some of them, when. When you can just. You can distinguish a fan, a true fan, and just somebody that, you know, give a damn about how nice you was on the court, because a true fan give a. About you. You know what I mean? Like, you feeding them. Feeding my daughter. You know what I mean? I'm in a restaurant and just stick a piece of paper and a pen and sign this right here. AI. You know, hold on, baby, let me. And this. And I, I, you know, I love women, you know? I mean, to death, I love all my fans, but women fans are. They don't like taking no. Yeah. You know what I mean, Dude, Tell you no all the time, but me, somebody you don't know tell. You know, you go crazy in a minute. I'm feeding my daughter right now. Well, you then, AI Kobe Bryant better than you. Anyway, I'mma burn these shoes. I bought. I bought your shoes. I bought your jersey. I'm like, I ain't say no. I just said, let me finish feeding my daughter. You know what I mean? Like, it's crazy. I remember I was at Dave and Buses with the kids. I'm on the phone talking to my mom, and a lady walked up to me and she was like, hey, yeah, let me talk to you. I said, hold on, ma'. Am. I'm talking to my mom on the phone right now. What's your mom more important than your fans? Yeah. I was like, jesus Christ.

[DJ Envy]

What kind of question is that?

[Allen Iverson]

I was like, yo, I said, look, let me just get away from you.

[DJ Envy]

You know what I mean?

[Allen Iverson]

But that's like, you know, all in a nutshell, man. Being a celebrity, man. You say that because people think about the money and the fame and the talent or whatever, man. You say you want this life and whatever, man. You really. Man. A lot of people, if they were me, would have been jumped off a building or put a pistol to their head and blew it off by now.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's the crazy thing. Lord John said that same thing when we had him. He said, you gotta be built. You gotta have tough skin. This is not an easy industry to be in. But your influence was crazy. Cause I'm telling you, them Ailen Iversons, I was getting them and I was getting bitches. And I wasn't even gay in middle school. I would come get my hair braided, and that's good. You told me you had no hang time. I didn't either, but ain't no. Because I had the Hobbisons, right? Yeah. So.

[Podcast Host]

Philly, right? I mean, influence and impact and everything you did, but Philly embraced you so much, and the person you are, meeting you. I get it now, but, you know, Philly don't embrace everybody. What was your time like there? Just in, like, what were you doing, I guess to lean into that or, like. I don't know, like, did you feel the. Okay.

[Allen Iverson]

They.

[Podcast Host]

They love me here. Like, when you walk out onto the streets and not at first, because people. You know, Philly is tough.

[Allen Iverson]

The toughest. And they call it. And it's brotherly love. That's what's crazy about it. My relationship. Not in the beginning, but I think I have. I would. I would say Michael Jordan in Chicago, Steph in Florida State. Who else? The Bay Area now, probably Shea and Oklahoma City. I think I have the best relationship with a fan base, I think, in sports history. You know what I mean? Like magic to la. That's. That's crazy. And Kobe la. Yeah, Kobe la.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You know what I mean?

[Allen Iverson]

They watched me grow up. I was 21 years old when I got there. They watched me, you know, go through my ups and downs. But I played every game like it was my last. And if, you know, Philadelphia, that's all they really want. Like, I could. I was telling Steve yesterday, like, I could be out there. I can go over Winfrey from the field, you know what I mean? But they knew that AI played hard as he could, you know what I mean? I could look in the mirror after the game, every game I played, hurt, sick, whatever, and look in the mirror. And I never felt bad, you know, I felt good. I'm upset about not playing well, but I knew that I played that game like it was my last. People in Philadelphia love that. And our relationship has been that, you know what I mean, since I've been retired, what, 15 years now. And the relationship is still the same. You walk in the building, it's the same feeling. And then the people in Philadelphia are used to me outside of being in that arena.

[Podcast Host]

I've heard stories about you at barbershops and everywhere.

[Allen Iverson]

Applebee's, or was it tgi?

[DJ Envy]

TGI Friday?

[Podcast Host]

Well, I was a little younger, so I came a little bit after. You weren't there. You weren't in Fridays when I was there. But, yeah, Club Fridays was a thing.

[Allen Iverson]

It became the third largest Fridays in the country, you know what I mean? Like, it was really a club, you know what I mean? Lines. They had star checking IDs you had to get. You had to have reservations. And you know what I mean? Like, it was. It was crazy, you know what I mean? In Philly. I love Philadelphia. I mean, I love it, you know what I mean? But it's just. Just like Virginia. I can't never, like, live there, you know what I mean? Like, when I retired, I went to Florida, like, trying to get away from everything. Then it's just me, her and the kids, and no family, no friends. Like, nah, you know what I mean? So I moved to Charlotte. It's close to Virginia, but, you know, I can never go live there again. But people worry me to damn death, you know what I mean? Like, but close. My mom could drive or our flight, right?

[DJ Envy]

They saying you gotta rap. I do. Got one last question, man. You changed the entire culture of basketball. But to me, you changed black culture. You also changed hip hop culture. From your fashion to your attitude to just your authenticity. When you see how the NBA and the world embraces individuality now, do you feel Celebrated, or do you still feel misunderstood?

[Allen Iverson]

Nah, it's. I get the opportunity. Like, this is opportunity for me, you know what I mean? Like, all of those years, you wanted to, you know, you wanted to. Nah, man, you got me wrong, you know what I mean? And talk about it to your family and your friends, man, I'm misunderstood, man. They don't. They ain't getting it, you know? I mean, it ain't like that. And then this platform and then all the other big platforms, you know, just you guys giving me an opportunity to come up here and ask me that. I want to answer that, that I want the world to know, you know what I mean? I want them to know it. It ain't like that. It's like this, you know what I mean? And then you hearing it from someone else, you know what I mean? Someone else telling who Allen Iverson is, then just to have the opportunity to do it, and the excitement about it is the long wait. Yeah. Because now I finally get a chance to. Man, you was wrong. You had me fucked up. Like, that ain't what it is, you know what I mean? And going through your career, you can't explain to everybody every situation. It don't. Yeah, you know what I mean? And this book took years, you know what I mean? The documentary took years to do. And, man, I just. I'm just happy that I get an opportunity to tell my story or write my story and help and help and help somebody, you know what I mean? Just like, you know, Michael Jordan did for me, you know what I mean? Like, he. If it wasn't for no Michael Jordan, they would not be the Allen Iverson that everybody in the world know. Like, I literally, like, he gave me the vision, man. Like, I'm like, I want to be like him, you know what I mean? That's who I want to be. Him and Michael. Michael Jackson. I want all the dudes to love me, you know what I mean? I want all the girls to love me, you know what I mean? I want to put that in one, you know what I'm saying? And I want to be not just a basketball player, but just big all over. And I didn't. I didn't get this vision until. Until I started to take care of what I had to do on the basketball court and then becoming a cultural icon, you know what I mean? Okay. All these rappers, all these people in the world that want to just express themselves the way they want to express themselves, now they get an opportunity, man. He can do it, man. Ain't nothing wrong with what I'm doing, regardless of how I look.

[DJ Envy]

That's right.

[Allen Iverson]

Regardless how I look. Everybody talk about that Runway walking into the game. I'm watching it, you know what I mean? I don't like everything up there, but I just love their confidence of walking in there. Like, yeah, I'm doing it today, you know what I mean? And like, just my story. All I want is for people to get out of it, man. It's all right to be you. It's all right. That's right. You know what I mean? And it's. It's things that's gonna happen in your life and it's gonna be tough, you know what I mean? But that's when you gonna lean on number one. You're gonna lean on him. You gonna lean on God. You don't. You don't ask them any. You don't question them at all. You know what I mean? Whatever happened, happened. I ain't never. My grandma told me when I went to jail, that bowling alley thing, I said, why are they doing this to me if they know I didn't do what they said I did? Don't question God. Never questioned God, and I've never done it since then. You know what I mean? Whatever he do, you know what I mean? I'm cool with it, you know what I mean? He driving his car and I'm just sitting there, ride shotgun. Wherever he take me, that's where I'm going. And I'm going to live with the results. So that's the only thing I want out of this thing, man. Live and laugh and love, man.

[Jess Hilarious]

And we love you, brother.

[DJ Envy]

We love you too.

[Jess Hilarious]

Is out.

[DJ Envy]

Right now.

[Jess Hilarious]

It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning.

[Allen Iverson]

Every day I wake up.

[DJ Envy]

Wake your ass up.

[Allen Iverson]

Finish or y' all done.

[Narrator (Graves County Podcast)]

The murder of an 18 year old girl in Graves County, Kentucky, went unsolved for years until a local housewife, a journalist, and a handful of girls came forward with a story.

[Allen Iverson]

America, y' all better wake the hell up. Bad things happens to good people in small towns.

[Narrator (Graves County Podcast)]

Listen to Graves county on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And to binge the entire season ad free. Subscribe to Lava for good plus on Apple Podcasts.

[True Crime Podcast Host]

Short on time, but big on true crime. On a recent episode of the podcast Hunting for Answers, I highlighted the story of 19 year old Lachey Dungey. But she never knocked on that door. She never made it inside. And that text message would be the last time anyone would ever hear from her. Listen to hunting for answers from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Podcast Host]

This is an iHeart podcast.